Are Green Roofs Worth It?

There are a few benefits to green roofs that are worth talking about and aren’t necessarily immediately obvious. In this blog, we’ll run through some of the key things about green roofs that makes them a great idea for your home.

1) They can save you money

A property with a correctly installed flat roof could well see the energy bills come down. They improve insulation, so you have to spend less money heating your home in winter or cooling it in summer. It may come as a surprise, but you can often spend as much cooling your home when it’s hot as you do keeping it warm when it’s cold!

What’s more, they can prolong the life of your roofing material underneath – more than double it in many cases – so you won’t need to replace your roof as quickly. Green roofs protect the membrane from the sun’s rays and large temperature fluctuations, such as freeze/thaw conditions.

Finally, they often increase the value of the property they’re installed on.

2) They’re good for the environment.

As well as reduce your carbon footprint by cutting your energy usage, green roofs create oxygen and therefore improve the health of humans, animals and plant life in the area. Green roofs in urban environments can help biodiversity; many creatures like butterflies and bees could make their homes in green roofs.

It’s highly possible that their environmental benefits will be more officially recognised by government bodies before long, which could lead to policy changes such as tax breaks for homes with green roofs.

3) They look great

Green roofs give a fresh, natural feel to a building, especially in urban areas. It’s natural for people to like to be surrounded by green – in fact, it’s been proven that patients in hospitals overlooking green space recover more quickly, and need less medication.

4) They need limited maintenance

Green roofs only need as much maintenance as you want to give them. They can be built to be virtually self-sufficient, with checks just twice a year required to make sure all is in order. Or if you’d like to keep your green roof as a bit of a garden, you can get more involved in planting and maintaining them.