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Making your roof into a green roof doesn’t mean to install solar panels on your roof. Although this is a great idea and an environmentally friendly option, the term green roof applies to a roof that holds soil, grass, plants and possibly small trees, agriculture and a pond. A green roof is a living eco-system on the roof; it is not a collection of potted plants on the roof.

The history of the green roof goes back hundreds of years to when the Vikings put turf on their roofs to improve insulation and make their homes warmer during the harsh Scandinavian winters. The idea became popular again in the 1960s in Germany. Since then green roofs have spread all over the world, particularly in urban centers where the benefits of a green roof are more evident in a milieu where available land is limited and expensive.

There are two types of green roof: intensive and extensive. An intensive green roof has deeper soil, irrigation systems and holds heavier vegetation and possibly a pond for grey water recycling. An extensive green roof has a shallower layer of soil and holds lighter vegetation. Intensive green roofs are usually found on bigger high rise buildings and extensive green roofs are suitable for home owners since the roof doesn’t need to be reinforced.

The advantages of green roofs are that they reduce heating costs in the winter because they add insulation to a building. In summer they reduce cooling costs because the vegetation on the roof provides natural cooling with the evaporation of morning dew and rain.

Furthermore, green roofs provide space in a city for the growing of food. This cuts down on the carbon costs of bringing food into a city and of course means free food for individual home owners.

Green roofs also increase biodiversity in a city and provide natural habitat for birds and insects. They also help to recycle carbon emissions and produce oxygen. The plant mass also helps to filter pollution in the air from cars and factories.

At present in Germany 10% of roofs are now green. It is no surprise because Germany leads the world in environmentally friendly innovation. If you have a flat roof you should consider making your own green roof.