Green roofs are attractive, but they also offer a variety of benefits. For example, having vegetation on your roof helps to cool the building, reduces flooding during heavy rainfall, and increases the output of your solar panels. A green roof also enhances local biodiversity, and installing one can increase your home's value. But what exactly do you need to consider if you want to install a green roof?
Naturalis and ASN Bank have developed an e-learning (in Dutch) course that covers everything you need to know about green roofs in six informative lessons.
Winwin
In principle, any roof offers the opportunity to install a green roof, whether you want to green a shed, the roof of your home or your business premises. Youri Siemer, on behalf of Naturalis, has outlined what you need to consider when installing such a roof and its benefits. According to Siemer, green roofs can have a significant positive impact in urban areas. "Nature is very fragmented in towns and cities. A large part of the surface area is paved. So if you can improve your home and enhance nature at the same time, that’s a win-win.”
Siemer hopes that the e-learning course will inspire many people to install a green roof. “Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could make your home a bit greener and help biodiversity in the city?”
Get started with the lessons
Lesson 1 - Roofs that serve a purpose: What are green roofs?
Green roofs can look very different. In this lesson, we’ll discuss how any type of roof, whether flat or pitched, small or large, can be transformed into a green, living system.
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Lesson 2 - More than just pretty: Discover the benefits of green roofs
Green roofs don’t just look good; they also offer a variety of benefits. What do you think is the most important benefit of a green roof?
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Lesson 3 - A boom in biodiversity: Your roof as an oasis
What does biodiversity actually mean? And how does your green roof contribute to it?
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Lesson 4 - Van droom tot dak: Hoe kies ik het juiste groene dak?
Where should you start if you want to install a green roof? How do you translate your wishes and preferences into a concrete plan?
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Lesson 5 - Maintenance and development: Looking after your green roof
From the moment of installation until many years later, a green roof continues to develop. But how do you ensure it remains healthy and attractive?
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Lesson 6 - From budget to construction: How to Create Your Green Roof
Before installing your green roof, you need to sort out your budget, permits, and approvals. What are your options, and what steps do you need to take?
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Each lesson lasts eight to ten minutes. For the best experience, open the e-learning in your computer’s browser (or in desktop mode if you’re using a mobile device).
The benefitsof a green roof
A green roof is a roof covered with vegetation. It is typically made up of the succulent plant sedum. Sedum is highly resistant to heat, cold and drought. The vegetation helps keep the roof and the space below it cool in summer, stores water during heavy rainfall, and improves the performance of solar panels. This is because solar panels operate more efficiently when they remain cool. In newly built homes, a green roof can also have a positive impact on the property's energy rating.
Additionally, green roofs provide habitats for plants and animals, such as insects, and they act as a network that connects green spaces within cities. This enables animals to find more food and mates with which to reproduce.
Different types ofgreen roofs
If you are considering installing a green roof, it is important to first think about your living situation and what you hope to achieve. Siemer emphasises that you must always first determine the load-bearing capacity before approaching a roof garden designer. “You can then work together to see which design best suits your home, expectations, and needs.” Would you prefer a low-maintenance green roof with sedum for cooling purposes, or an intensive green roof with larger plants and perhaps even a vegetable garden? In principle, any roof is suitable. Even if your roof is very steep, there may be a dormer window where you can install one. “Any extra greenery is a bonus,” says Siemer.
Bloom of biodiversity
Together, green roofs can create a network of green spaces within the city, connecting urban nature. When the sedum plants are in bloom, they attract flying insects such as bumblebees, butterflies, and hoverflies. Over time, more and more small creatures will discover the vegetation and use it as a place to forage for food and take shelter.
You can boost biodiversity on your roof by using a seed mix during installation or spreading grass clippings from the local area to encourage growth. However, even if you take no action, seeds from nearby plants will be carried to your roof by the wind and birds. The more varied the vegetation, the more animals, such as birds, will use the roof as a place to feed, nest or rest.
MoreKnowledge Naturally!
Are you interested in working with Knowledge Naturally! ? If so, please get in touch with us via the contact form at naturalis.nl/kennisnatuurlijk and find out more about what Knowledge Naturally! can do for you.
This is a 'Knowledge Naturally!' project. 'Kennis Natuurlijk!' is a collaboration between ASN Bank and Naturalis Biodiversity Center which connects young researchers with the knowledge questions raised by society. The project focuses on creating healthy, nature-inclusive and climate-resilient living, working and residential environments. ASN Bank financially supports the required research using a portion of the commission income from ASN insurance policies. Through this collaboration, we can answer knowledge questions that would otherwise remain unanswered.
Want to know what other questions we have answered? Click here to view all our toolboxes.
Who is workingon this project
Involved partners:
ASN Bank, a.s.r. verzekeringen, Universal Greenfields
Our team:
