Roof gardens are built for both their aesthetic and their functional values. A roof garden can provide temperature control, architectural enhancement, hydrological benefits, and of course food. It can also serve as a habitat for wildlife. There are a number of advantages when you plant a roof garden. It can cool the room below it, especially during a hot day. During winter, it provides insulation against the cold. In Germany, roof gardens are required to retain water from evaporating. It will prevent flash floods from occurring. There are three basic types of roof garden. They differ according to the maintenance they require, the type of plants the roof will support and the depth of the soil. The three types of roof gardens are:

Extensive Roof Garden

This is the easiest type of roof garden to maintain because it uses shallow soil. Extensive roof gardens are lightweight, and ideal for the roofs on garages, sheds, and other small extensions of the home. Although it’s easy to maintain this type of roof garden, it has the least aesthetic value, and the number of plants that can grow on it is quite limited. Examples of plants you can grow in an extensive roof garden are lichens and mosses. Lichens are symbiotic organisms that can colonize on surfaces such as glass, metal and plastic. Mosses are small green plants that do not require large quantities of nutrients for survival. They cling on stone and walls and, can live off of rainwater alone.

Semi-extensive Roof Garden

This type of roof garden has deeper soil, and can support a larger variety of plants. It can therefore be decorated more easily than the extensive roof garden. The soil is heavier in a semi-extensive roof garden, and requires a stronger structure in order to support it. One could plant sedums in this type of garden. These are succulents that can store water in their tissues. That means you won’t need to go out and water them every day – but during times of drought, they could die and turn patchy if not properly cared for. On a semi-extensive roof garden, you can also plant wildflowers that can grow without any maintenance.

Intensive Roof Garden

This type of roof garden can support trees and elaborate arrangements. Intensive roof gardens require large, strong structures to support them. Most homes are not suitable for this type of roof garden, but they can be found on concrete buildings and on top of roof decks. There’s no limit to what you can plant in an intensive roof garden, so long as the structure of the building can support the weight.

Vegetation Blankets

Another interesting option for green roofing is the use of Vegetation Blankets. For more information, see Vegetation for Roof and Ground Covering. Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wengs/ / CC BY 2.0

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You may have heard something about "white roofs" in the news but you may not know how they can help our planet, or a maintenance budget. I’ll try to clear things up a bit.

First, A few definitions, for the purpose of this article only.

a. White roof: A roof that is white in color and has a high rate of reflection of the sun’s energy.

b. Green roof: Any type of roof that will help our planet. Most white roofs are considered to be "green"

c. Planted roof: A roof that actually has plants growing on it.

d. Black roof: Old style roofs consisting of asphalt, rubber, or a combination of the two.

Most all of the commercial buildings in the world use black roofs. Because they are black, they soak up the sun’s energy like a sponge.

That’s bad for several reasons. Commercial roofs and pavement are the major factors in the "heat island effect" in major cities. Black roofs are typically almost twice the ambient air temperature on a hot day. Much of that heat is transferred into the building and places a tremendous load on the air conditioners, which use enormous amounts of electricity to keep the building comfortable. Black roofs have been around for decades because there were no alternatives.

White roofs. You might think you could just paint a black roof white and be done with it. Unfortunately, roofs expand and contract constantly. White paint will crack and leak almost immediately. We use acrylic elastomeric materials for our roofing systems. These materials will expand and contract up to 300%. They also reflect up to 85% of the sun’s energy, including UV. This virtually eliminates the heat island effect of that building, and will typically save up to 50% of the energy needed to cool the building. The energy savings with this type of roof are why energy czar Chu is traveling all over the world promoting white roofs. The total amount of energy savings potential is incredible, especially on a world wide basis. Upfront cost is comparable to a black roof, but a white roof will typically pay for itself in 4-7 years with energy savings alone.

Planted roofs are becoming more popular every day for several reasons. Many metropolitan areas in the US are having huge problems with excessive rain run off. A planted roof helps because it will soak up a great deal of moisture before it becomes saturated. In some cities, they are even growing vegetables on the roof. The major problems with a planted roof are cost and weight. A roof can only hold so much weight before it will collapse. Black roofs are quite heavy already so the ideal solution is to have a lightweight membrane underneath the plants to seal the roof. Flat roofs have always been hard to seal, having plants on top may preserve the covered portion of the roof, but there are almost always walking spaces for servicing equipment on the roof. Having to remove all the plants to service the actual roof surface would be very expensive, so we recommend a modern elastomeric membrane underneath so there will be no maintenance for many, many years. Planted roofs are beautiful, the plants produce oxygen, they reduce the heat island effect, and they save even more energy than a white roof, and they help tremendously with run off water. But, they must be done right in order not to leak.

White roofs, green roofs, and planted roofs may qualify for various tax credit programs which will help make them more attractive to building owners.

We can convert virtually any roof to a green roof. From the smallest Mom and Pop store, to the largest buildings on the planet, anywhere in the US.

If you own a building, or know some one who does, have them contact us to see what we can do. We only have one planet, let’s make sure our kids and grand-kids have a place to live.

Web site: White Roof Pros

Email: kwright@white-roof-pros.com

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For Roof and Ground Covering

Sedum Vegetation Blankets

The Sempergreen® vegetation blankets consist of a coconut fiber blanket, a layer of substrate, and various sedum species.

The growth and development of the plants creates an integrated blanket.

Sedum has water-storing leaves and therefore can withstand harsh environments. By combining creepers and ground covering plants you can alternate between growing and blooming. An additional advantage is that these plants can withstand extreme weather conditions. To add diversity, you can also have grass and herbs growing in the vegetation blankets.

Extensive Roof Gardens & More

Sempergreen® vegetation blankets can be applied to nearly every roof. Is your roof sloped or is it a flat roof? Our lightweight and insulating green roofs provide instant and spectacular results. With its rapid application and instant effect, the vegetation blanket feels at home immediately on any roof. In addition, the purchase and maintenance costs are most competitive even compared to bulk and modular roofs, while offering 85% coverage instantly. The blankets have a protective function such that green roofs last two to three times longer and you save a great deal on energy costs in summer and winter.

Green roofs, blossoming roundabouts, erosion-resistant embankments, green-covered sound barrier walls and magnificent ground covers. Sempergreen® vegetation blankets can be used everywhere. They can be applied quickly and are as good as maintenance-free. Take advantage of our 14 years of international know-how and experience to further increase the success of your vegetation blanket!

Roof Garden Products

To ensure the full success of your vegetation blankets, you can order a complete package from us. Follow-up, consulting and free project advice, and the delivery of your Sempergreen® vegetation blankets, we supply everything else that you might need for your green roof. For example: substrates, drainage material, protective sheets, foils, membranes, inspection pits and eave profiles.

Growing Together

Extensive support, straightforward advice, good products, competitive prices, excellent references and making the impossible possible… That’s how our customers know us. In addition, we are happy to be a partner to an installation contractor and not a competitor. That is the reason that we support projects free of charge and do not install down the vegetation blankets ourselves.

Why is it that our customers truly want to do business with us?

We join forces for the best possible projects results!

With Sempergreen® vegetation blankets you immediately see mature growth with little or no maintenance. A green roof with vegetation blankets has water retention of around 45-70% and provides substantial energy saving.

Other benefits are:

• Visually attractive appearance
• Simple, quick and easy to apply
• Very high growth percentage (at least 85%)
• A lightweight solution (a green roof is possible starting from 19 lbs/square foot (100 kg/m2)
• Only a thin substrate layer is needed compared to other extensive systems (2-5 inches depending on the region and the structure)
• Uniform drainage and purification of rainwater
• Resistant to nearly all weather conditions where people can live as well biodegradable
• Suitable for nearly all types of roofs and slopes
• Insulates in summer and winter
• Sound damping
• Unlike freshly planted bulk roofs its hardly sensitive to damage by birds

For more information on vegetation blankets for roof and ground covering, and for specific product information, contact:

Sempergreen USA
19315 Carrico Mills Rd
Stevensburg VA 22741
Tel.:540-399-5055
Fax :540-399-9085
office@sempergreen.com

www.sempergreen.com

Here you can also request custom-made quotes to your specifications. Do not hesitate to call us. We will gladly respond to your requests.

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Establishing and utilizing a home greenhouse is an excellent way to save money on groceries, follow a healthier and more nutritious diet, conserve on energy, and help the environment at the same time. But greenhouses don’t grow on trees – they have to be built. Not all of us have a professional builder in the family, or the budget to hire a specialist.

This is where greenhouse kits come in handy. If you aren’t looking for elaborate design but you need a basic and simple greenhouse for home use, this is a great way to get started without a large investment of time or money.

Greenhouse kits vary widely in cost and design. A very simple and economical variety can be found for under $40.00 or $50.00. This small greenhouse might consist of nothing more than a 2 foot square fabric tent where you can house a few plants and extend their growing season.

In this price-range, you can also find a basic enclosure system for a greenhouse, which will provide the framework and support that can then be covered in the material of your choice.

Moving up the line, you can find a more serious set-up for anywhere between $400 and $900, which includes either fabric or glass walls, and provides enough space to grow a full set of vegetables or other plants. Larger greenhouses, from 10 to 20 square feet in size, cost a few thousand dollars. But this might still be far simpler than building the entire structure on your own.

Once you’ve found and purchased the greenhouse kit that’s right for you, you will need to assemble it yourself, just as you would with any other kit. But you will have step-by-step instructions and all the parts you need, cut and sized to fit, and tested by the manufacturers.

While setting up a greenhouse requires an investment of time and money, you should be able to recoup your investment over time, providing that you actually use your greenhouse. The amount of money that can be saved by growing one’s own food is easy to underestimate – particularly where large families are concerned.

Growing food inside a greenhouse is extroverting, fun, and educational. It can make it possible for you to grow foods at all times of year, instead of being limited to certain seasons.  It can be very frustrating to go out and buy gardening equipment and seeds, only to get so busy with work that by the time you are ready to work on your garden, it is too late in the year.

A greenhouse can give you the extra leeway you need, and make it possible to have fresh home-grown vegetables year-round. It might also make it possible for you to grow the plants which normally wouldn’t grow in your region at all. Such as – who knows, habaneros in Montana?

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Proper landscaping is as important to energy and water efficiency in a home as anything else.  And eco-friendly mulch is the easiest way to keep that landscape healthy. Using mulch in flower beds, around sidewalks, and around trees is great for controlling erosion, keeping in the moisture, and making your plants look fabulous.

These days shredded tires, peanut shells, and pine bark and other recycled materials are all being used for sustainable landscaping projects instead of the traditional composition.  Of course, your environmental footprint will most likely be greater in the long run if you have to buy an eco-friendly mulch that’s been shipped halfway around the world, but there are easy ways to create mulch with your own recycled materials.

Old newspapers make great mulch. Just shred them into small strips and spread the strips around your flower bed.  Due to their tendency to clump when wet, however, its often recommended to apply them as a bottom layer, and then add different mulch on top.   They will biodegrade over time and add nutrients to the soil.

Peanut shells, if you have enough of them, also work.  They make a great mulch due to their chemical composition.  You can mix them with leaves or compost to make a nice-looking finish.  However, according to gardeners, they’re not good food for worms and therefore the natural nutrient cycling is not as effective.  What’s more, there is often a risk of mold accumulation with peanut shells that can spread to your plants and harm them.  Therefore, nut shells are not necessarily the best bet for your mulch, but they definitely work.

What about recycled rubber? Old tires are filling up landfills across the US—what better way to give them new purpose than to add them to your home’s landscaping?  You can buy preshredded rubber at your nearest garden center or you can make it yourself.  It is insect-resistant and aesthetically appealing.  Rubber mulch applications are particularly common on playgrounds, but they are just as good for your sophisticated landscape bedding.

Pine bark and pine needles are the best tree materials for mulch. They have a high moisture retaining capacity and keep away insects.  The substances’ high acidity contributes well to plants that require increased acid in the soil.   Pine bark also retains its color longer than most other tree barks, meaning that it needs to be replaced less often.

While pine makes a great mulch, other tree products that have the same characteristics might be slightly more sustainable.  Eucalyptis, for example, grows rapidly like bamboo and is highly abundant, allowing it to be harvested and regenerated in a more predictable manner than pine.  But remember, it is usually more sustainable and simple to use whatever product grows nearest you.

Unfortunately, however, mulch can never beat the advantages of the compost pile. You can create a compost bin with food waste and yard clippings, then spread it throughout your flower beds.  This is by far the most nutrient-enhancing mulch option for plants.

When in doubt, you can mix together most organic substances to create a fine looking and eco-friendly mulch.

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Saves you and the environment some green

Rainwater harvestingis “the process of intercepting storm-water runoff and putting it to beneficial use.”  Pretty simple concept.  Oddly enough, it is illegal in some states.   The Colorado legislature, in its 2009 session, legalized rainwater harvesting for residents with private wells.  Other states and municipalities are in the process of changing their laws.  You’ll need to do a little research to determine what is lawful in your state.  Whatever the case, I don’t think the police are going to show up at your door if you choose to harvest rainwater.

Why would I want to harvest rainwater anyway?

According to the EPA, a homeowner can save 1,300 gallons of water a month.  That will help with your water bills or reduce stress on your well.  You can use the water in your evaporative coolers, to water plants, your lawn, your pets or livestock.  It reduces your carbon footprint by saving on electricity to pump water and then deliver it to your home.   Besides, it simply makes good sense to have water stored to guard against times of drought or emergency.

So I’m building or rebuilding a home and want to incorporate this.  How?

You can begin by designing your home, buildings, and surrounding landscape to maximize the amount of rainwater catchment.   You can do it like Jerry Brock of Monte Sereno, California and use four gravity-fed 5,000 gallon tanks.  Or, there are companies like Rain Harvesting Systems (RHS) that specialize in elaborate and wonderful systems for your home or commercial building.

You can do it like people have been doing it for thousands of years—with some type of cistern.   Cisterns, now, aren’t some Biblical clay container thing , but are usually some type of composite plastic.  Here are some links to places you can buy one and also some “do it yourself” harvesting systems.

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?cat=187

http://www.rain-barrel.net/category/rainwater-harvesting

http://www.ehow.com/how_5126202_harvest-rain-water.html

http://www.off-grid.net/2009/06/20/how-to-harvest-rainwater/

Bottom line:  it can be as simple as putting a big bucket out under your rain gutter and using the water for dry spots on your lawn.   Get an elaborate rainwater harvesting system or get a container with a cover (keeps mosquitoes from breeding and slows evaporation) and do your part to help your budget and your planet.

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