Instructions to Build a Green Roof

Build your own living green roof.

Building a green roof, also known as a living roof, is not only beautiful but it will reduce your heating and cooling costs and help filter the air around your home. A green roof is like it sounds—a roof covered with plants. Unless you use your roof to collect rainwater in a catchment system, you should be able to set up a green roof in the warm weather.

Things You'll Need

• Structural engineering report
• Pond liner
• Lattice
• Potting soil
• Seeds or seedlings

Instructions

1. Get your building’s engineer to provide you with a structural engineering report to help you ascertain whether or not your roof can withstand the weight of a garden. Ask your engineer what, if any, shoring up needs to be done and how to do it before proceeding.

2. Place a pond liner on top of the roof. And you also may want to pay a roofer to install a seamless roof, commercial grade, before putting the liner on top of your roof for more protection.

3. Lay down a lattice on your roof if it is a sloped roof.

4. Plan what type of plants you want on top of your roof. Ground covering plants such as ivy and ice plants work best but you can also select flowering plants. Select the soil according to the plants you choose.

5. Put about 8 to 10 inches of soil on top of the lattice and plant the seeds or seedlings into the soil.

6. Water your roof and wait for it to grow.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider what kind of wildlife and insects the plants you choose will attract since these animals will now be coming close by your home.

• If you have a very slanted roof, such as an A-frame, this kind of rooftop garden will not work. You really need a flat or gently slanted roof in order to keep the soil and plants in place.

References

• Wired How To Wiki: Build a Green Roof