Environmental Analysis of Green Roofs

Written by Nidhi Aggarwal – Asst. Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Graphic Era University

Green Roof has resulted in a beautiful gift of nature to the humanity providing environmental, social, cultural and aesthetic benefits. In the current scenario when cities are eventually getting converted in to concrete jungles, the infrastructure getting choked rapidly due to humongous pressure of rapidly growing urban sprawl, green roofs gives a break to the humans from these unavoidable grey shades in the very own dwellings. Green roofs are engineered roofs having lightweight soil substrate. This study has highlighted the benefits of green roofs in its extensive literature review even convincing the generally perceived misconception leading to unawareness. The study has taken into account various case studies from India and across the world demonstrating its successful running in the process. Generally users and investors are hesitant of installing the green roof fearing additional cost and construction complexities. The study eventually tries to convince them hat it is a marginal difference in the additional cost which can be fathomed looking at the amount of benefits The study goes through modeling estimates to actually see in practically how much one needs extra investment. The most important benefits of green roof directly to the user as well as to the city i.e. thermal insulation and stormwater retention has been seen in the study are drastically higher than the conventional roofs. India should produce a pool of professional expertise who can actually deliver quality services at par with international standards. Infact looking at our developing economy green roofs can be easily assimilated into the plenty of new constructions happening all around the country. This study is an attempt to actually get into the economics of green roof for a better future.

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Environmental Analysis of Green Roofs