Construction Components of Green Roofs

Green Roofs are constructed with some common components. They are often called "upside down roofs" since insulation and waterproofing are not placed at the top of the roofing material, but at the bottom. These components make up the functional layers of both intensive and extensive green roofs. Common components include decking, waterproofing, insulation, filtration and drainage, planting medium, and plant material.

Load Bearing

One of the main considerations of a green roof is its load bearing capacity. Intensive green roofs, with increased layers and ability to retain large amounts of water, make this consideration especially important. It also makes retrofitting an existing structure with a green roof more expensive than designing a green roof into a new building.