does anyone grow grass on their roof for environmental purposes?

Question

or just because it looks nice?

i never said i'm doing it (i'm not), i was just wondering

Answer 1

Green roofs are used not only for look and environmental credit but more many other reasons too. First, if a green roof is installed it will dramatically lower your cooling bills and make a decent dent in your heating bills. The main reason for this is that green roofs create a cool zone that lowers temperatures, and it also acts as a buffer that prevents heat from penetrating your roof. But the greatest benefit is the extension of your roofs lifespan. Most homes have a pitched roof so green roofs are a decent solution BUT buildings that use a flat roof system that have a green roof can extend a roof life from 5 to 40 years. This is because the roofing material won't be exposed to the elements and the constant shrinking and expanding of the roof will be reduced becuase of the insulating green roof above it. Plus, it makes a great backyard on your roof.

Answer 2

No but I think it would look pretty nice, especially from the air if everyone had green things/grass planted on their roofs.

How hard would it be to require buildings in the city with flat roofs to plant grass and gardens up there; just like anything else they have to put in the budget to run a business I would think that wouldn't cost too much. It should be law. It would help the environment and fight smog in the cities, provide a place that would lessen stress if employees were allowed to take breaks there (like a park) and it would make the city look better and more natural from the air.

Answer 3

Like everything else these days, there is no such thing as a magic pill to help you achieve better grass. But there are some basic tips that may help you as you go the long way to building lush, healthy grass your cat will love. It is true that your grass needs water to grow, but understand that grass have shallow roots that do not grow in too deep into the soil. In fact, most grasses only require 1 – 1.5 inches of water per week, which is enough to moisten the soil to 4 – 6 inches below the surface for clay soils and 8 – 10 inches for sandy soils. For this reason, over watering your grass may cause more damage than a lack of water.

Answer 4

Pioneers used to build sod roofed houses in the midwest because it was available and there wasn't much wood available. More modern applications include earth bermed houses built into the sides of hills. There is great insulation factor from a deep covering of grass as well as the good feelings from producing oxygen from photosynthesis. However, attempting to convert a conventional house to have an earth roof would be impractical. The weight of the soil and grass would require a lot of reinforcement for negligible gains from insulation. If you are building a new home however, look into it. It wold be "cool" in lots of ways and might start a trend.

Answer 5

To answer your question, yes. There are a lot of reasons people, corporations grow grass on their roofs. In large citys, large corporations and such like that will grow grass on their roof for the following;
1. It reduces the electricity bill, which in turn is helping the environment. It keeps the building cool.
2. It is a good use for needless space.
3. In cities there is a lot of bad air, and not a lot of plants to help turn that air back into O2. Having grass and plants on the roof helps the air.
You see by doing this they are helping the environment. Now these larger buildings build beautiful gardens and it is kinda a shame because we cant see them.

Answer 6

Ford Motor Company's Dearborn Truck Plant (DTP) in Michigan has the world's largest green roof. Instead of grass, they use a type of plant called sedum that doesn't require any mowing.

The roof provides insulation, a wildlife habitat, reduces by over 50% the amount of water running off the roof, and improves air quality through dust absorption and the consumption of ambient CO2 and hydrocarbons.

Answer 7

The city of Chicago has been working with developers and building owners to install rooftop gardens to help improve air quality, and help keep the the energy costs down. The best way for a typical house to do the same would to plant nice shade trees wherever possible to help shade the sun in summer and then when the leaves fall the sun can help warm the house in the winter.

Answer 8

I wish I could, it sounds like a wonderful idea. The town I live in is getting ready to build a new government building and they are going to put a sod covering on the roof. It's going to look like a little mini park up there and it will be open to the public. It's stirring up quite a bit of controversy, but I think it's a very progressive, enlightened concept.

Answer 9

Yes

In Japan many businesses and schools grow grass on their roof for environmental purposes. The "effects" that growing grass on roofs have are:

a) it gets cooler in the building itself (The airconditioner does not need to be set at a stronger setting because of this. So it also helps reduce electricity usage -> lower electric bills)
b) due to photosynthesis, CO2 is taken out of the atmosphere

Since Japan signed the Kyoto Protocol, Japan is obligated to reduce its CO2 emissions. Growing grass on roofs is one way to reduce these CO2 emissions.

Answer 10

There's a restaurant in Door County, Wisconsin that has been doing this for decades. It's called Al Johnsons and it's located in Sister Bay. They keep a goat or two on the roof to "mow."

*btw, they serve the BEST Swedish pancakes!