Monday, September 6, 2010

Extensive Green Roofs Florida - Best Plants for Green Roof and Finally - How to Avoid a Marilyn Monroe

Happy Labor Day!

Yesterday we talked about the genus Allium and how some allium plants had the capability of acclimating to the harsh conditions on a green roof.

Today I wanted to share a photo of an extraordinary, yet small, extensive green roof here in Jacksonville, Florida.

Florida Extensive Green Roof - Jacksonville



There are three important points here to note.

1. The engineered soil is only 1/2 inch thick on average yet the Allium sp. plants shown growing here are doing quite well.  Also note the roof is sloped and the runoff has not washed out or eroded the soil (because the plant roots have grown into soil and the system mat - holding the soil into place).

2. This is a non-irrigated, extensive green roof that has been growing with no maintenance now for three years.

3. The exposed edges of the mat and root barrier are a poor design.  Especially here in Florida where tropical storms and hurricanes bring winds of up to 120 mph or more, exposed edges are not acceptable.  Having said the above - the root barrier and mat have withstood a direct hit from the 2008 Tropical Storm Fay.  It is important from a design and building code perspective that a green roof have no exposed edges.

Look what wind can do to exposed edges!



Green roofs in Florida can be irrigated or non-irrigated!  They can be mat-based or tray based!  They can be thick and intensive or lightweight and extensive!

All you need is a good green roof team that has plenty of experience and understands solid green roof design.

Happy Green Roofing!~

Kevin - Email me with your questions, thoughts or comments here!

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