Flat Roofs and Sloped Roofs, Green Roofs for both in Florida

Remember though - the plants you have installed on your green roof generally do not like wet feet, so provide good drainage!

Our field panels have shown that green roof systems in Florida with excellent drainage - nothing to hold the water in the soil - grow the healthiest plants.

Many take the opposite approach and install a water retention layer (material like a sponge - and a good way to grow mold and culture up plant diseases). Though a water retention layer will work when rain events are a week apart - allowing for drying time - the retention layer becomes a detriment during periods of daily rainfall events. All of a sudden the drought tolerant plants are subject to wetland conditions.

Therefore - we have found green roof plants (Extensive Roofs - we do not work with the heavier, more costly intensive roofs) - on sloped roofs do the best.

Moreover, engineered soils will last longer when well drained. Water has a tendency to act as a separation agent (dig down into your backyard and you can tell how high the ground water rises because the water separates organics and inorganics into layers).

Remember - well drained systems last longer and grow healthier plants!

Propagating Green Roof Plants for Florida Green Roofs

Propagating plants for green roof projects here in Florida is an important component of a successful Florida GR project.

Knowing a plant was raised in the same ecotone where it will ultimately be used is important. This not only secures LEED credits for local material use (and other credits) but it helps in knowing the plant can survive local climatic conditions.

My general rule of thumb is that, here in Florida, a green roof plant should be grown no greater than 150 miles north or south f the project physical location - no general limit on east/west other than the local limits for LEED credit.

The roots shown on the succulent leaf here developed on their own, on a leaf dropped as mother plants were being pruned, a testament to the hardiness of plants. The above pictures also show the importance of saving pruned plant material for propagation - and in doing so being a good steward of resources.

Happy Green Roofing!

Florida Green Roof Project Continues with the addition of more cold tolerant yuccas....

The New Florida Green Roof Project is moving forward! We've added several new cold hardy varieties of Yucca! Stay tuned for more pictures!

Hard Freezes and Florida Green Roofs - Winter (Hard Freezes - one of the many 'H's GRs face in Florida)

Judy and I have been scurrying most every afternoon to cover plants as temperatures have been dropping into the twenties here in Jacksonville. Looking at the Weather Dot Com it appears that around Tallahassee the mercury has hit the low twenties several times. Walking by our green roofs, I look up with frost blanket in my hand and want to climb up and cover the plants. But I don't.

Our green roofs serve as our best trial panels as we've said many times before. I have finally reached the confidence level that allows me to know the plants will survive. Still though, many of the plants on our green roof are hard to find varieties and the cold north winds are desiccating, unrelenting and potentially fatal to humans, animals and plants.

I am always proud the next day to see the plants stand straight and soak up the sun's warmth. Balancing the choice between those plants, like the sedums that can tolerate extreme cold but melt in the fierce pressure cooker like humidity laden summer heat - and the succulents that can take the tropical heat but not the cold has been the key to success.

There are not alot of plants that fit into the category of withstanding both of the above limiting factors. Then you add long periods of drought and long periods of innundation to the model as inputs and the list of plants that will survive shrink even more.

Finally add the requirement the plants must still look good and not be dormant to the above and the list really becomes small....

So as I await days light to see what damage, if any has been done and add the findings to our resource base - I hope the coldest night so far of 2009 will produce the same positive results as those before.

Happy green roofing in Florida!

Monday Night Fun - Green Roofing Florida Musings....

Tonight I'd like to introduce you to Robert Solomon, a highly esteemed green roofer. I met Ron (Ron - he prefers to go by his middle name) at the Hillsborough County, Florida (Tampa) Green Roof Symposium earlier this year.

Ron and I are about the same age and we both share a passion for freeing our country from dependence on foreign oil - did you realize that almost 11% of our imported oil is used for asphalt products - as in asphalt roofs....

Ron opened my eyes to the above - and I checked it out on the internet....see How To Save The World

So we are listening to various speakers about vegetated roofs - the benefits and sales pitches, when Ron pipes up about something besides a garden or vegetated roof - He is talking about TPO!... But I listen...and he is right....

Vegetated roofs are not the only Green roofs around....

White PVC and TPO roofs reflect immense amounts of sunlight and keep the buildings they cover as cool as a vegetated roofs, and are much cheaper. White Roofs are also green roofs.

And so I talk to him after the symposium. And we e-mail regularly. Ron is trying hard - very hard to educate the Tampa area businesses and schools and governments and others to stay away from heat loving foreign oil based BLACK asphalt roofing and consider white synthetic roofing.

But more than a public servant for his efforts to reduce heat island effects and conserve energy and help us break dependencies from foreign oil - Ron is a true gentleman.

A man with a spirit of 'It Can Be Done' and 'Have Fun While You Are Doing It'.

I agree with Ron. Life is short - too short.

Lets bring back green to the Urban Core. Vegetated Roofs or White TPO.

He and I are on the same team. The American Team!!!!!!!!!