Healthy Buildings AND Profits: Green Roofs
S&W Waterproofing is at the forefront of environmentally conscious construction with our knowledge of Green Roof Assemblies, also known as "living roofs." Green roofs use vegetative cover such as grasses, sedum, and trees planted in a lightweight soil.
Have you seen the pictures of the green roofs at Rockefeller Center in New York? Installed in the mid-1930s – they still have their ORIGINAL waterproofing membranes in place! Furthermore, the technology available in the 1930s cannot compare to what is available today. S&W Waterproofing will help you make the right choices for your situation.
Numerous economic studies show that the power of green roofs goes far beyond being environmentally aware and “feel good.” They will positively impact your company’s bottom line.
Green Roofs Offer Many Benefits
Planted above a waterproof membrane on top of your building, a green roof will:
- Provide necessary insulation and R-value for the building
- Decrease utility costs by up to 30% or more
- Provide tax benefits through government “green initiatives”
- Dramatically increase property values
- Filter pollutants out of the air that could end up in creeks, ponds and rivers
- Decrease carbon footprint
- Satisfy LEED requirements
- Help storm water management, absorbing 15 to 90% of runoff
- Reduce the urban heat island effect
- And, can double or triple the life expectancy of your roof
The soil and plants in a vegetative roof help extend the life of the roof by protecting the membrane from UV decay and movement from expansion and contraction.
From a building tenant standpoint, green roofs provide a measured psychological boost and reduced stress due to an enhanced quality of life. It doesn’t take an environmental scientist to equate less stressed tenants and users with a less stressed YOU!
