Green roofs, also known as also known as green roofs, refer to the surfaces of the roofs of buildings and houses that are roofs of buildings and houses that are covered with vegetation in order to replace the usual replace commonly used building materials.
This construction design can also be can also be seen on walls, receiving the name of "vertical gardens". vertical gardens". The only difference that exists is the place where the vegetation is placed. vegetation, in the first case referring to the rooftops and in the second to the external walls of the building. external walls of the building.
Green roofs and vertical gardens vertical gardens have become the latest trend in the world of architects and interior designers, who are architects and interior designers, who are increasingly trying to reduce the environmental the impacts of construction on the environment and improve the environmental quality of urban areas. environmental quality of urban areas. This increases the number of green areas and avoids the shortage of green spaces. and avoids the shortage of vegetation spaces that occurs so often in cities. cities. In addition, this is an easy, sustainable and aesthetic way that has advantages both for the planet and for the population, as it has a positive influence on the positively influences the ecological and economic environment.
This measure goes further and brings several benefits:
- Both the vertical garden and the green roof becomes a magnificent insulator that helps in the air conditioning of buildings in summer and winter. buildings in summer and winter. In the warm months, it shades facades that receive a lot of sun and cools facades that receive a lot of sun and cools the interior, thus reducing the overheating of the walls of the overheating of building walls. In the colder months of the year the layer of air created by the vegetation itself between the plants and the wall creates a very plants and the wall creates a very effective insulation, a point that will help to reduce the humidity and cooling of our hotels. humidity and cooling of our hotels. With this, we will reduce both heating and air conditioning costs. heating and air conditioning costs.
- The two options of vegetation installed on buildings will will help reduce the likelihood of leaks.
- When we are talking about vegetation, we are also talking about a direct also a direct aid in the filtration of CO2 from the air and an oxygen producer, and therefore an oxygen producer, and, therefore, an improvement in the air quality of cities. cities.
- They act as an acoustic barrier to reduce noise from noise from the outside inside the houses, making them quieter if we live near city centers. quieter places if we live close to city centers.
- Animal diversity in urban areas is increasingly increasingly affected by human life and pollution. With this type of protect and help birds, butterflies and insects.
Finally, these measures have clear aesthetic clear aesthetic benefits. In an increasingly technological world, society is faced with the need to come in contact technological world, society is faced with the need to come into contact with nature, and this nature, which in turn improves the urban environment, often reducing the stress and harshness of the stress and harshness of the big cities, giving a green and natural touch that gives the building an natural touch that gives the building its own identity.
Some examples of buildings that have already have already employed these green roofs and/or vertical gardens are:
- The magnificent Therme Rogner Bad Blumau, a hotel in Australia that has an entire lawn roof accompanied by trees and flowers. accompanied by trees and flowers.
- Nanyang Technological University; it has the largest campus in Singapore with large has the largest campus in Singapore with large grassy areas that cover even the roofs of the even the roofs of the campus buildings themselves. It has become a tourist attraction attractive tourist attraction on the campus as many people come to visit it. to visit it. It has also been ranked as one of the most positive campuses by the possibility for students to relax in a natural environment when they are tired. natural environment when they are tired.
Undoubtedly, vertical gardens and green roofs become another of the measures that can be adopted by the hotel and tourism sector to help improve the environment. the hotel and tourism sector to contribute to the improvement of the environment. What do you think about this landscaping solution and did you know about it?
