Green roofs

[NoNukes]

This forum looked a bit empty so... What do you all think about green roofs? You know, roofs where grass, bushes or other green plants have been planted. Like this roof here:

Excuse the crappy quality in this next image. But doesn't this looks so much better than if it would just be ordinary, grey concrete or metal roofs? Unfortunately it is not a real image...

[antioxidantking]

I prefer Earth bag building, simple cost effective and easy.

The system is filling bags with waste or natural material close to your building site EG Earth, volcanic sand or pumice, rice hulls straw and clay ect.

This method you can have a garden around your house.

I'm in Indonesia where you can get a small block of land build a comfortable house all for around $50,000 on the beach not many places around the world you can do that, its a cheap alternative and ECO friendly way to build.

[NoNukes]

I prefer Earth bag building, simple cost effective and easy.

The system is filling bags with waste or natural material close to your building site EG Earth, volcanic sand or pumice, rice hulls straw and clay ect.

This method you can have a garden around your house.

I'm in Indonesia where you can get a small block of land build a comfortable house all for around $50,000 on the beach not many places around the world you can do that, its a cheap alternative and ECO friendly way to build.

That sounds nice. But unfortunately not everyone can live in houses with their own gardens. If we all did we wouldn't have any room for anything besides our houses! :P

[Simon]

That sounds nice. But unfortunately not everyone can live in houses with their own gardens. If we all did we wouldn't have any room for anything besides our houses!

Yeah, it doesn't matter if we like it or not: our big cities are here to stay. They are the only realistic way to house our future populations of 8-9 billion people.

[zararina]

I do find those green roof good specially for houses since it could help lessen the heat and therefore have cool effect inside. Also nice to see that they are making effort in somewhat making their buildings or infrastructure "green" that could also benefit the environment. Hope for more natural energy sources being used by them aside from those green roofs.

[antioxidantking]

I think also the GREEN ROOF grass idea is a waste of water unless the area is to grow vegetables or some type of food.

Getting back to the Earth-bag method using waste leftovers or materials to build with such as sand,clay,rice hulls excellent for insulation straw ect. A non skilled person or family can build his house for a very low cost with or without a garden. Which means saving water and building with no chemicals or leaving a carbon footprint.

The best thing is in 3rd world countries if they have the land or a small space even as small as 4 to 5 square meters they can build a domed house without a ROOF FOR FREE If they have access to materials and labor.

Better have a solar roof in the city for their power supply for the building and go walk in the GREEN park. :)

[Simon]

Alex Steffen gives a pretty interesting presentation on climate change and cities and how they can "help save the future" here in this TED video: http://www.ted.com/t...ex_steffen.html

Alex Steffen shows some cool neighborhood-based green projects that expand our access to things we want and need -- while reducing the time we spend in cars.

He talks less about green roofs and more about whats below. Although he is a bit limited in his points it's definitely worth a look.

[kat74]

I would like to have a green roof too, but am just wondering if when watering the grass the water will affect the floor of the roof or there is a water proof material under the grass. The whole picture of many green roofs looks almost natural.

[sillylucy]

I wish I had an apartment in NYC with an amazing rooftop garden. The views would be amazing. I did see this feature on Diane von Furstenberg's apartment and she had a really gorgeos desert type of garden so there was less water needed to maintain it. It was gorgeous.

[Mystique]

Rooftop garden is slowly gaining popularity in KL because it's vastly becoming a city full of skyscrapers. Every road turn you make, you will see new buildings being built and I honestly feel that rooftop gardens are the only way to keep the city "green". I have left Malaysia about two years ago, and I go back once a year. I have yet to visit my family and friends this year, but I'm sure when I do, there'll be lots of changes, environmentally (or at least, I hope so!).

[Isabellas2007]

I live in the country and we do not have the buildings for this. However, I would love to have a green roof because it would be so nice and beneficial because of the way they help regulate the buildings heat. I know if I get the chance once I stop renting the house I am in, I will explore this option for my new house!

[Sweetpea]

I love these green roofs! I wish more buildings would take advantage of the wasted space. Even if its just a simple potted garden there are still so many possibilities to expand into food production. You could grow sinple plants like herbs or strawberries on a rooftop.

[greenman]

Green roofs are cool. We have lots of rooftop gardens in London. It's good for nature - the bees love it and I think most people enjoy having a sanctuary of nature n their concrete cities. It's also a very good way of utilizing space for growing vegetables etc. I'm all for it.