What is a Living Roof?
A living roof is a roof which is covered in turf, flowers, grasses, and sometimes shrubs or trees. Living roofs have been used in home building in many parts of the world for thousands of years. A rising interest in sustainable or green architecture in the late 1990s led to a rising demand for living roofs on homes and offices. As a result, many cities around the world have stellar examples of living roofs, and their owners are often happy to provide tours. There are many advantages to a living roof which an ordinary roof does not have. To begin with, a living roof provides an excellent layer of insulation which can help to keep buildings cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The roof also acts as a filter for rainfall, and improves drainage. The plants growing on the roof can provide habitat for animals, especially in an urban environment, and the living roof can also be pleasant to look at and walk on. Large areas of green space also help to improve the breathing, working, a
“Cal Academy”, as Bay area locals call the museum, is already an icon for green and ecologically conscious building technology. On October 7, 2008, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded the Academy a Platinum-level (highest possible rating) certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The Living Roof helps to insulate the building and reduces the need for air-conditioning. All structural steel for the construction is recycled and at least half of the wood was sustainably harvested. Recycled blue jeans insulate some of the walls and more than 60,000 solar cells supply up to 10% of the museum’s energy needs. Saltwater for the aquariums is piped in directly from the Pacific Ocean, and reclaimed water is used to flush toilets.
