When Choosing A Lightweight Green Roof, What Are The Main Considerations?

For extensive green roofs, weight is very much a critical factor when considering the imposed load on the structure of the building.

For extensive green roofs weight is very much a critical factor when considering the imposed load on the structure of the building. Often used on a flat roof setting, a lightweight green roof alongside the profile depth become paramount to a successful installation.

Of course, with government environmental targets to consider, the sustainable credentials of the green roof are also increasingly important. Of course there are other factors to consider including rainfall attenuation and the percolation rate.

One of the core benefits of a green roof is that it holds water back during heavy rainfall and slows the flow of water into the drainage system. Traditional roofs are very poor at this and therefore do not contribute much to flood prevention. The Riefa green roof system percolates at 1 litre per hour when fully saturated.

RIEFA is the lightest green roof in the UK, the lowest in profile and the only 100% organic medium available. At only 35 kgs per m² when fully saturated it comes in at the top of the list for lightweight green roofing systems. There are others on the UK market that make similar claims, but closer scrutiny reveals different results!

What about price and customer service?

REIFA is a very competitively priced solution for architects, specifiers as well skilled DIY enthusiasts seeking a lightweight green roofing solution. It is also available from stock and can be delivered to site within a working week of the order being placed. Importantly, we offer full installation support as well as pre-design advice. Backed by many years’ experience within the construction industry and project management there’s little we haven’t seen before, so reliable help and support is always at hand.

Green Roofing Benefits

Living in the UK, you may want to consider the thermal contribution a living roof can add to your building. Not only will it insulate against the cold in winter but also helps to keep rooms cooler on those occasional hot days we enjoy in the summer.

The green roof also has sound insulation properties. We recently supplied a Riefa lightweight green roof for a church in Middlesex that had built a new flat roofed multi-function room for social activities and general assemblies.

The Riefa green roof mitigated most of the sound transmission from the drumming of heavy rainfall during meetings. Additionally, the green roof will lengthen the life span of the flat roof as it will not degrade as quickly not being exposed to the harsh elements.

Riefa lightweight green roof offers a very versatile low nutrient planting medium for a wide range of natural planting and if one of your concerns is maintenance, it is also simple and easy to care for.