FAQs

What is a Green Roof?

Why have a Green Roof?

WHAT IS AN SEMI-EXTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN?

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF FYTOGREEN’S EXTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN SYSTEM?

WHAT IS AN INTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN?

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF FYTOGREEN’S INTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN SYSTEM

WHY USE HYDROCELL RG30 FLAKES?

What is a green roof?
Essentially a living roof, where plants grow; hence the term green roof. It is often used as a way of replacing the nature destroyed in the construction of the building. Modern day green roofs fall into two categories extensive & semi-extensive and intensive.

Why have a Green Roof?
Green roofs have a wide range of benefits, Environmental, Social and Economic.

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Environmental benefits.
1. Reduce Energy Consumption
Green roofs have significant insulation properties, significantly improved cooling in the summer and reducing heat loss in the winter.

2. Create cooler Cities.
The large areas of concrete and bitumen surfaces in a city soak up the solar energy and radiate it out as heat. Resulting in a less pleasant environment with higher temperatures both day and night. Green roofs create a heat sink, which improves the thermal conditions. Thermal studies in the Canada have shown that in the summer months, the exposed bitumen surface recorded temperatures over 70°C whilst the roof surface under the Green Roof rarely reached 30°C. The median daily temperature fluctuation of the bitumen ranged from 45°C, whilst the Green Roof reduced the fluctuation to 6°C. (Lui, et al 2003)

3. Reduce storm Water Impact
With the increase in hard surfaces like concrete and bitumen, the speed with which water from a downpour reaches the storm water system often is too fast and significant flash flooding can occur. Green roofs have the ability to absorb up to 100% of the rainfall and delay the time that any surplus water reaches the storm water system.

4. Provides Cleaner Water for Rainwater Tank Systems.
Water passing through the roof garden profile is filtered of dust and pollutants.

5. Improves Air Quality
As plants function they need to photosynthesize sunlight in to plant useable energy. During photosynthesis, atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed through the plant foliage and oxygen is emitted. ?Dust particles are also trapped in the foliage rather than blown continually from one concrete surface to another.

6 . Sustainable Habitats for Wildlife
A green roof provides the opportunity for wildlife to re-establish themselves in a city environment.

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Community and social benefits.
1. Reduced Noise.

A green roof assists in absorbing the outside noise before it enters the building.

2. Creates areas of public space, providing value for workers, residents and visitors.

3. Improves Vistas for Neighbors
The ability to create a backyard effect and offer some privacy in high density living benefits the community.

4. Brings nature to urban life.

5. Enhanced human living through environmental benefits

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WHAT IS AN SEMI-EXTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN?
Consists of a shallow profile of between 100-200mm, planted with prostrate/low growing plants including mosses, sedums and drought tolerant grasses. These systems are lightweight (Up to 200kg per m2 in weight – see saturated weight table.) and require minimal maintenance. These can be constructed on roofs with a pitch from flat up to 25 degrees.

Semi-extensive roofs are generally not readily accessible and are used primarily for environmental and economic benefits as opposed to recreational space. Under Australian conditions the installation of basic irrigation is needed for establishment and insurance against prolonged dry periods.

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THE FYTOGREEN EXTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN SYSTEM
The “magic” of the system is the lightweight water retentive substrate called Hydrocell RG30. This remarkable material makes possible the construction of a long lasting lightweight, water storing, efficient roof garden.

Hydrocell RG30 is a foamed aminoplast resin made as a special RG30 flake for extensive roof gardens and planter boxes, which can be applied using 1m3 bulka bags.
The RG30 Hydrocell flake layer contributes to part of the growing media on extensive roof gardens in place of the gravel layer. Hydrocell is lighter in weight, increases usable media volume and has significantly higher water and nutrient holding capacity. It also acts as a capillary mat returning water to the above soil, a fines filter protecting the geofabric layer, and improving the quality of the storm water.

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WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF FYTOGREEN’S EXTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN SYSTEM
1. Under Australian conditions Hydrocell provides a much needed water reservoir.

2. Huge water holding capacity while saving weight. Hydrocell RG30 Flake layer, when applied as a 40mm deep layer has a water retention capacity of up to 18 litres per m2. The dry weight of this Hydrocell RG30 layer is 1.2kg/m2 compared with the same depth of dry Coarse river sand at 56kg per m2 and very little water holding.

3. Lightweight, which offers more flexibility for lower static loads on building roofs or option to increase the depth and expand the species list.

4. High water holding capacity and increase in usable media volume enabling lower soil profiles.

5. Grey water and storm water compatible with no toxicity or harmful effects to the environment. Hydrocell is biodegradable and non-flammable.

6. Durable even under extreme climatic condition giving a longer life.

7. Can be built on almost any roof capable of taking the weight with a pitch up to 30°.

8. Prolongs the life of the water proofing membrane.

9. The excellent capillary properties of Hydrocell ensure improved availability of water to plant roots and a more uniform water distribution on pitched roofs.

10. Easy and quick to install.

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WHAT IS AN INTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN:
The profile is deeper, between 200 – 1200mm. This allows a greater diversity of plants to be grown, from turf to trees and are generally used as recreational spaces. These roof gardens place a large amount of weight on a building roof and require regular maintenance as per a normal garden. This is the current standard type of roof garden/planter box in Australia.

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WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF FYTOGREEN’S INTENSIVE ROOF GARDEN SYSTEM
1. Huge water holding while saving weight. Hydrocell RG30 layer, when applied as a 100mm deep layer has a maximum water retention capacity of 80 litres of water per m2. Equivalent in weight to 50mm layer of dry coarse river sand per m2 with no water available for plants.

2. Lightweight, which offers more flexibility for lower load construction of buildings.

3. High water holding capacity and increase in usable media volume enabling lower soil profiles.

4. Grey water and storm water compatible with no toxicity or harmful effects to the environment. Hydrocell is biodegradable and non-flammable.

5. Durable even under extreme climatic condition giving a longer life.

6. Water Efficiency is increased. The excellent capillary properties of Hydrocell ensure improved availability of water to plant roots.

7. Easy to install with numerous working examples.

8. Stable long lasting system designed to be around for a minimum of 25 years.

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WHY USE HYDROCELL RG30 FLAKES?
1. Increased Longevity up to at least 25 years.

2. Increased Water holding capacity.

3. Improved compressive strength for foot traffic conditions.

4. Enables greater root growing volume hence allowing thinner profiles to work.

5. Is unique as a growing media and water storing media in one.

6. Reduces load-bearing weight. A slab of Hydrocell RG30 foam dry 1m2 x 100mm deep weighs 4kg/m2 and saturated it weighs 84kg/m2 therefore holds 80lt/m2.

7. Hydrocell RG30 is a very effective filter to prevent fines blocking the Geofabric and drain layers.

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