Green roofs, or living roofs, have a rich history that spans back thousands of years. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the world, were perhaps the first example of draping buildings in flora to make them more appealing. Built in what is now Iraq around 500 BC, they were grown over stone pillars and roofs which were waterproofed with layers of reeds and tar.
In more modern times, people placed sod and grass on their roofs to insulate the interior. The Vikings used it for their buildings, and it was a popular way of covering houses in the Middle Ages. In the 18th and 19th centuries in North America, prairie settlers took green roofing to the extreme when building their homes. Because there was a lack of trees to build cabins, many constructed dwellings out of pure sod, with the ‘bricks’ laid root side up so that they would grow into one another, creating a more solid foundation.
By the early 1900s, Germany was building flat green roofs in urban areas and continued to do so throughout the century. In the 1970s, when the oil crisis was at its height, Germany was one of the first countries to investigate the use of green roofs for energy conservation. By the middle of the 2000s, there were an estimated 13 million square metres of roofing in the country covered with greenery.
In America, New York has made a big push for green roofs in the last few years to help create a better environment and reduce the effects of rain from storm downpours on the city’s infrastructure. The first green roof in New York, however, was actually built on the Rockefellar Centre in the mid-1930s.
There’s no doubt that the future of living roofs is beginning to look promising, particularly in our inner cities where there is a need to combat greenhouse gases and provide a more aesthetic and sustainable environment for the local population. In a new initiative in Barking in the UK, they are planning a redevelopment of the East London suburb, which will include 40% of the buildings having green roofs. Not only are they eco-friendly, but there is also a growing recognition that green roofs make buildings very energy-efficient, keeping them warmer in winter and cooler in the summer.
In conclusion, the history of green roofing spans thousands of years and has been used for aesthetic and practical reasons. As we continue to look for new and innovative ways to make the world more sustainable, green roofing is beginning to take off with a vengeance. The future of living roofs is promising, and it is exciting to see how they will continue to evolve and shape our urban environments.