When you need an ecologically sensitive alternative to standard gravel, shingle or tile roofing, our green roofs can protect the basic concrete integrity of the roof deck while providing a watertight and sustainable surface. There are a few different kinds of green roofs. Hot fluid applied, also a form of waterproofing, can provide a variety of vegetation from ground cover to small trees depending on the depths of the soil. Vegetated mats can be rolled out onto single-ply membranes and can contain short growing turfs and sedum. Vegetated tiles and trays are the quickest and simplest way to add a touch of green to your new roof or even to an existing roof. All American Exterior Solutions is one of the few firms in the Chicago area certified to install green roofs. All roofs are leed certified where required by code.
These hot fluid applied roofing systems include waterproofing protection in the form of a hot fluid-applied rubberized asphalt membrane, overlaid with polystyrene insulation to provide R-values in accordance with building codes. A drainage layer draws excess moisture away from the roof structure.
The top surface of our green roofs may include pavers, flagstone or other terracing materials. If you will be using vegetation on your top layer, a filter layer and root barrier are installed on the drainage layer to prevent roots from penetrating the waterproofing below. The surface is an engineered mixture of clean topsoil, compost and inorganic material.
Vegetated mats are a quick and cost effective method of obtaining instant vegetative coverage on your building’s roof garden. Applied in a similar manner to laying sod out for a yard. A good quality of the mats is that the vegetation is already grow and instantaneously green, thus reducing the plant maintenance and waiting for the plants to grow.
Vegetated tiles and trays are the fastest and easiest way to achieve full vegetative coverage on a roof garden during the day of installation. The tiles and trays usually come in a rectangular shape and are laid out right on the roof membrane. These also eliminate plant maintenance because the plants are already fully grown. Removing the tiles and trays is just as easy as they are to install for roof maintenance underneath the green part of the roof system.
The primary ecological benefits of Green Roofs include:
- The Reduction of Urban Heat Island Effect
An urban heat island (UHI) is a metropolitan area which is significantly warmer than its surroundings. As population centers grow in size from village to town to city, they tend to have a corresponding increase in average temperature, which is more often welcome in winter months than in the summertime Not to be confused with global warming, scientists call this phenomenon the “urban heat island effect”. Heat islands form as vegetation is replaced by asphalt and concrete for roads, buildings, and other structures necessary to accommodate growing populations. These surfaces absorb rather than reflect the sun's heat, causing surface temperatures and overall ambient temperatures to rise. - Natural Storm Water Management
Green roofs can reduce the volume of storm water run-off, delay peak discharge, extend the roof lifecycle, and cool and filter the run-off compared with a conventional roof.(Roofing Contractor Magazine, Apr 2007) - Provide Insect and Bird Habitats
- Filter Airborne Pollutants
- Provide a Positive Image for Ecological Design
Replicating some of the natural systems and processes that would otherwise be lost in creating a building. Green roofs provide a way for buildings to demonstrate ecological responsibility in a tactile, understandable way to building visitors and occupants.(Roofing Contractor Magazine, Apr 2007) - Durability
Green Roofs typically last longer than conventional ones. A conventional roof might last 20 years, while a green roof will survive 40 to 50 years. That`s because the plants and soil protect the waterproofing from ultraviolet rays and temperature fluctuations that cause cracks.(Waterproof magazine, winter 2008) - Energy Efficiency and Acoustical Comfort
The soil and plants on a green roof add insulation, increase energy efficiency, and absorb sound. Field studies in Ottawa, Canada, found that a 6-inch-thick green roof reduced heat gains by 95% and heat losses by 26%. - Occupant Well Being
Studies in Europe show that workers in green offices are happier, more productive, absent less often, and stay with the company longer. The building owners, in turn, are able to charge more for space.(Waterproof magazine, winter 2008).
We serve the entire Chicagoland area and Indiana. Some places where we recently completed commercial and residential green roofs are Schaumburg, Arlington heights, Aurora, Deerfield, Northbrook etc.
