We are really excited to install one of the first residential green roofs in Sussex County and maybe Delaware.  Three separate green roofs on this one house will create a great natural space as well as save energy and conserve water.  The integrated rain water collection system will recycle rain water and use it to irrigate the landscape and possibly be used to flush toilets in the residence.

Green roofs have been proven to bring about significant energy savings, particularly during the summer cooling season in which single story buildings can experience a reduction of greater than 25% energy use.  Plants transform heat and soil moisture into humidity, to create natural evaporative cooling. Each gallon of water that is transpired by the plants or evaporated from the roof surface liberates 8000 BTU of thermal energy.

A Green Roof extends the lifetime of the roof; typical estimates are that a green roof extends the lifetime of a roof between 100 and 200 percent, by protecting the rooftop from ultraviolet radiation, large temperature fluctuations, drying winds, and  punctures.  Not only does the roof last longer, but there is reduced membrane maintenance.  All this brings about significant cost savings over time.

One might ask can you walk on this Green Roof and the answer is yes.  You can create pathways or a garden type layout or you can plant it in a way that there is no public access – the possibilites are endless.