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2013-08-14

3 Innovative Green Roof Ideas

Green building innovations are taking the building industry by storm and there are a lot of different options out there for people who want to build eco-friendly buildings. One key component of a building is naturally the roof and there are various great roof options available to really transform the look of the building as well as to provide great green qualities with it. Here are three of the most innovative green roof ideas.




Solar Panel Roof


Although solar panel roofs aren’t really a roof option on their own, they bring really great green qualities to your building. Solar panels can be installed almost over any existing roof structure and if you are living in a sunny area this is something good to really consider.
Solar panels might not seem like the cheapest option at start but they will soon start paying themselves back if installed and used right. Solar Power World has a great section on ways to avoid falling into problems when installing solar panels.
The great thing about solar panels is the energy they can provide to both private and public buildings and can really help save on energy bills as well as help the environment.




Living Roofs


If you want a great green roof then living roof is a great option to consider. There are all types of different living roofs out there but the main idea is to have living organisms like plants on the roof. Living roofs are often referred to as the ‘green roofs’ because of the truly environmentally friendly approach that they take.
Living roofs can have herbs and plants planted on top, which can even be used as part of your nutrition, giving you a lot of self-sufficiency with your building. Living roofs are also very good at collecting rainwater, which can prevent flooding and reduce the amount of wastewater the sewers have to deal with.
Living roofs work best in new buildings and installing them to old buildings isn’t very convenient and in many cases not even possible. But if you are looking for a great option for your new building project then living roof is a really good idea.




ETFE Panel Roofs


A great innovative idea for roofs it to opt for ETFE panels. ETFE comes from the words Ethylene Tetra Fluoro Ethylene and it is a great green roof option. They are a very lightweight material and can help reduce construction costs for around 60%. Because of the lightweight properties ETFE panels can be installed in both old and new buildings.
As a green roof option ETFE is great because it brings a lot of natural light inside the building, thus reduces the energy use required inside the building for lighting. It also acts as a great insulator helping the building to keep the heat in and unwanted heat out. More information about ETFE roof options can be found at Vector Foiltec’s website.


The above three are some of the best green innovations to use as a roofing option. They are all readily available for both public and private use and bring great environmentally friendly qualities to the building.
 

Author Bio:
Brent is a DIY enthusiast who loves to know about all the latest trends in construction and architecture. He loves to build small building models in his garage and he is also a big lover of model airplanes.