A typical flat roof is a sheet of membrane baking in the sun, shedding every drop of rain straight into the storm sewer. A green roof turns that same surface into a living layer that soaks up rain, protects the roof and cools the building.
Syracuse Construction is a Roofmeadow Certified Green Roof Installer, and with our sister company Syracuse Lightscapes, we build green roofs in Syracuse and Central New York. Here's what to know.
- What is a green roof?
- Benefits of a green roof
- Extensive vs. intensive green roofs
- How a green roof is built
- Is your building a good candidate?
- Save the Rain and Syracuse
- Frequently asked questions
What Is a Green Roof?
A green roof is a complete roofing system with plants on top. From the roof deck up, it typically includes a waterproof membrane, a root barrier, a drainage layer, filter fabric, lightweight engineered growing media, and plants chosen to survive on a rooftop, often hardy sedums.
Benefits of a Green Roof
- Stormwater control: green roofs capture much of the rain from small storms and slow the runoff from larger ones, easing the load on city sewers.
- Longer roof life: the plants and media shield the membrane from UV, physical damage and extreme temperature swings. Roofmeadow reports green roofs can extend membrane life two to three times.
- Cooler buildings: plants evaporate moisture and the media buffers heat, reducing heat gain in summer.
- Habitat and views: a meadow instead of a black roof, for wildlife, tenants and neighbors.
- Value: green roofs can help meet stormwater requirements without giving up valuable ground space.
Extensive vs. Intensive Green Roofs
| Extensive | Intensive | |
|---|---|---|
| Growing media | Thin, typically up to about 6 inches | Deep, often 10 inches or more |
| Plants | Sedums, herbs, low meadow plants | Perennials, shrubs, even trees |
| Weight | Lighter | Much heavier |
| Maintenance | Low | Like a garden |
| Best for | Stormwater, roof protection, existing roofs | Rooftop gardens and patios people use |
Most commercial and institutional projects in Central New York use extensive systems, because they're lighter and need far less maintenance.
How a Green Roof Is Built
- Structural review to confirm the roof can carry the saturated weight.
- Waterproofing and root barrier installed and tested.
- Drainage and protection layers laid out around drains and roof penetrations.
- Growing media lifted to the roof, often by crane in bulk bags, and spread to the design depth.
- Planting with plugs, cuttings or pre-grown mats.
- Erosion control until plants fill in, plus stone borders at edges and around drains.
Is Your Building a Good Candidate?
- Flat or low-slope roofs are the easiest to green.
- Structure: a structural engineer must confirm the load capacity.
- Roof age: the best time is when the roof membrane is being replaced, so the green roof goes on a brand-new membrane.
- Access: plan for safe access for maintenance.
Planning a new building or re-roof? Bring the green roof into the design early. Adding it during construction or a membrane replacement is far simpler than retrofitting later.
Save the Rain and Syracuse
Syracuse and Onondaga County have invested heavily in green infrastructure through the Save the Rain program to reduce combined sewer overflows. Its Green Improvement Fund has provided grants for green infrastructure, including green roofs, on commercial, business and not-for-profit properties in certain City of Syracuse sewersheds. Check savetherain.us to see whether applications are open and whether your property qualifies.
Learn more on our sister company's green roof construction page and our commercial general contracting page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a green roof?
A green roof is a layered roofing system with plants growing on top of a waterproof membrane. Typical layers include a root barrier, drainage layer, filter fabric, lightweight growing media and plants, often hardy sedums.
What's the difference between an extensive and an intensive green roof?
An extensive green roof uses a thin layer of growing media, typically up to about 6 inches, with low-growing plants like sedum. It's lighter and needs less maintenance. An intensive green roof uses deeper media, often 10 inches or more, so it can support larger plants and even trees, but it's heavier and costs more.
Can my building support a green roof?
It depends on the roof structure. A saturated green roof adds significant weight, so a structural engineer should confirm the roof can carry the load before design begins. We coordinate that evaluation.
Are there grants for green roofs in Syracuse?
Onondaga County's Save the Rain Green Improvement Fund has provided grants for green infrastructure, including green roofs, on commercial, business and not-for-profit properties in certain City of Syracuse sewersheds. Check savetherain.us to see whether applications are currently open.
Do green roofs need maintenance?
Yes, but extensive green roofs need relatively little: periodic weeding, checking drains and occasional fertilizing. Some systems are designed to thrive without permanent irrigation once established.
Related Services
Planning a Green Roof?
Talk to a Roofmeadow Certified Green Roof Installer about your building or re-roof project.
Request a Free ConsultationOr call 315-751-0540
