You may have guessed by now that besides being a REALTOR® here in Asheville, NC, . . .I'm also an old schoolteacher. So when I got this request to help out a neighborhood elementary school, (see graphic to the left) it set me off on a journey to find out more about living roofs or green roofs and what I/we as REALTORS ®
and you might do to help out. . ..
First....a definition:
- According to Living Roof Systems, a living roof building is above ground, "with increased opportunity for omni-directional natural daylighting, ventilation, views, and access. "
Now on to 5 important points about the green or living roof system:
- "It affords none of the, primarily psychological perceptions of earth shelter, as dark, stuffy, cold, damp, and entrapping...
- ..."a living roof never needs to be replaced, and once established needs little or no maintenance
- .... a living roof can be self-sustaining and maintaining indefinitely, i.e., regenerating. ...
- The care involved requires no more than a typical lawn or garden, and even this is optional.
- A living roof may even perform best if just left alone. ..."
But, seriously,,,,,what do green roofs look like, anyway?
Are they UGLY?
Here's one photo of European green or living roof
I found at Wikipedia.
Looks OK to me...how about YOU?
But do we have to travel all the to Europe to see examples of living roof in full splendor? Isn't there something a little closer to home?
Right here in Asheville: According to Asheville's Mountain Xpress ....."gardening has reached new heights at The North Carolina Arboretum --- about 40 feet off the ground, on top of the arboretum's recently completed Operations Center. The new horticultural venture (and exhibit) is a "green roof" ...
"It's one of the center's many features that meet the state's new "High Performance Building Guidelines."
In addition to simply improving the view, a green roof helps the environment by:
* reducing storm-water runoff (a major pollution problem in urban areas) by absorbing rainfall and allowing it to evaporate into the air or be absorbed by the plants on the roof;
* cooling air temperatures through biological processes such as transpiration, when plants release moisture into the air;
* extending roof life by reducing maximum surface temperatures; and
* providing thermal and noise insulation."
To find out about the Features and Benefits of Living Roofs for my clients (and for all of us) ...all I had to do was look closer to home! Maybe there are examples near you, too. Now I want to see for myself! Shall I head on down there, as we often do on Mother's Day, to take a few personal photos? I can post them right here on the BLOG... Let me know.
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