Green Roof Technology
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• Green Roof is an engineered roofing system that includes vegetation planted in a growing medium above an underlying waterproof membrane material
• Although each green roof is unique, all green roof systems contains the same basic elements of a vegetative layer, a growing medium like soil, fiber cloth, a layer for drainage, water storage and aeration, a root barrier and a waterproof membrane
• There are basically two main categories of newer, contemporary vegetative, green roof systems . They are extensive and intensive. An extensive system typically has from one and a half to six inches of substrate or planting media and typically is not suitable for foot traffic or occupancy.
• An intensive roof system is very much the same as older style gardens found on rooftops, which were accessible to people to enjoy much like traditional gardens. They generally have a deeper, soil-based substrate from eight to twenty-four inches in depth allowing for greater plant diversity.
• The benefits of green roofs and they typically are divided into three main categories - aesthetics / amenities, environmental & economic
• The three tools that will likely be the most useful in implementing green roofs
  are: 1) mitigation regulations designed to address increased urbanization; 2) storm water fees based on impermeable surfaces; and 3) decentralization of storm water management
• Plant species suitable for green roofs depend largely on the local climate, type and depth (the ability to store moisture) of the substrate and maintenance expectations, in particular, whether irrigation is available. Plant species used for green roofs need to establish a dense, weed resistant groundcover in a drought prone and very exposed environment