Did you know that Switzerland requires that all new buildings have a greenroof?  When you learn what greenroofs are and their benefits you will ask yourself when Vancouver will follow suit?

So what is a greenroof? Greenroofs are basically vegetated roof covers, with growing media and plants taking the place of bare membrane, gravel ballast, shingles or tiles.  The number of layers and the layer placement can vary from system to system and greenroof type, but generally all greenroofs include a single to multi-ply waterproofing layer, drainage, growing media and the plants, cover the entire roof deck surface.

There are two types of greenroofs: extensive and intensive.  Extensive greenroofs, also known as eco-roofs are low-profile and much lighter.  Because they have thinner and fewer numbers of layers, they are also less expensive and very low maintenance (but not maintenance-free!  You still have to check it periodically.)  These types of roofs are preferable when you want an eco-roof but don’t necessarily have the roof access to properly maintain it.

Intensive roofs or high-profile roof look like traditional roof gardens.  They have a wider variety of plant material and require more maintenance.

Some of the major benefits of a greenroof include:

• storm water retention
• provides insulation
• provides cooling
• cleans the air
• saves energy
• sound absorption
• food production
• provides a wildlife habitat
• looks nice
• a place for urbanites to grow food

Some existing green roofs in Vancouver are:

Vancouver Public Library (Library Square)

Fairmont Hotel (Herb Garden)

Vancouver Convention Centre

If you are looking for something different and attractive to clad your walls, FORESTwall by Morinwood is the perfect solution!  We love this product for the following reasons:

• seamlessly clads walls and ceilings in natural wood
• creates the illusion of a stylized 3D stack of lumber
• random patterns give you a very unique and interesting work of art
• made from locally harvested wood from certified forests
• uses off cuts and shorts that would have been waste
• made with no VOC’s or urea formaldehyde
• tested for acoustic absorption and diffusion properties
• can be customized to meet specific acoustic requirements
• easy to install and components can easily be removed & replaced for maintenance

This product has been chosen for world-class facilities such as the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project (VCCEP), including the 2010 Olympic Broadcast Centre.