WILL GREEN ROOFS BE THE NEXT HOT TREND?

If the term "green roof" evokes an image of a few potted plants arranged tastefully on the top of a building, then the time seems ripe to rethink that definition. Green roofs may be the next hot trend to cool down the urban landscape and lower the cost of controlling temperatures in the average suburban home. Green roofs are generally categorized by one of two forms. Extensive green roofs, also known as eco-roofs or low-profile roofs, are made with a few thin layers of soil, are lightweight, relatively less expensive, and require very little maintenance. Extensive green roofs are the correct choice, the experts say, when the primary desire is for an ecological cover with limited human access. Intensive or high-profile green roofs, on the other hand, look like traditional roof gardens because a much wider variety of plant material is usually included. They have soil depths ranging from 8 to 12 inches, with growth that can extend upward of 15 feet. They can include such architectural features as waterfalls, ponds and gazebos. Their construction and maintenance is much more costly. (Source: Bankrate.com) Full Story . . .