Green Roof Insulation Value

What is the r value of a green roof the most common request i get from architects and engineers is for the r value of a green roof system.

Green roof insulation value.

The degree of sound insulation will depend on the thickness of the green roof structure. A dark heat absorbing roof surface increases demands on mechanical systems making it more difficult to adequately cool a building whereas a green roof reduces the temperature of the roof and therefore the building itself. The roof s membrane needs protection to prevent deterioration. For things like loft insulation and cavity insulation it s relatively easy to assign a u value because the material never changes.

This may not seem much but for the human ear an 10 db reduction in noise levels is 50 quieter. Researchers estimate that 1m 2 of a green roof can help to absorb 0 2kg of airborne particles from the air every year. A green roof however is in a constant state of flux. A light weight extensive green roof can include insulation below the membrane.

Green roofs reduce sound resonance by 3 db and provide sound insulation of up to 8 db. The protective layer can be a slab of lightweight concrete insulation. Every construction design architect engineer a e knows a material s r value is an important factor when specifying insulation products with many regulations requiring minimum values for wall ceiling and roof assemblies. Sometimes it s wet sometimes it s dry.

In order to make sure we are all clear on how insulation works particularly in a green roof system we need to take a little journey through the lexicon of insulation terminology starting with. Determining insulation r value accuracy. Experiments and measurements in a laboratory can test the insulation value of the product.