Q.  What are the benefits of green roofs?

A.  There are so many benefits that can be felt with green roofs. The following are just a few examples: Green roofs conserve energy by insulating the building envelope, reducing the need for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. They also extend a roof's life by protecting the membrane and create biodiversity conservation opportunities. They absorb and filter storm water which reduces local water body pollution and helps prevent the overload of municipal storm water infrastructure. Green roofs also filter air particulates, improving air quality and help to reduce the urban heat island effect (UHI).

Q.  What is the weight of Everplant’s ELT Easy Green- Green Roof System?

A.  Our pre-grown extensive systems range from 8-12 lbs fully saturated per square foot depending on your climate and depth of the panels ordered. Our extensive planted in place systems start at 10 pounds per square foot and up depending on the soil depth used. The soil depth is specified in accordance with the plants used and the microclimate of the project. The intensive roofs generally start at 20 pounds per square foot and higher depending on the plants used.

Q.  What plants do you use?

A.  Our Everplant’s ELT Easy Green extensive pre-grown system uses a variety of sedum species specially chosen to thrive in your climate. Sedum are chosen for their drought tolerance and hardiness and the species used vary depending on the hardiness zone and the type of project. With our Everplant’s ELT planted in place and intensive systems there are many plant choices. We like to use Native plants & sedum whenever possible and we also use a variety of perennials, shrubs and grasses. There are many types of plants that can be grown on our system. The factors that will affect your choices are your climate zone, irrigation supply, budget, exposure, and load bearing capacity. Our talented designers can help you choose the plants that are right for you.

Q.  What are the maintenance requirements of the 3 types of Green Roofs?

A.  Pre-grown extensive Everplant’s ELT Easy Green™ roofs require very little maintenance as the plants are fully mature and hardy upon delivery. Generally 4 maintenance visits are required per year. The planted in place extensive roofs require more maintenance for the first 2 years during the plant establishment period and then become low maintenance like the pre-grown in the following years. The intensive roofs require the most maintenance. Maintenance visits are dependent upon design. Although most sedum and other properly selected perennials can survive an extended period without irrigation, our professionals install a simple auto control drip line irrigation system with every green roof. The water wicking capabilities of our system spreads the water out over the roof in a very efficient manner. making irrigation times very minimal. The irrigation system provides moisture as required during periods of drought. With the changes in our climate there are extended drought periods in most areas and plants all require water to survive.

Q.  How far in advance should I order my green roof?

A.  Please contact us to check stock levels in your area of our products and details of your requirements and idea.

Q.  Is my roof more likely to leak with a green roof on it?

A.  This is one of the most misunderstood issues surrounding green roofing. A green roof must be installed over a roof that has a waterproofing membrane that is in excellent condition. Green roofs are not meant to fix a leaky roof. In effect your green roof actually lives about an inch above the roof allowing water to drain off normally. With a high quality waterproof membrane your roof is extremely well protected against leaks and it has been shown that adding a green roof can actually more than double the life of your membrane. This is possible because the roof is protected from damaging UV rays as well as the constant heating and cooling cycles which cause expansion and contraction leading to cracks in your membrane over time. Not to mention the cushioning that a green roof provides against hail and falling debris that could otherwise damage your waterproofing.

Q.  What is the maximum slope that you can install a green roof on?

A. We recommend using our products on slopes up to 25%. The pre-grown panels have plants that are already rooted into the hemp bio-blanket which holds the growth medium in place as well as the plants. We would use our living wall panels for roofs over 25% slope right up to vertical applications. Now there is no slope that cannot be greened with Everplant’s ELT Easy Green™!

Q.  How is Everplant’s ELT Easy Green™ affected by wind uplift?

A.  Each project is unique presenting different wind uplift problems in different locations. After a wind analysis of the building is done to see high wind uplift areas, a fastening plan can be designed. This may be as simple as additional ballast in the form of river rock or paving stones around the perimeter or could even involve point loading deeper depths of substrate over beams or columns. All of these solutions can be custom designed to create a beautiful planted berm or paver edge detail that will both resist wind uplift as well as contribute to the overall aesthetics on the roof. For sloped and flat roofs without parapets there are a variety of mechanical fasteners that can be implemented around the perimeter that provide a nice clean edge but also securely fasten the green roof to the structure, all without impeding drainage off the edge.

Q.  Can I grow trees and bushes and roses and vegetables in my green roof?

A.  If your roof can support the added weight of the soil and plants when fully saturated and fully grown, then yes. More times than anything the load limit of a structure is what determines what plants can be grown on the roof. If the building is a new construction then these larger loads can be designed into the structure from the beginning allowing for more planting options.

Q.  How long does it take to install my green roof?

A.  Most residential projects can be installed within a few days. Most commercial installations can take up to one week due to generally larger roof sizes. The installation process with the our Green roof system makes for one of the quickest installations available. Installation time will depend on size and detail of project.