ARCHITECTURAL AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF GREEN ROOFS

Abstract

Green Roof has resulted in a beautiful gift of nature to the humanity providing environmental, social, cultural and aesthetic benefits. In the current scenario when cities are eventually getting converted into concrete jungles, the infrastructure getting choked rapidly due to the humongous pressure of rapidly growing urban sprawl, green roofs gives a break to the humans from these unavoidable grey shades in their very own dwellings. This study has highlighted the benefits of green roofs in its extensive literature review even convincing the generally perceived misconceptions leading to its unawareness. The study has taken into account various case studies from India and across the world demonstrating its successful running in the process. Generally user and investors are hesitant of installing the green roof fearing of the additional cost and construction complexities. This study eventually tries to convince them that it is a marginal difference in the additional cost which can be fathomed looking at the amount of benefits it is catering to them in the long term future. The study goes through structural modeling and environment estimates to actually see in practicality how much one needs extra investment. The most important benefits of green roof directly to the user as well as to the city i.e. thermal insulation and stormwater retention has been seen in the study are drastically higher than the conventionalroofs. India should produce a pool of professional expertise who can actually deliver quality services at par with international standards. Infact looking at our developing economy green roofs can be easily assimilated into the plenty of new constructions happening all around our country. This study is an attempt to actually get into the economics of green roof for a better future.