Intensive Green Roof Irrigation Systems
Intensive green roof irrigation systems provide many benefits, but due to their exposed positions & shallow root zones, you need to ensure that these systems are well-irrigated.
Intensive Green Roofs
Roof areas often provide an untapped resource, allowing a green space to be provided for the benefit of residents or workers. The benefits in terms of quality of life and biodiversity are clear, but any plants growing on a roof deck need a regular supply of water and nutrients.
Intensive green roofs have deeper growing mediums which allow for the growth of trees and shrubs. Because of this, they are more high-maintenance in terms of irrigation than extensive green roofs.
Roof Lawn Watering
Lawn areas on the roof deck are normally watered using pop-up sprinklers but, with the relatively shallow soil depth available in an intensive green roof system, this can often be difficult. Low rise pop-up sprinklers can be used for smaller areas or, for more extensive lawn areas, either the underlying insulation layer can be ‘dipped out’ at the appropriate points to give more soil depth, or the sprinklers can be fitted in raised borders around the periphery of the lawn. An alternative solution is to water the lawn using specialist sub-surface drip lines.
Roof Border Watering
Borders and planters on an intensive green roof deck are normally watered in the same way as their ground level counterparts.
Access normally design a drip irrigation system on the planters using commercial grade drip line. On smaller beds and individual pots individual drippers are designed to supply water to the planters and pots.
Control Systems
Precise control is vital on green roof irrigation systems. The drip irrigation system design needs to take into account the aspect (south facing areas need more water than north facing), but if you’re using sprinklers, you also need to take into account how exposed the area is.
We can link your irrigation controllers to wind speed sensors to ensure that irrigation does not take place during high winds, saving you water and money.