Modified Green Roof System

Project Description

Introduction to AB Engineering

Members:
BASILIO, JASPER VAL
CHAN, MELANIE
EGME, JHEZIE RHEY
ELIAS, SPENCER KLYDE 
LIPIT, ALYSSA
VILLAMOR, CHARMAINE ANGELA

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING

BSABE 1-B
Project Name: “Modified Green Roof System”

Background

As innovation and population grow, building more infrastructures and households increases to
survive, sacrificing the environment. This growth affects different aspects of the environment,
such as water. Access to clean water has become scarce in some countries. Around the world,
scientists and engineers have come up with sustainable and eco-friendly solutions that can
supply this demand. Some of these are:

GREEN ROOFS. A green roof extends an existing roof that includes high-quality waterproofing,
root protection systems, drainage systems, filter cloths, light growth media, and plants. Green
roofs have become the new trend in architectural designs. It gives more benefits than harm,
such as rainwater collection management, improves air quality, moderates temperature inside
the building, improves urban agriculture, and gives aesthetic design to the building or
infrastructure.

BERMUDA HOUSE ROOF SYSTEM. Built since the early 17th century, Bermuda struggles in
having access to clean water since the area has no lakes and rivers. This challenge led the
people to build this unique design of the roof. The step-like white roofs of Bermuda gather
rainwater by letting the rainwater flow to the roof, funneled to the underground water tank, which
is the primary source of freshwater for the islanders. Made from lime mortar, which is heavy,
makes the roof withstand hurricanes and strong winds. The white color of the roof allows
reflecting ultraviolet rays that filter and purify the water.

Integrating these two solutions could make a conceptual solution in building roofing of
infrastructures and households eco-friendly and a sustainable water source.

Significance

The green roof system has a wide range of economic, ecological, and societal benefits. A green
roof provides a rainwater buffer, purifies the air, reduces the ambient temperature, regulates the
indoor temperature, saves energy, and encourages biodiversity, especially in the city. However,
the main significance of this roof system is being a part of climate-proof construction. The
significance of the Bermuda roof system, on the other hand, is its research-proven, very efficient
rainwater harvesting. However, in relation to this proposal, the green roof system will be
integrated with the idea of the Bermuda roof system. Taking note of the benefits of both roof
systems, the significance of the modified green roof will be the efficient harvest of rainwater
filtered by the green roof system to be recycled and utilized for household purposes.

Materials and Procedure

The green roof follows a layering of its components. In our design, we adopted a typical green
roof design which consists of a waterproofing membrane, insulation layer, root barrier, protection
layer, drainage element, filter fabric, and growth substance, respectively layered from the roof
deck. The components of the green roof function systematically to filter the caught rainwater.
While being filtered, the water slowly slides down the roof deck until it reaches the gutter and
flows into the pipes.
Figure 1. Components of a green roof (Khawaja, 2018)

Figure 2. A section of the Modified Green Roof System

The design of the roof deck, which holds the green roof, was adapted from the Bermuda roof
design, where the roof is shaped like a terrace or step-like. However, instead of lime mortar for
the composition, a standard concrete roof deck can serve as the foundation of the green roof. A
step or terrace will measure one foot at an angle of 35 degrees below the horizontal, and the
height separating each terrace begins at three inches. A design of the proposed modified green
roof is given by the draft below (Figure 3). However, the draft is not a fixed design. The roof's
overall dimensions (LWH) will still vary across conditions such as house shape, architecture,
and personal preference. As then described, the roof width, length or shape can change, but
with respect to the Bermuda roof system not to alter its function. Furthermore, the storage tank,
as included in the Bermuda roof system where the now filtered rainwater runs into, can be set
beside the house or elevated instead of digging for an underground tank. This tank offers an
option to eliminate the water pump from the expenses.

Figure 3. A design of the modified green roof system prior to the Bermuda roof system
 Figure 4. A simulated model of the components of the green roof using recycled
materials

Reference:
Khawaja, M. (2018). Components-of-green-roof-25 [Image]. ResearchGate.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Components-of-green-roof-25_fig2_328875883