From increasing stormwater retention to adding aesthetic value, the installation of a roof garden provides several benefits to a building. An additional and underestimated benefit is energy efficiency. There has been an extensive amount of research done on how a roof garden moderates the temperatures of the building, due to the shading of sunlight by the plants, the insulation properties of the soil, and the cooling effect of evapotranspiration — the process of evaporation and transpiration.

The ‘thermal mass effect’ is the most important energy-related benefit of a roof garden. The saturated growing media and vegetation have the ability to absorb and store considerable amounts of heat, retaining thermal energy. This has the effect of dampening the effect of extreme outdoor temperature; thus generating stable temperatures inside the building.

Impermeable surfaces such as concrete and bitumen, absorb a significant amount of heat during the day that is radiated back into the air. This increased outdoor temperature results in more energy being required to air-condition a building. Metropolitan centres can be 2-3°C warmer in the summer due to the disproportionate surface area of impermeable surfaces in the city centres. This is called the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’. Having a roof garden will reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling, ultimately rendering savings for the building owner.

BRANZ appraised (appraisal no. 903) and backed by a 20-year product warranty, the Viking Roof Garden is a complete system of specialised components that have been tested by the manufacturer; but more importantly, proven in live settings — both locally and internationally.

Installation of a Viking Roof Garden System is only performed by approved application companies whose installers have been through Viking Roofspec’s stringent three-stage licensing programme, ensuring the highest level of care and attention to detail, for building owners and specifiers.