Well, there’s one on the Civic Centre, also on the New Life Sciences Building at the University of the Western Cape, an oldie but goodie on the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (beautiful masses of Gazania’s) and various domestic homes around Cape Town. There are many roof gardens, which aren’t quite the same (think more along the lines of contained gardening, which defeats the purpose really, no?). So there is a NEED. And believe me when I tell you it is SO easy, so so so easy. One MUST ensure the roof is structurally sound to support the weight of saturated substrate and the various plants to be introduced. This is done by a structural engineer, unless you know for a fact that it will hold. My roof is tin and not at all built with purpose of green roofing but I figure that it will only be up until October and so far, in the wet of winter, it’s holding up. The concern is more about oxidation, about pitting in the metal as no matter how waterproofed it is, condensation is a surety. I have since learnt that this is not the case and there are many succesful tin green roof systems. I am in the process of getting more information about that and will report back.
Where are all the green roofs in Cape Town?
Filed under Green roof systems, Horticulture, Research, Urban agriculture
