Maintenance
Vegetative green roofs are designed for longevity, but are complex living ecosystems that still require regular care for optimal performance. It’s important not to mistake “low” maintenance for “no” maintenance. We start with simple and proven design and plant selection guidance, real world feedback on long term performance, and straightforward maintenance protocols. These combine to be the cornerstones of a successful green roof installation.
Over the past two decades, we have followed the performance of many of our installations, as well as performing restoration on older systems along with ongoing preventative maintenance. Most green roof issues we have observed result from three main problems: improper initial plant selection, failure to address rooftop microclimates, and most often a simple lack of post-installation maintenance.
We provide consulting services to help you choose the right plants and identify rooftop conditions that may be problematic. We also offer comprehensive maintenance guidelines that can be followed by your facility’s staff, provided to your preferred subcontractor, or executed by Weston under an annual maintenance agreement.
- Plant Selection: Choosing the right plants from the start is essential. We offer design and planning assistance to ensure your roof thrives based on the system depth, presence of irrigation, local climate conditions, and your design intent.
- Rooftop Microclimates: Consider wind, shade, reflected light (particularly from low-e glass or other highly reflective materials), foot traffic, mechanical system intakes or exhaust, drainage or runoff, and other similar issues. We have experience with them all and can help you adjust your design accordingly.
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Preventative Maintenance (and Restoration):
Our maintenance guidelines are simple and easy to follow. They can be adjusted to meet your project-specific variables, and can be implemented by the building owner, property manager, local landscape contractor, or the GreenGrid team.. We can also provide fast and cost effective restoration services prior to instating a more robust preventative maintenance program where one does not currently exist.
Routine care and maintenance is critical and must be performed to ensure long-term viability and performance.
