Leslie Doyle - Essential Green Roof Construction (Sustainable Building Essentials Series)

In this impressive book, Leslie Doyle shares her wealth of experience and knowledge installing and maintaining green roofs. The writing is detailed and comprehensive and, importantly, easy for the average person to understand. Filled with photos, real-life case studies, and practical guidance, Essential Green Roof Construction left me with the confidence to get started with a green roof. I have some clear steps and ideas to move forward and feel like I know the right questions to ask.

Stephen Hill, associate professor, School of the Environment, Trent University

For a thorough understanding of what constitutes a modern green or living roof, this essential guide will provide all you need to know to install and maintain a beautiful and ecological compliment to your home or office. The details are clearly described and illustrated and safety and durability are emphasized throughout, while specific engineering analysis is left for professionals on a case by case basis.

Kelly Hart, GreenHomeBuilding.com, author Essential Earthbag Construction

Required reading for anyone building a green roof. I wish Id had it before building my two green roofs (the first one in 1960). It begins with cautions about leaks and total weight, then lays out the many aspects of what is actually a complex process. Its well-written, well-researched, and full of clear and informative drawings and photos.

Lloyd Kahn, editor-in-chief, Shelter Publications, author, Shelter and The Half-Acre Homestead

I cant begin to count the number of clients Ive had who are interested in incorporating a green roof into their project. Now, thanks to Leslie we have an excellent resource for both DIY and design professionals.

Tim Krahn, P. Eng. Building Alternatives Inc., author, Essential Rammed Earth Construction

Leslie Doyle has brought the art and science of green roof construction to the masses. Abundantly approachable, yet thorough and exceptionally detailed, this is a go-to resource for anyone with an interest in building their own green roof. This book is yet another excellent addition to this series and to my library!

Chris Phillips, Greening Homes Ltd.

essential
GREEN ROOF
CONSTRUCTION

the complete step-by-step guide

Leslie Doyle

Copyright 2022 by Leslie Doyle.

All rights reserved.

Cover design by Diane McIntosh.

Cover images supplied by Restorations Garden, Inc. and iStock

Printed in Canada. First printing September, 2021.

This book is intended to be educational and informative. It is not intended to serve as a guide. The author and publisher disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk that may be associated with the application of any of the contents of this book.

Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of Essential Green Roof Construction should be addressed to New Society Publishers at the address below. To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) 1-800-567-6772, or order online at www.newsociety.com

Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to:

New Society Publishers

P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada

(250) 247- 9737

L IBRARY AND A RCHIVES C ANADA C ATALOGUING IN P UBLICATION

Title: Essential green roof construction : the complete step-by-step guide / Leslie Doyle.

Names: Doyle, Leslie, author.

Series: Sustainable building essentials.

Description: Series statement: Sustainable building essentials | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20210270233 | Canadiana (ebook) 20210270284 | ISBN 9780865719156 (softcover) | ISBN 9781550927108 ( PDF ) | ISBN 9781771423069 ( EPUB )

Subjects: LCSH : Green roofs (Gardening)Design and construction.

Classification: LCC SB 419.5 .D69 2021 | DDC 635.9/671dc23

New Society Publishers mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society, and to do so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a manner that models this vision.

New Society Sustainable Building Essentials Series

Series editors

Chris Magwood and Jen Feigin

Title list

Essential Hempcrete Construction , Chris Magwood

Essential Prefab Straw Bale Construction , Chris Magwood

Essential Building Science , Jacob Deva Racusin

Essential Light Straw Clay Construction , Lydia Doleman

Essential Sustainable Home Design , Chris Magwood

Essential Cordwood Building , Rob Roy

Essential Earthbag Construction , Kelly Hart

Essential Natural Plasters, Michael Henry & Tina Therrien

Essential Composting Toilets, Gord Baird & Ann Baird

Essential Green Roof Construction , Leslie Doyle

See www.newsociety.com/SBES for a complete list of new and forthcoming series titles.

THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING ESSENTIALS SERIES covers the full range of natural and green building techniques with a focus on sustainable materials and methods and code compliance. Firmly rooted in sound building science and drawing on decades of experience, these large-format, highly illustrated manuals deliver comprehensive, practical guidance from leading experts using a well-organized step-by-step approach. Whether your interest is foundations, walls, insulation, mechanical systems, or final finishes, these unique books present the essential information on each topic including:

• Material specifications, testing, and building code references
• Plan drawings for all common applications
• Tool lists and complete installation instructions
• Finishing, maintenance, and renovation techniques
• Budgeting and labor estimates
• Additional resources

Written by the worlds leading sustainable builders, designers, and engineers, these succinct, user-friendly handbooks are indispensable tools for any project where accurate and reliable information is key to success. GET THE ESSENTIALS!

TO MY MOM AND DAD : your words and lessons will never be forgotten.

A big thank you to Chris Magwood for teaching me how to look at buildings through a sustainable lens. Thank you for encouraging me to write this book and for your thoughtful edits and contributions. Thank you to the New Society team for the opportunity and making the book better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you to all the past Restoration Gardens staff (Keara White, Steve Massey, Sarah Rafols, Anna King, David King, Grayson Sherritt, Yolanda Lloyd, Jesse John, and Katie Howard) for your ideas, heavy lifting, and research on all our wonderful projects and for capturing them so beautifully in the pictures used throughout these pages. Thank you to Femke Bergsma of Grame; Arlene Throness, Jayne Miles, and Jessica Russell at Ryerson University; and Marc Boucher-Colbert of Urban AG Solutions for taking the time during these challenging days to educate me about edible roof gardens. Thanks go to all of the following: to my friends and family who generously offered quiet spaces, family support, and active listening; to Lorna for raising my children throughout this journey; to my children, Sullivan and Frances, for the renewed inspiration; and to my husband Jackson, for his endless motivation and patience.