Is It Time For Other Cities To Follow Toronto’s Lead?

A recent story highlighted the pro-active nature of Toronto in regards to the pushing for the installation of more green roofing systems in their city. Should other cities begin to follow suit?

Few environmental successes are as pronounced yet absent from Torontonians’ daily awareness as our city’s embrace of green roofs. Maybe it’s because we can’t see them from our bar patio or yoga studio vantage points, but probably it’s because most roofs, green or grey, aren’t accessible to the public.

Green roofs have nevertheless become part of Toronto’s architectural DNA in a surprising array of applications. Countless condo and corporate buildings are adorned with foliage of all forms, high above the Big Smoke’s traffic jams. Though Victoria Park station’s green roof is only visible from nearby apartment buildings, commuters can at least catch a glimpse of Eglinton West station’s enormous rooftop garden on their north-south journey. There’s even a fully functioning farm on top of Ryerson University’s engineering building.

In 2015 Toronto installed the second-most square feet of green roofs in North America, only behind Washington, DC, according to the Annual Green Roof Industry Survey.

For more on this story, please visit – https://torontoist.com/2016/09/how-toronto-became-a-hub-for-green-roofs/

Taking a Closer Look at Green Roofs?

A green roof is green because it has vegetation growing. The green roof technology is designed in several layers to get the best use of all available space. It works for homes and buildings alike. It was actually developed as far back as the ’60s but has only recently evolved to become so popular, affordable, and efficient.

The first layer of the eco-roof lays against the existing structure of the roof. It is there to seal the building and prevent any water from leaking inside. It’s either synthetic material or a metal layer. The next layer is a drainage layer which allows some degree of water to properly escape the roof.

The next layer is the filter and protection layer. It is used to ensure that none of the plant life growing on the layer above penetrates the bottom membrane, thus causing a leak. Finally, the top layer is added, which is where the plants themselves are grown.

Introducing the Wallbarn M-TRAY®

The major advantage to the M-TRAY® system is the “clip-on” nature of the installation. The fuss, time and skill required to install the correct amount of substrate and the correct drainage layers one-by-one, to the correct level and in the correct order is removed as M-TRAY® comes as a complete kit. All the measuring and propagating has been carried out by Wallbarn. All installers need to do is click the trays together.

M-TRAY® modules are so easy to handle. One module can be carried easily by one person and none of the contents will move or spill out during transport and installation. This leads to less mess and less damage to the plants.

Unlike with roll-out systems, if there are problems with the deck beneath and inspection is ever required, an individual M-TRAY® module or a small section can easily be lifted out without the minimum of disruption to the deck. With loose lay systems, tonnes of loose aggregate has to be dug out to access the deck, causing a risk of further damage to the structure beneath and destruction of the plants, leading to material replacement and labour costs.

For more about the new, improved design for the M-TRAY® modular green roof system for 2016 please check out the video below: