With space at a premium and the cost of moving home moving ever upwards, many people are looking for other ways to create extra living areas in their homes.
In the UK, we have long been lovers of our garden sheds, but as this recent article from the BBC shows, garden buildings are now becoming so much more – http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170607-how-the-humble-garden-shed-inspires-genius.
From log cabins and garages, to offices and art studios, garden rooms or small buildings in the garden can be a smart way to create extra living space.
There are many companies offering a wide range of modern garden buildings, such as http://www.gardenspaces.co.uk/, so you can pick the design to suit your needs and budget.
Something that is rarely considered is the opportunity that creating a new garden room can offer you to create a living roof, and make something of normally wasted space. Here are 6 reasons to consider a living roof.
Insulation
We all know heat rises, and if you wish to use a garden space all year round, you will want to minimise heating costs. A living roof offers great insulation, helping to keep the space warm in winter and cool in summer, reducing energy costs.
Long lasting
You might assume more traditional roofing materials would be longer lasting and hard wearing, but a living roof is extremely long lasting, often outlasting more traditional coverings. In some parts of Europe, where these types of roofs are more widely used, there have been some that have lasted 30 years or more.
Sound reduction
A living roof also acts as a sound insulator, reducing noise pollution, helping you to avoid complaints from the neighbours.
Looking good
Having a living roof means a great extra green area is created, making your new building blend in much more with your existing planting and green areas.
Encourages wildlife
As this will be an area that won’t be trodden on and will be left to itself, it offers a haven for wildlife to live, as well as encouraging beneficial insects to your garden, essential for pollination of any fruits you might like to grow.
Improved air quality
The plants growing in a green roof not only help to remove and capture airborne pollutants, but like all plants, they contribute to reducing the amount of CO2 in the air.
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