Meeting the green roof challenge
It’s not surprising that designers are starting to embrace the concept of green, or living, roofs as the industry moves to meet the increased demand for environmentally conscious buildings. In addition to the obvious benefits of providing a habitat for many small animals and insects, they also work effectively as giant air filters, removing pollutants and putting oxygen back into the atmosphere.
They can also make a significant contribution to reducing the flood risk to built-up areas as they retain a huge amount of rainfall. A well designed green roof will retain around 90% of the rain that falls onto it, stopping the roof from discharging water straight into the drainage systems and contributing to flooding.
The challenge for designers and engineers is that the potential weight of all of this earth and water means that the roof structure has to be bolstered to cope with the increased stresses. Bringing daylight through such structures presents a new list of problems through these deep roofs.
A traditional skylight delivers an amount of light which corresponds directly with the size of its aperture – the bigger the aperture, the more light there will be. But bigger apertures also weaken the roof structure. The trick is to get maximum light through small apertures, and this is where tubular daylighting devices can really be used to great effect.
For example, a 530mm diameter Solatube Daylighting System will light an area of up to 32m2, with an aperture that can be easily accommodated without affecting the structural integrity of the roof.
And because the Solatube Daylighting System uses reflective tubing to bring the daylight into the building, it can be positioned above the roof level allowing for the green medium to grow without blocking out the light entering the tube. The light can then be piped deep into the heart of the building, greatly reducing the reliance on electric lighting and boosting the building’s environmental credentials.
If you would like further information about any projects or developments featured in our newsletters please contact us
November 2009Solatube® Daylighting System selected
for Bath University eco house project
October 2009
Solatube Daylighting Systems meet the green roof challenge!
Solatube Daylighting Systems flood the Environment Agency – with daylight!
August 2009Are tubular daylighting devices an answer to government’s UK Carbon Transition Plan?
July 2009Hyde Group's 'Retrofit and Replicate' eco project selects Solatube Daylighting Systems
June 2009Otter Brewery brings daylight into the heart of its state-of the-art brewing facility
Solatube Daylighting Systems can save you up to 70% of a building's energy consumption
March 2009BRE tests prove flexible light pipes are no match for Solatube rigid tube systems
Solatube Daylighting Systems gain BBA Certification
BRE Test compares Solatube 330 DS with Monodraught SunPipe
Did you know that tube reflectivity plays a critical role in achieving the best performance?
Solatube Daylighting Systems bring a range of benefits to BP and Marks & Spencer Simply Food
Solatube Daylighting Systems deliver
gold medal performance at the Beijing Olympics
