Green roofs, walls and facades
Council has developed the Green Roofs, Walls and Facades Technical Guidelines for the Inner West.
The guidelines provide technical advice to support the installation of green roofs, walls and facades. They give an overview of how to plan, design, build and maintain green roofs, walls and facades.
Green roofs, walls and facades are ways of greening buildings to improve liveability and the environment.
Roof surfaces that are partially or fully covered with vegetation are known as green roofs. They have a series of layers including a vegetated layer, a growing medium, and a waterproof membrane.
Vertical structures covered with vegetation are known as green walls or facades. They are either free-standing or part of a building or other vertical structure that is partially or completely covered with vegetation.
Vertical and rooftop greening can:
- counter climate change impacts, such as the Urban Heat Island effect
- improve human health and wellbeing
- enhance biodiversity
- increase the efficiency of solar panels
- improve the quality of water before it enters waterways
- manage the quantity of stormwater and rain water to reducing flooding
- utilise recycled greywater
- reduce heating and air-conditioning needs
- filter pollutants in the air
- increase the life span of roof structures
Council has prepared the Green Roofs, Walls and Facades Technical Guidelines and also a Design and Documentation Checklist to help during the design process.