Green roofs have drastically increased in popularity over the last few years due to their environmental and financial benefits for commercial property owners. From improved stormwater management to increased property value, there are countless benefits to installing an urban green roof.

However, many property owners mistakenly believe that creating a green roof is extremely difficult and exorbitantly expensive, especially on an existing building. Luckily, this couldn’t be further from the truth. With Tile Tech’s modular plant tray system, you can create a stunning urban rooftop oasis in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner.

Here are four important facts to know about installing green roof plant trays with the Tile Tech modular plant tray paver system.

1. What Is a Green Roof?

A green roof, also called a living roof, is a rooftop that is partially or completely covered with vegetation. In addition to providing visually appealing greenery to otherwise monochromatic cityscapes, green roofs also offer a host of benefits for the building, its owner and its residents. 

Some of these benefits include:

• Improving the building’s energy efficiency, thereby reducing utility bills
• Reducing urban heat island effects
• Increasing local plant biodiversity
• Protecting the roof membrane, thereby increasing the roof’s lifespan
• Reducing and regulating rainfall runoff

2. What Are the Benefits of Modular Plant Trays for Green Roofs?

Green roofs undeniably have many benefits, but growing plants directly on a rooftop can be incredibly expensive, time-consuming and, if not done correctly, dangerous.

Modular plant trays eliminate much of this hassle, making them the preferred choice for residential and commercial green roof projects. With Tile Tech modular plant trays, you don’t need to worry about drainage mats, water retention mats, root barriers or filter fabric. The modular system keeps the plants neatly contained and allows them to seamlessly integrate with hardscaping, such as porcelain deck tiles, for a hassle-free installation.

3. What Are the Features of Green Roof Plant Trays?

The six main components needed to install a green roof plant tray are Tile Tech plant trays, adjustable pedestals, plant tray locking caps, drip lines, a lightweight soil mixture, and the chosen vegetation.

These essential components not only make installation easy but also help the plants remain healthy, keep the trays connected and manage any stormwater runoff.

4. What Is the Best Way to Install a Green Roof?

Modular plant trays can be installed over any rooftop without needing to level the existing area or create a sub-frame. Instead, Tile Tech’s adjustable pedestals can be assembled and adjusted to create a perfectly level rooftop deck with no extensive maintenance or construction necessary. 

Once the pedestal grid has been laid out and the pedestals have been tuned to the correct heights, the plant trays are installed on the adjustable pedestals with A-side interlocking to the B-side of neighboring trays. This prevents the trays from separating or moving over time. Once the trays are installed, the plant tray locking cap is added at the corner intersection of each tray to lock everything into place. 

Next, irrigation or drip lines are installed, and a lightweight soil mixture is poured and screened across all trays. Finally, vegetation can be planted into the soil for a beautiful and verdant green roof for all to enjoy.

Here at Tile Tech, we have everything you need to create the ultimate green roof. Our unique plant tray system is an engineered paving system used in conjunction with our adjustable pedestals and porcelain deck tiles to create a stunning urban oasis for your commercial enterprise. To find out more about our full product selection as well as installation services, give Tile Tech a call today at (888) 380-5575 or fill out our online contact form. We would be more than happy to send you a free catalog, quote or product sample upon your request.