Intensive green roofs: green oases with a wide variety of designs

Intensive green roofs, which are more complex than "extensive green roofs", are best described by the term "roof garden". Intensive green roofs are comparable to ground-level gardens and used green spaces.

With intensive greening, unused roofs, e.g. on office buildings, underground car parks, hospitals or schools, can be transformed into urgently needed space for leisure and recreation. In this way, small green islands can also be created in urban areas, which simply make our cities more liveable.

What is important when creating an intensive green roof?

Intensive green roofs are often used as additional usable space and living space for people and are therefore subject to certain requirements in terms of construction and vegetation technology. As a rule, they only make sense on flat roofs. The height of the overall structure is around 25 to 100 cm, the weight around 300 to 1,200 kg/m².

What costs can be expected for intensive green roofs?

Traffic areas in the form of paths, terraces and even driveways are possible in conjunction with intensive green roofs. Green roofs require regular maintenance, but this has a positive effect on factors such as water storage, air quality and even energy costs for the rooms below. This is because the green roof structure provides cooling in summer and acts as thermal insulation in winter. Depending on the green roof structure and the size of the area, the standard cost value for an intensive green roof is from around 50 euros/m².

Which plants are suitable for intensive green roofs?

Intensive green roofs include planting perennials and shrubs as well as lawns and trees. Although the plants used place high demands on the layer structure and the regular supply of water and nutrients, this task can be automated.

Which substrates are particularly suitable for intensive green roofs?

Optigreen substrates for intensive green roofs, such as grass substrate R or intensive substrate i, are optimally matched to our system structures and thus ensure that the green roof system remains functional for a long time. Substrates ensure, among other things, reliable drainage and high stability of the plants and provide species-appropriate growth opportunities. All substrates comply with the FLL green roof guidelines, ÖNORM L 1131 in Austria and the Fertilizer Ordinance.

Here you will find an overview of our Optigrün substrates.

Examples of intensive green roofs

Examples of our system solutions for intensive green roofs are:

Garden roof
The principle is as simple as it is convincing: everything that garden lovers appreciate is also possible on the roof of a building or underground garage.

Urban gardening
A kitchen garden with vegetables, herbs and shrubs is an excellent way to grow your own fruit and vegetables in the city.

Retention roof Drossel
The Drossel retention roof is THE solution for restoring the natural water balance in urban areas.

Landscape roof
Green roof landscapes as a sustainable contribution to the cities of the future. Green oases slow us down and invite us to linger in the city and not in long traffic jams on the way to the countryside.

Simple intensive green roofs are "mixed forms" that lie between extensive and intensive green roofs in terms of their design. Other designations can be "extensive-intensive green roofs", "extensive extensive green roofs", "extensive green roofs with mounding" or "semi-intensive green roofs".

Simple intensive green roofs have a higher layer structure than extensive green roofs and therefore provide a habitat for more demanding plant species. However, the plants are less demanding than with intensive green roofs, meaning that maintenance, nutrient and water supply are also less costly. Simple intensive green roofs are often used as design elements on visible roofs and are usually only accessed for care and maintenance purposes.