Emory Knoll Farms is a nursery dedicated to the propagation of plants for the green roof industry. The nursery has been operating since 1998 and has created the green roof plant business in 2004. They participate in research to make sure that their plants are efficient green roof plants. Emory Knoll Farms uses sustainable practices to ensure that their processes are done in an ecologically responsible manner. They offer 100 varieties of green roof plants. They include sedums, groundcovers, herbaceous perennials, and grasses. They customize orders to match the specific soil mixes, manufacturers, designers, climate, and needs of the individual project.
Green roofs are innovative and they are very useful. They have many benefits. Green roofs catch rainwater, absorb some of it, and slow the rest down to minimize runoff. Cities create impervious surfaces that block water from infiltrating the soil. This causes the rain water to flow over the surface and create flooding of sewers and cause problems for wastewater treatment plants. Green roofs act as regular grass surfaces and absorb the water.
Green roofs help maintain the roof membrane for longer. Typical roofs age with photodegradation from sunlight, and mechanical degradation from temperature extremes. The green roof protects the roof membrane from weather and stabilizes the temperature. This insulation also helps lower energy costs.
Urban heat islands are created when cities are built and raise the temperature within and down-wind of cities. The dark roofs absorb incoming solar radiation and make the city warmer. By creating a green roof, more light is reflected, and allow for evapotranspiration, cooling the area. The green spaces also create habitats for insects and birds.
Green Roof Plants can help anybody improve their personal impact on the environment. Green roofs have many benefits, and Emory Knoll Farms can help start the process.
Written by Elise Mazur, 7/9/2015