The area of green roofs in the Czech Republic increased by 15% year-on-year last year

Prague - The area of so-called green roofs in the Czech Republic increased by about 15 percent to 130,000 square meters last year. Buildings with these roofs, which are partially or completely covered with vegetation and soil, are mainly found in Prague, Plzeň, Olomouc, or Ostrava. This is based on data from the Association of Mineral Insulation Manufacturers (AVMI), which was published today in a press release.

"A fundamental and very positive trend is particularly the increase in the number of clients from the public sector, cities, and municipalities. This can be attributed to last year's heatwaves as well as the search for suitable solutions for water management, rainwater accumulation, and the issue of water retention in the landscape in general," said Jitka Dostálová, the chairwoman of the Green Roofs section of the Union of Greenery Establishment and Maintenance. The total area of 130,000 square meters represents the size of approximately two spartakiada stadiums in Prague at Strahov. The largest green roof, covering about 14,500 square meters, is at the Nový Smíchov shopping center in Prague 5, she added.

According to architect Marcela Kubů from AVMI, green roofs oxigenate, cool, and humidify the surrounding air, thereby disturbing the heat islands containing mainly asphalt and concrete. For example, in Prague, the year-round average temperature is about 2.5 degrees Celsius higher than the surrounding nature. "The temperature difference in large cities compared to suburban and rural areas can reach up to ten degrees. This is due to buildings accumulating heat throughout the day," Kubů added.

According to Dostálová, the surface temperature of a roof with vegetation cover usually does not exceed 25 degrees Celsius even in summer months, and thus is up to 55 degrees lower than the temperature of a surface exposed to direct sunlight. The greatest deficiency of green roofs, according to Dostálová, is their weight, leading to increased demands on the roof's statics.

The Association of Mineral Insulation Manufacturers has been active in the Czech market since 2009. Its members represent more than 90 percent of the domestic market for mineral fiber insulation materials in construction. This includes mineral basalt or glass wool. These materials are used, for example, in the construction of green roofs. Their advantage is a lower weight compared to ordinary soil.