Greening Your Roof Just Got Easier
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 08.30.06
Yes, Toyota Motor Corporation is a major player in the automotive industry, but its subsidiary Toyota Roof Garden (this is an English translation of the Japanese site) is producing some interesting ways to offset the environmental challenges that come with this position. First, it was a shrub capable of absorbing airborne pollutants. Now, they've launched roofing tiles that can instantaneously change your roof to a green one. The irrigation system-ready TM9 turf mats, 20 inches square and two inches thick, are both easy to apply and low-maintenance, the manufacturer says, and the Korean velvet grass only needs to be trimmed once a year. Reportedly, these mats are also cheap: Running $43 per square yard. Could a green roof be as simple as TM9? This could be a major breakthrough. Thanks tipster jiltedcitizen. ::Toyota Roof Garden via ::Life Science via ::Hugg
does anyone know if this is available or just prototype?
Looks like a good product idea. Provided that the roof can take the extra weight load of the mat, soil and grass when wet it looks like a winner.
Is Korean velvet grass allowed in the US? Is there any potential of it being an invasive species?
Why does it need to be trimmed once a year? Wouldn't it work just as good if it's long and shaggy? Could I throw a goat up there once a year?
Hmm sounds quite interesting. However, I think Korean grass should probably stay in Korea unless of course it's already an invasive species here in the US or wherever else they're planning on marketing this novel roofing product.
I wonder if I could put it on my pitched roof.
Similar products have been available in North America for a while. Check out Elevated Landscape Technologies www.eltgreenroofs.com and Green Grid www.greengridroofs.com. They both use plants more suited to North America and, yes, you can put them on sloped roofs.
The ELT green roofs looks cool. I think I'm due for a new roof too. But with my luck and plants I'd have a dead roof. I've not seen any info on how long they last. Can they be reseed?
If it were to be used as turf for a lawn, it would save a lot of emissions from lawn mowers because of the reduced number of mowings per season (only needs to be cut once per year). Many lawns are mowed once per week by gas-powered lawnmowers. Those lawnmowers don't have catalytic converters and they require oil, gas, and time to operate, and emit many pollutants. Slow growing grass for lawns seems like a great way to save time, money, and the environment!
What keep these mats from blowing away in a storm?
does anybody know where you can actually buy this? i've been looking for a phone number, website, email to try and buy it...
Why is an irrigation system system required?
Using long-term irrigation to sustain vegetation is un-sustainable and contradicts the overriding benefits of green roofs, excluding aesthetics. The long-term, sustainable green roof objective is to eliminate the use of irrigation using clean, chlorinated water. Typically, the more shallow the soil depth and stormwater retention medium used, the more likely that irrigation will be a prerequisite. Not all green roofs are equal.