Mexico. Since 2007, Mexico City has been promoting the installation of green roofs, which help reduce CO2 rates and even offers a 10% reduction in property tax to those who install a green roof in their home.
"We are already experiencing the consequences of a global warming of 1 oC, with more extreme weather conditions, rising sea levels and a dwindling sea ice in the Arctic, among other changes," says alarmed Panmao Zhai, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, for its acronym in English), in a report of this body of the United Nations Organization that is responsible for evaluating all the scientific information regarding to climate change.
To mitigate the effects of global warming, in Mexico City, the Ministry of the Environment (SEDEMA) has been promoting for 11 years the realization of green roofs: that is, using the roofs of public buildings to install natural spaces that also contribute to reducing high levels of environmental pollution, as well as promoting a culture of care for the environment and nature.
In addition, SEDEMA, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, grants a 10% reduction in property tax to all persons who prove to have installed a rooftop or green roof naturation system on the roofs of their homes, as established in Article 296 bis of the mexico City tax code.
"The growth of large buildings has been gaining ground worldwide. The possibility of gardens in new building construction projects is becoming less and less; that is why a new option is to design a green roof, in addition to contributing to the environment, you also have economic and social benefits, since those spaces can be used as recreational areas, "says Arnaldo Figurelli, general director of IsoCindu, a company that produces insulating panels, a construction material.
According to information from the UNAM Foundation, this type of roofs gives a second life to the buildings. And in them you can grow fruits, vegetables and flowers; it can also improve the climate of the building and help filter pollutants from the air and rain. "This prolongs the life of the roof, reduces flood risk and can also serve as an acoustic barrier where the ground blocks low-frequency sounds and plants block high-frequency sounds," the agency said. It also considers that the biodiversity of urban areas can be protected with the implementation of green roofs.
"Increasing green surfaces using the roofs of buildings is becoming one of the most valued architectural options in the urban and industrial environment. We have observed a steady growth in the demand for materials for the denaturation (structural change) of the roofs," explains Figurelli.
However, among the main reasons people not to place a green roof in their building are the risk that water will seep through the walls and cause serious problems, such as leaks, and that the roots of the plants can damage the roof.
It is now possible to install green roofs without major risk to construction: IsoCindu has designed Isodeck PVSteel, a bilamine panel with metal support coated with a subtle PVC membrane of high strength and durability, which has a high degree of resistance to water infiltrations and chemical agents, root attack and punching, static and dynamic charges, as well as UV rays.
On this panel, the CEO of IsoCindu explains that to "provide a solution to designers who need innovative alternatives for their landscaped projects, the ISODECK PVSTEEL sandwich panel is ideal for making flat or low slope roofs. The coupling of the panels is achieved by means of a joint, and waterproofing is guaranteed thanks to the thermofusion of a PVC overlap band".
When making a roof with ISODECK PVSTEEL you will have an ideal surface for the installation of layers of vegetation, according to the most varied tastes, from the Sedum, a genre of succulent plants, perfect to start the care of the environment, thanks to its resistance and easy maintenance, to urban orchards and fruit trees.
