Modern green roofs may have had their "roots" in ancient times but technological advances have made them far … Photography by Hoachlander Davis Photograph. Many cities like Portland, OR and Bellingham, WA have embraced cost friendly aspects of the green movement. A modern green roof, or eco-roof, can actually have a number of different connotations. Sod roofing in Bellingham, WA is just one part of a greater shift. Green roofing is not only attractive, it provides excellent insulation, and is … Green roofs, living roofs, vegetated roofs or eco-roofs have existed for thousands of years [1]. Sod roofs were a practical solution to a real challenge for those who built them. In more recent times, people used sod to cover their roof tops for the purpose of insulation, it kept their homes cool in summer and warm in winter. A Green Roof (Sod or Turf Roof) This is by far the most environmentally friendly option and can be very aesthetically pleasing if done correctly. Staying alive in the severe continental winters of the prairies was one thing. 6. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, used an elaborate irrigation system to create a terraced garden paradise outside of modern-day Baghdad while Europeans once used traditional sod roofs as a means of insulating houses. 21st Century Sod House — 1 Comment Owen Geiger on September 7, 2017 at 6:08 PM said: I like the part about the gas company guy who was complaining how they’d go … Then there was the extreme heat of … Today’s green roofs are modern versions of centuries old roofing practices. From the hanging gardens of Babylon to the sod roofs in Iceland during the Viking era, adaptations of earth-covered roofs have been around for many years. That shift is towards unique living spaces with communal benefits. And during the Viking days, sod roofs made of earth were all the rage. The roofs are traditionally built with water-tight birch bark, and topped with soil and sod, which helps to hold the birch bark together. Reader & Swartz Architects designed the renovation of this 1970’s farmhouse. While many people commonly think of a green roof as a structure that contains a roof garden or sod, there are many that also refer to green roofs as spaces used for solar panel designs and more. Construct a roof for your sod house. Several styles of roof were used on sod houses, ranging from flat roofs made from a lattice of tree branches, to traditional gabled roofs made from lumber, tar paper and shingles. The sloped roofs on this modern home were designed to take advantage of the path of the sun to maximize brightness, and to make the interior of the home feel bigger and brighter. And secondly in the soil and plants, there may be secrets that can inform the future of modern green roofs. The sod roofs of today do so much more than those of yesteryear. 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