Green Roofing - Some not so FAQ’s

Green Roofing - Some not so FAQ’s

Q. How long has Green Roofing been around?

A. Although allegedly used as far back as ancient Babylonian times, with little evidence surviving we are going to say that as a system Green Roofing was first developed in the 1960’s in Germany. It was created with the intention of reducing water run off in major cities, interestingly a topic that is very relevant to modern day life.

Q. Can you eat sedum?

A. Before you start grazing on rooftops, only certain varieties are edible . First used in Roman apothecary's and often found in Korean cuisine, sedum is indeed edible in small quantities and has a mild nutty flavour. However please consult a specialist if you intend on eating sedum as certain varieties are known to have mild toxicity and will most certainly make you ill. Check out this edible wall from ANS Group Global.

Q. How does Sedum Survive in arid conditions?

A. One of the unique attributes of Sedum is the ability to survive in very dry conditions. It is able to do this by a process of Crassulacean Acidic Metabolism or CAM for short. This is essentially a process of delaying Photosynthesis. During the day, it closes it’s stomata (similar to pores), preventing moisture from escaping. Opening it’s pores at night it absorbs Carbon dioxide from the air and stores it as Malic Acid. In day it will turn this chemical back into CO2 which it then uses for Photosynthesis.