CONSTRUCTIONS I

UNIT 9 'Covers'
1. Roofs are the upper closure of any building. They can be walkable and/or accessible. They support static loads.
dynamics. Its main function is to protect environments from the elements (rain, wind, sun, etc).
ROOF = STRUCTURE + COVERING
Cover: It is the skin of the roofs or the layers that make up the skin. A cover must meet certain
hydro-thermal-acoustic behaviors, the main function of the cover is to protect from the elements
natural, in addition to covering other needs and demands for comfort and/or convenience. To achieve invariability of
indoor microclimate, the cover must have characteristics suitable for the climate of the location.
building to which they compose.

Structures: They are the solid elements that support the roof: slabs, beams, etc.

Classification according to their mode of fitting or application:

Continuous covers: They are those in which the cover element, either because of its composition or due to welds
Large elements result in a unique monolithic element. E.g. Slabs.
Discontinuous coverings: They are made up of relatively small elements or pieces, not welded together,
but anchored to the load-bearing structure. E.g. Tiles, sheets.

Classification according to its slope:

- Plans: up to 2, 3, or 4% (per meter) of slope. (4% = 4cm for every meter)
Inclined: They have a slope greater than 10% (18º). They produce very fast drainage of water and in
snow areas prevent it from accumulating on them. They are much lighter than the flat ones.
Corrugated zinc sheet 20%
Corrugated fiber cement sheet 36%
Tile cover 40%
Slate cover 50%
2. Sloped roofs They are considered inclined if they exceed a slope of 10%. They formally show their
pendant with 2 meanings, the technological for the speed to evacuate water and the symbolic for the aesthetics that
may come to have. Its structural elements are generally the girders, the trusses, or the lattice beams and
the cover rests on them, which is made up of pieces of very varied shapes and sizes, this last one will influence
the slope of the roof. The pieces that make up these coverings are relatively small and articulate with each other
forming a skin like a shell or carapace, linked in various ways, but always determining a great
number of joints, which increases the risk of water entry since the smaller the pieces are, there will be
more joints and consequently the slope or pitch of the roof must be greater, due to the fact that the greater
slope will have a higher drainage speed, which will not allow water to enter the cover through its
together.
- Classification by material:

- Slate: The structure of these roofs is made up of:

Straps: In the opposite direction to the slope, it starts from the eaves and there are 2 joints at the ridge.
Cabios: With a separation of 50 to 70 cm, they are placed in the direction of the slope. (5 x 10 cm)
Slats: 3.5 x 5 cm, you start with a beam on the edge of the eaves and continue with slats every
15 to 20 cm. The boards are placed on top of them. A strip is placed at the edge of the eaves.
compensator above the false ceiling to be able to nail the first tile.

1) Natural: They come in the form of slabs or sheets extracted from quarries, processed either artisanally or with
machines are fragile and expensive. Their approximate slope is 47%. They can reach up to
cedar wood, pine, etc. A slate cover is made up of
for the assembly of independent pieces that are coated
partially with each other to achieve the tightness of the own
cover. The attachment of the pieces to the cover is done by
by means of nails or metal hooks. Nails can be used.
of iron, galvanized iron, steel, and copper, but it is recommended
use stainless steel hooks.

2) Artificial: Produced by factories according to demand. They can be made of asbestos cement or fiber cement and
They are arranged in sheets or plates. They are lightweight and cheaper.
 Tejas: Ceramic material pieces intended for roofing coverings. The slope varies according to the
type of tile and the placement technique. Generally, its structure consists of:
Cabreada: Used as a support structure, other options are metal profiles.
Belts: (3” x 5”) are located transversely to the beams with a separation of 1.5 to 3 meters.
Cabios (2”x3”) is placed in the direction of the slope at a distance of 60 cm to 1.50 m.
Decking: (1" x 5") A succession of boards nailed crosswise to them (parallel direction to the same)
straps) their function is to provide a support surface for hydraulic and thermal insulation.
Hydraulic insulation: Thin layer of approximately 3mm, made of elastic material such as asphalt felt.
polyethylene film, etc. They are currently used as vapor barriers, membranes
Tyvek type.
Drained strip: Generally trapezoidal in shape, there is one for each change, located above it, it is
used to raise the battens for the tiles so that water can drain off, the
The barrier will be placed above this, being held with the small strip.
Listoncillo: Used to fix the insulation.
Up to this point, the described components are the same for all types of tiles. The difference lies in that the tiles
Colonial tiles require two types of laths for each tile (nailing lath for channel tile and nailing strip for flat tile).
(blanket). In contrast, the flat tile and the French tile only have one type of tile nailing batten, which is arranged.
transversely to the direction of the slope and its separation is given based on the size of the tile (approximately 35 cm.), and to the
At the beginning, compensating strips are placed, which is the closure wood of the eave and its main function is to provide
pending the first piece, which will form the eaves.
Nailer strip for channel tile: It rests on the small strip and its distance varies depending on the overlap of the tile.
Approximately every 32 cm.
Tile nailer: It is supported on the nail strip of the channel tile with a gap.
approximately 23 cm. It holds the blanket tile preventing it from resting.
about the channel tile, giving the roof a great capacity for movement.
Tejas: They should not be embedded in the wall due to the difference in thermal expansion.

Colonial roofs: They fit a

about another overlapping. Its fitting is
of approximately 1/3 of its
length, but it can be adjusted according to the
pending, the greater the overlap, the lesser it is
pending.
Depending on their location, they are called,
the blanket that goes on top and channel it
What is provided below. Its measures
son, at the top 18 cm of
wide, and at the bottom 20 cm, and of
length presents 42 cm.
Approximately 32 tiles fit per
square meter. This type of tiles does not
you need special tiles for the
finishes, since the ridge and the
eaves termination can be
resolve with blankets, placed
with mortar.
 2) Flat tiles: They are pieces made of ceramic material.
the dimensions of this tile range from 15 to 16 cm for the width and
from 25 to 28 cm for its length. Despite its name, they usually do not
to be plans, since being so it would favor the possibility
of capillary seepage. To avoid this problem, it is
it's convenient to give a slight curvature to each piece with the
objective of annul the possible capillarity between the pieces.
They have no edges, their placement is purely for
overlap, requiring at least 2/3 overlap.
They form a superposition of small pieces, with a
placement method suitable for ensuring airtightness.
They present a 47% slope (25º).
This type is inserted in the middle. For encounters with walls
lateral systems use flap closure systems, which consists of
a continuous upper panel attached to the wall and a lower panel
cut to the size of the tile. As a finishing touch to the eaves, it
uses a wood intended to receive the first tile, which is
supports on the change.
This type of cover is costly since
requires a greater number of strips due to proximity between
them. Also, their own weight is considerable as they need
between 50 and 60 tiles per square meter of roofing.

French tiles: This tile is a piece of ceramic material that

characterized by having a surface with a series of grooves and
grooves that function to channel water runoff
rainwater. This form influences the self-weight of the cover, which
it becomes lighter and decreases the number of necessary parts by
surface unit. When the cover requires improvement in
the thermal insulation, rolls of fiberglass will be placed between the
support strips for the tiles, which can be used as a variant to fiber
of glass expanded polystyrene.
They are interlocking. If possible, they are not nailed, they are tied with wire.
galvanized or copper, what is called tile cooking. It is advisable
that they are ready for a crossover meeting, since this arrangement improves
the interlocking of the parts and prevents the summation of the flows in the ducts
longitudinals. For the finishes, they require special pieces.
Metallic: Metallic covers are differentiated into three large groups: smooth, wavy, and self-supporting.
being able to be made of various materials such as galvanized iron, aluminum, etc. The sheets should not be
to embed since they can lead to collapse or fracturing due to the thermal dynamic difference (dilatability) between
the wall and the sheet. All these sheets feature complementary elements such as borders to provide the
side and ridge terminations, as well as the meeting between eaves.
Its structure can be made of wood, composed in the same way as tile roofs:

Or metallic, where its composition is as follows:

1) Galvanized iron sheets: The thicknesses of these steel sheets that are usually used
are 0.56 and 0.45 mm. Due to their reduced thickness, they completely lack rigidity. This is
achieves by increasing the moment of inertia of the section to respond to the demands of
flexion, which modifies the shape, undulating the surface of the sheet, giving rise to a
commercial form that is identified with the name of corrugated sheet or channelled. With respect
The solution to the corrosion problem that steel presents is to provide it with a coating.
durable effect protector, which incorporates a thin layer of zinc on its surface
firmly attached. The commercial dimensions vary in length, from 1.83 m to
3.66 m, its width remains constant at 0.60 m.
The traditional sizes of the sheets are 80 cm wide and length from 1.20 to a maximum of 3.00 meters.
They are currently marketed with a width of 1.10 meters to 13 meters in length, allowing for a smaller reduction.
number of overlaps.
The main problem with overlaps is the infiltration of rainwater due to suction or because of the wind. The overlap
The minimum ranges from 7 to 9 cm, increasing as the slope decreases, meaning that the overlap is
proportional to the slope. In summary: the greater the slope > the less overlap > the greater the amount of material saved.

Aluminum sheets: There are numerous advantages that aluminum sheets offer compared to those of
galvanized steel. One of the advantages is its better performance in terms of thermal insulation since its
The shiny surface rejects part of the solar radiation, this means a comprehensive solution to the problem of
isolation, unless it is complemented with other insulating elements. Other favorable aspects are its low weight,
approximately one third of the steel, another advantage is its good performance against the action
destructive corrosion, due to the self-protection of aluminum. As for the dimensions of the
elements have advantages over steel, as they are presented in
the same length, but with an approximate width of 1.15 m, which
implies a lower number of longitudinal joints. The required coating
it is the same for steel sheets and minimum slopes are recommended
of 18º, that is, of the order of 32%.

3) Trafitubo sheets (AU-L1): It is a self-supporting sheet that is fixed from below, to beams with systems of
braces (profiled) arranged every 30 cm, that hook or hold the sheet through its ribs,
the ones that are hollow. The clamps will be housed in the holes of the straps and will be screwed in from below. This
The system has the disadvantage (from looking up from below) of having to remove the ceiling for its installation,
but it is quick to assemble and requires no drilling or welding, ensuring total tightness.
They can be made of Hº Gº or aluminum and come in a total length of 16 m, requiring a structural support every 5.50.
It starts with the installation of the support structure (metal or wooden reinforcements) to which the
anchor pieces of the sheets (stamped profiles). These profiles come
with perforations intended to accommodate the fastening clips of the sheets,
whose distance between them will vary according to the width of the piece (between 29 and 40
cm). In case the bucket needs to be stuffed, the
embedding channels in the front and side walls. Through their
ribs, the pieces are assembled until the cover is complete, one
Once the cover is assembled, the pieces are fixed to the stamped profile.
and/or structure using fastening clamps equipped with a washer of
neoprene and a nut.
 4) Zip Rib Sheets: They are systems of cold-formed sheet coverings that are joined to the structure of
support through hidden fastening elements, without the need to drill the ceiling. They can be made of steel.
galvanized PG400, aluminum alloy ZIP RIB, in both cases they are offered with a natural finish
pre-painted. They have a U shape, with intermediate ribs in the valley that provide rigidity, and two extreme wings that
allow the joint between sheets to be made above the drainage level. The longitudinal joint is obtained
through a self-propelled sealing machine, which is provided free of charge at the time of assembly. Always it
they use sheets that go from the ridge to the eaves without intermediate overlaps, both on almost flat roofs and
with slope. These characteristics guarantee the tightness of the covering.
They are fixed from above, using metal clips that are hidden devices attached to the straps. Like
advantages of the absence of
drillings (greater sealing)
they are lightweight, which makes their placement
it is fast and economical, the quality of
the material is such that it does not require

maintenance, they present a long

of 20 m, so they lack
overlap but they have the counterpart
to present problems in your
transport
The joining of the panels is achieved through a true shaping of the wings, carried out with the machines.
sealers that turn them into a continuous and airtight cover.

5) Self-supporting profile T-90: It is a profile that, due to its high moment of inertia design, is especially
designed to support high loads with less need for or without intermediate supports, constituting one of the
called self-supporting panels. Due to its ridge height, it allows for installation with reduced slopes. It is
known as Self-supporting Sheet.
Mainly used for the construction of roofs with demanding load requirements. This product
allows for the reduction of supports and in certain cases even their elimination, achieving considerable reductions in the
roof structure.

6) Trapezoidal sheet T-101: With lengths up to 13.50 meters and widths of 1 meter. These sheets can have two
finishes, one like steel sheets coated by the hot-dip process with an aluminum alloy
that offers a combination of barrier effect and galvanic protection that enhances its performance, or sheets
printed from an organic coating of state-of-the-art polyesters on a
coated base material. These colored sheets offer excellent properties, such as their high resistance to corrosion and
its good flexibility, in addition to its attractive color finish. The applied paint coating includes a
anticorrosive treatment and a finishing paint.

Specials:

Straw: A layer or mattress system of straw about 20 cm thick, which prevents the passage of water through agglutination.
from the same (swelling of the straw), added to a great inclination, which ranges from 70 to 80% (never
less) that causes the water to drain at high speed, as it keeps it minimally
about the ceiling (a short period of time). It swells with humidity, meaning that it absorbs moisture.
varying its thickness, but once the water stagnates, it leads to leaks. Its duration
approximately 20 years.
 2) Curved roofs: Or vaulted, made up of arches that
they work purely on compression. They are heavy, of the
type of continuous barrel vault, should be used in plants
of the linear or simple type to avoid complications with usage
of formwork. These ceilings work under compression with the
problem of the tangential discharge of the loads that are
They can be solved with tensors so that the vault opens.
It can be manufactured dry, even without the use of
of the reinforcements (in the case of being made of masonry) giving it a
double layer of bricks that act by their position shape,
these can be left visible in the manner of ceilings.

3) Polycarbonate: It is a hard, resistant, lightweight, durable plastic that is easily moldable and susceptible to being
dyed in hundreds of colors. It is commonly used when a material is required through which one can see,
but sufficiently resistant to mistreatment. Polycarbonate sheets can be installed over different
types of structure: wood, metal, aluminum, etc.
There are different types of sheets:

Smooth compact: They are used to replace glass and in the manufacturing of mirrors, with the advantage of being a
non-cutting material.

Ribbed: The great advantage they have over ribbed fiberglass sheets is that they are less
brittle, they do not splinter. In addition, they allow the creation of curved structures with a minimum radius of 4 meters.

Cellular: They are also referred to as 'camera' or 'alveolar'. They are used as wall coverings and
covers, both in homes and in buildings.

The structure can be made of wood, metal, aluminum, etc., this will depend on its intended use.
I want to give or use the material available, screw the 1-inch boards onto the structure's crossbeams.
made of wood, with an approximate spacing of 50cm. The corrugated sheets and 5V are fixed to the beams.
screwing at the top of the wave, as that is where the water drains, and it will not fall through the hole
Made with the screw, the screws are self-drilling and sealed with neutral transparent silicone.

4) Glass: There are two types of systems

STRUCTURAL GLASS SYSTEM: consists of a
Aluminum frame that is glued according to the glass technique
Structural allows us to link the glass to the structure. A
from this concept, the unions are resolved through
weather sealing joints.

CAPTURED GLASS SYSTEM: in this case, the glass is "captured" by a lid of

aluminum trimmed that is placed in all cases in the direction of the slope. The base is
can be solved using aluminum profiles or EPDM.

This system has the advantage of having an anodized or painted finish.

Accepts single and double glazing. Has free drainage in the direction of the slope.
The system is composed of beam profiles, cross members, and glass presses and is assembled.
about independent bearing structure.
[Link] roofs In the case of flat roofs; being made of reinforced concrete as a supporting structure;
they consider the same problems that walls have (thermal, water, and vapor stresses) only that faced with
a more complex way. Thermally speaking, it should be considered that the less exposed to heat they are
Materials (that make up the cover), there will be less expansion volume in that cover or roof. This means
the higher the thermal protection is, the better.

Basic components:

1) Slab: It is the structural support of the covering. It can be solid, ribbed, made of beams, or prefabricated.
In general, for structures, concrete that does not contain lime is used. H21 1:3:3 (for each cubic meter, it withstands 210 kg),
with a maximum water-cement ratio of 0.45, and presents coarse gradation of up to 32mm.

2) Vapor barrier: It will be located immediately above the slab. It should not be completely waterproof (it should
allow a slight passage of humidity) so that the steam contained beneath it (since it comes from the interior of the
locally) I did not manage to experience significant pressures that adversely affected the components of the covering, in
particularly the insulations, especially the porous ones (thermal). The steam affects the cover (its materials) in
winter, since it comes into contact with a cold surface, it condenses (being inside the insulating material) and if
the insulating material is very absorbent (very porous) it will saturate, taking away that property because it fills its
red hair and porous, creating a bridge for the passage of temperature.
That is to say, the vapor barrier generally works in winter, it is always placed towards the warmer side.
interior) the films overlap by 30 cm and if it gets wet it loses its capacity.

3) Sloped concrete: It should never be less than 2%, its purpose is to allow rainwater drainage.
It must be made of a material with a low thermal expansion coefficient, lightweight and sufficiently rigid to
support the whole set. For cost reasons, it is commonly made up of rubble and leftovers from
demolished constructions.

4) Thermal insulation: The insulation must be placed in such a way that it leaves the least amount of elements exposed.
above her, that is, unprotected: since the excessive heating of everything above her will cause
the movement (due to expansion). This reconfirms that its position should be the highest, if possible by
on top of the whole set. If it gets wet, it loses its capacity; for it to work better in its materialization, it
they apply leveling layers or subfloors on top of it to prevent climate agents from attacking it and
to serve as support for the hydraulic insulation. They can be high-density expanded polystyrene, the wools of
glass is not used because it gets crushed.

5) Hydraulic insulation: Asphalt-type membranes, aluminized membranes, or liquid membranes (fibered) are applied.
the different types of membranes exist different types of placement, which will depend on the optimal
functioning.
Adhered membranes: As the name suggests, they are placed adhered to a support that serves as
structure, such as the surface of the leveling folder. They present the
inconveniente de acompañar el movimiento de la losa, que pueden derivar en
cracks through which water will enter. These can be pre-formed membranes.
in rolls or membranes configured on-site (continuous). It adheres completely the
complete surface (it melts).
Floating membranes: They are pre-formed sheets in rolls, which constitute continuous blankets.
through gluing or welding. As its name indicates, floating insulations
they are not adhered to the support, except at the edges. Therefore, it is not advisable.
use it on roofs exposed to strong winds (when it remains like a mantle
superior) as they bend, it is better if they are protected instead
through some type of walkable floor, such as: special tiles
about PVC tiles or concrete dice, etc.
Semi-adhered membranes: Combination between adhered and floating, for semi-adhered insulations, are
mantles composed of welded or glued leaves where the joint is exploited
union to linearly attach the mantle to the support, which would remain
the wind suction problem has been solved.
-Construction details:

1) Detail of the babeta: The babetas constitute the meeting point of the ceiling with the wall.
There are various ways to solve it, but the golden rule is that the
asphalt membrane or bend at a right angle, because with the frosts it
break, therefore the curves with 60mm PVC pipes.
The babeta prevents cracking from tension, breaks the vertical plane, and enhances insulation.
hydraulic, eliminating the sharp angle where the membrane breaks.
Its angle has a radius of 3 or 4 cm.

2) Details of vacuum breakers: Set of linear or point chambers that will act as 'evaporators',
slow but effective, of any excess pressure that could be established between the lower and upper barrier,
balancing it with the outside environment. They generate a sort of ducts (air current) within the structure.
from the slab (in the subfloor) with an exit to the outside, so that the vapor can drain
convection effect. This releases the interstitial vapor from the slab, whether coming from the
interior of the premises or external leaks and others (grouting water). With this it generates
a decompression within the slab.
The vertical or outlet ducts are iron pipes.
galvanized∅ 0.100 with metal mesh at the outlet hole,
to prevent the entry of bugs and foreign objects.
Its arrangement will be based on the type of rooftop it is on.
built: accessible or not accessible. In the latter case, the
previously defined conduits lead directly out of the medium of
the slab arranged on a base or decompression chamber
formed with loose gravel of 40 x 40 cm (point breakers).
In the case of the accessible ones, they are complemented with ducts.
horizontals made of very poor quality bricks (very porous) or hollow bricks
arranged with a separation of 2 to 3 cm. These conduits will function as pathways for
escape, flowing into the iron or galvanized sheet pipes. Its arrangement is given by
above the steam barrier.

3) Detail constructive and expansion joints: They are a series of construction devices intended for
to absorb the different movements of the cover, whether they are expansion or contraction in form
alternative.
There are construction joints, since reinforced concrete must have joints every 30 meters, these are
They are sold on top with metal covers that cover the joint, but it should not be coated on the inside.
The expansion joints are applied in subfloors and floors, their depth reaches up to the insulation, they should not
to have more than one and a half centimeters in thickness. The expansion joint must consider spaces for every
17m2. Elastic materials are applied in its thickness, such as polyurethane joint sealants.

4) Hydraulic screen detail: The hydraulic screen covers the side surface in the
meeting of the slab with the wall, at an angle of 60° both above and below
what determines the support of the slab.
This screen prevents water from passing through possible cracks caused at those angles.
cause of the slab expansion. It is attached by the upper surface and is found
loose at the bottom, it must be completely waterproof.
Difference between flat roof and inverted roof:

INVERTED ROOF: The term inverted roof refers to a flat roof in which the thermal insulation protects the
waterproofing membrane. The name comes from the fact that this arrangement of layers is opposite to the traditional one.
that the waterproofing protected the insulation. They emerged in the mid-20th century, following the appearance of
extruded polystyrene (XPS), an insulating material capable of withstanding the elements without losing its properties.
Slab
2. Leveling concrete
3. Waterproofing
4. Thermal insulation
5. Cover

FLAT ROOF: The waterproofing membrane is the most delicate part of the cover, as the large
temperature differences to which it is subjected cause expansions and contractions, frosts can
turn the sheets brittle and cause them to crack, leading to leaks and dampness, and
various construction pathologies. In traditional flat roofs, the waterproofing is placed on top of
thermal insulator, since traditional insulators did not withstand the elements well, especially rainwater.
that led to the waterproofing membrane being the one to withstand the aggressions.
Slab
Steam barrier
3. Fill for slope
Thermal insulation
5. Leveling folder
6. Water-repellent insulation
4. Cover

In the case that inverted roofs are required for their insulating properties, to protect the insulation from the
outdoors, and to prevent it from being sucked away by the wind or floating with the rainwater, becoming dislodged, it
Seal the cover with a heavy protection, which can be of various types depending on its surface finish.
Transitable: covered with finishes resistant to pedestrian traffic. The usual solutions are
they are built with self-protecting filtering slabs (concrete tiles with a layer of
polystyrene bonded underneath) or through floating floors, which consist of stone slabs
or hydraulic systems elevated on dwarf piles.
Non-passable: covered with a final layer of nose or gravel.
Ajardinadas: a layer of topsoil is placed over the insulation, on which vegetation grows (the soil
Vegetation itself serves as a thermal insulator, but care must be taken to avoid any aggression that may arise.
perform the roots of the plants on the insulator).
1. Dry constructionThe Steel Frame or Ballom Frame system allows the creation of flat or sloped roofs with
metal or wooden structures. There are various types of trusses, which must be reinforced with
phenolic laminated panels to support the covering.
They can also take on a mixed form with the incorporation of wet construction such as concrete slabs.
about metal structure.

Or in the case of being sloped, there are metal braces, or the implementation of tympanum walls, on the
Which beams support the structure of the roof.
Currently, insulation is applied with polyurethane foam on
the metal structure is sold in spray form of several centimeters.

Dry construction ensures a fast build.

and cleaning at the site.
 Green roofsA green roof, green terrace, or gardened cover is the roof of a building that is partially or
totally covered with vegetation, either in soil or in an appropriate growing medium, with a waterproof membrane.
You can include other layers that serve for drainage and irrigation and act as a barrier for the roots. It refers instead to
technologies used in roofs to improve habitat or save energy consumption, that is, technologies that
they fulfill an ecological function.

- Types of green roofs: Green roofs can be classified as intensive, 'semi-intensive' or extensive.
according to the depth of the growing medium and the level of maintenance required. Intensive roofs are of the type
park with easy access and can include anything from kitchen herbs to shrubs and even small trees.
"extensive" roofs, on the other hand, are designed to require minimal attention, perhaps just weeding once in a while.
year or a slow-release fertilizer application to stimulate growth. Another important distinction is the
horizontal or sloped roofs. The slope of the latter reduces the risk of poor water drainage, although
It also presents greater problems for keeping the soil moist.

Benefits: They promote thermal insulation, showing a SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS in energy consumption.
significantly increases the lifespan of waterproof layers of roofs and coverings, improves air quality,
they retain and delay the runoff of rainwater, reducing the risk of flooding in the City, they reduce the
emission of gases.

Constitutive parts:

1. Waterproof membrane: Prevents losses and

moisture. Materialized through a membrane
impermeable, it is necessary that it is suitable for contact with
water in a permanent and resistant manner to agents
biologicals. It is recommended that it be HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)
Density (or PVC), welded by thermofusion in their joints.
2. Anti-root barrier or 200-micron nylon: This barrier
protect the waterproof membrane against breakage caused
by roots. High-density polyethylene geomembrane
at least a thickness of 500 microns meets the
anti-root barrier function and waterproof mantle
time.
3. Retention and drainage layer: The drainage system is key for good species propagation in the garden. The water
tends to flow naturally on sloped roofs (those with a slope greater than 5 degrees), making the drainage layer be
unnecessary, except to help in water retention. Flat roofs, on the other hand, need this layer to direct the water
outside the roof and prevent its stagnation.
4. Screen filter: A geotextile layer should be placed between the drainage and the growth medium to keep the substrate in its
place.
5. Growth substrate: The substrate is the soil where the green cover originates, providing the nutrients and space for
that the plants grow. It has a mineral base, with a minimum of organic material. An extensive green cover requires
maximum 15 centimeters of substrate thickness.
In some cases, waterproof and thermal barriers are applied to improve insulation.
from the ceiling.

The maintenance of green roofs depends on their category. For green roofs
For extensive greens, we have minimal maintenance: they need to be watered regularly.
the first 15 days of the installation then with the rainwater retained in the
membranes are self-sufficient. In the case of intensive green roofs, it requires the
care of a common garden, watering, pruning when necessary.
The investment cost for these systems is estimated at 1,500 to 2,000 pesos per m2.
here in Argentina.
- Green walls: Green walls can be intensive or extensive, suspended or freestanding, decorative,
thermal, acoustic or decontaminating. They have a galvanized metal structure, plant fiber substrate.
recycled and an automatic irrigation system.
Among its basic properties, we can highlight that it is a decontaminant, sound insulator (to replace the
acoustic panels. This green wall system has very satisfactory soundproofing qualities) insulation
thermal (20cm of substrate = 10cm of glass wool = 5cm of polyurethane) and they are also decorative.
Among its varieties we have:
1) Extensive: Between each row and/or column of metal cells, we place a mesh to allow for some
Climbing plants cover the bare surfaces.

Intensive: All the metal cells of the structure are joined in a single uniform panel, allowing for the
continuity of the substrate.

3) Suspended: It is placed directly on the wall.

4) Self-supporting: The self-supporting structure is a system for placing the vertical garden, when the
support wall cannot bear the weight of the green wall. A foundation is placed on the floor of
concrete to support a metal structure, with reinforcements every 6 meters. The system allows not
affect the existing wall.