Use of rubber crumbs as drainage layer in experimental green roofs
Issue date
2012Author
Vila, Anna
Fernández Renna, Ana Inés
Suggested citation
Vila, Anna;
Pérez Luque, Gabriel;
Solé Cutrona, Cristian;
Fernández Renna, Ana Inés;
Cabeza, Luisa F.;
.
(2012)
.
Use of rubber crumbs as drainage layer in experimental green roofs.
Building and Environment, 2012, vol. 48, p. 101-106.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.08.010.
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Show full item recordAbstract
Green roofs have become a sustainable construction building system that offers interesting environmental
advantages over traditional roofing solutions. However green roofs design is still based on
conventional materials. This article begins a research which considers both the study of the functional
benefits of green roofs but also the goodness of their own construction. Specifically in this paper the
possibility of using rubber crumbs as drainage layer in green roofs instead of the porous stone materials
currently used in some commercial solutions (such as expanded clay, pumice, natural puzolana, etc) is
suggested. This solution would reduce the consumption of these natural materials, which also require
large amounts of energy in their transformation process. Moreover it would provide a solution to the
problem of waste tires. Since the purpose of the drainage layer is the optimum balance between air and
water in the green roof system, first the ability for draining of rubber crumbs was studied and was
compared with that offered by stone materials. The new solution using rubber crumbs is also studied,
with experimental trays, to test if it would keep the same insulation properties that the green roof with
stone materials. Early results obtained in the experimental trays show that rubber crumbs are a good
substitute for stone materials used as drainage layer.