Urban Green Roof Soil Load Estimator
Accurately estimate the dry, saturated, and total load of your urban green roof soil. This tool helps ensure structural integrity and supports your green building projects.
Calculate Your Green Roof Load
Green Roof Load Estimates (per square foot/meter)
Frequently Asked Questions
The primary factors influencing green roof soil load are soil depth, the dry density of the growing media, its saturated moisture content (how much water it retains), the weight of vegetation, and potential snow load.
Calculating the soil load is crucial for structural integrity. It ensures that the building’s roof can safely support the additional weight of the green roof system, preventing structural damage and ensuring compliance with building codes.
Dry soil load refers to the weight of the green roof growing media when it contains no moisture. Saturated soil load is the weight of the media when it has absorbed its maximum amount of water, which is significantly heavier due to the weight of the water.
Snow load is a critical live load component, especially in colder climates. It adds significant temporary weight to the roof structure. Green roof designs must account for the combined weight of saturated soil, vegetation, and the maximum anticipated snow load to ensure safety.