Look for "barn shingles" which are green. Red too! Both are beautiful!

Good luck with your project!

sochi - If you mean roofs that are planted, they take careful tending and weeding and have all the drawbacks of a garden.

That is on top of the expensive planning and installing.

Yes, an earth roof (if that's what you mean) is all of what lazygardens said, plus it's additional structure to support the increased weight of wet soil, and increased waterproofing and drainage for longevity of the wood framing.

Good luck on your project!

I did green on my red barn with white trim. I think it looks great.

If you mean meadow on the roof then be sure to get a goat to keep it trimmed and the weeds under control. Such roofs have been the norm in a lot of the world for thousands of years, it really shouldn't be too hard. Folks I've known who had them here just learned to be tolerant of a certain number of leaks at any given time. Most have replaced them with more conventional materials after 10-20 years. All agreed that the goat was most helpful, they've kept the goats after the roof was gone.

What color was the goat?

I plan on installing a green roof (without goats) eventually.
My current roof is a steel reinforced concrete flat roof on metal deck, supported by concrete walls. It's got a sloping EPS layer and EPDM membrane on top.

The structure was designed to hold a layer of dirt + vegetation (grass, bushes, small trees (in separate containers)). I already have a water line (faucet) for irrigation and conduit for sprinkler control up there. I'll make it "green" sometimes in 2014.

I'll probably add a little shed for a lawnmower up there.

Our home used to have a green roof -- used to have. The roof structure was built like a battleship, but the designer made the roof structure flat, instead of pitching it. If s/he had simply added a bit of slope, there would have been a lot fewer problems. As it was, the roof leaked, even with a pretty extensive drainage system. We found out later the previous owners had had lots of problems with it, too. As rwiegand said, when it was 20 years old we replaced it with a conventional roof because we were tired of living with buckets all over the place. Rebuilding it to the original design would have cost a minimum of $50,000 and it still might have leaked.

On the positive side, it did an excellent job of insulating. The house was built into a hillside, so the roof was continuous with the lawn at the back of the house, making it very easy to mow.

I have also seen green-roofs on pavilions and bus stops planted with ferns -- no need to mow and they choke out everything else.

If you decide to do it, just make sure it's designed to allow for good, natural drainage. Don't rely on pipes and drainage systems; have the structure under the earth divert water away from house.

Thanks everyone, good advice. Not sure about the goats though.

Our 'flat roof' will have a 2 percent grade which from what I've read is ideal. It will not be steel reinforced concrete however, so I'm certain it couldn't take an intensive green roof as jrldh is describing.

There has been progress with membranes and water proofing I gather. We would grow sedums, etc., which won't require mowing or much maintenance and shouldn't require irrigation. It certainly has been done successfully by many, and is imo an ideal that I hope will mainstream eventually, but I don't know anyone with first hand experience unfortunately.

Thanks again, I'd love to hear of other experiences too.

Living roofs are probably one of the most challenging construction details one can face. I would bet that a small minority ever survive their intended life spans without leaks or problems. They also largely negate the ability to catch rainwater which can be a more desirable attribute for water intensive homes or landscapes.

That being said, most people love them but there is no way they will ever be mainstream in our lifetimes. As mentioned, slope is very important and I would add that the main waterproofing membrane would preferably be a continuous piece with no laps or connections. It would also be wise to have zero penetrations and design the plumbing and HVAC vents accordingly.

Thanks Brian. Hopefully technology catches up, as given some of the benefits the concept seems worth pursuing. It takes people willing to take the leap and experience trial and error I guess, as with any new concept. I'm willing, DH unfortunately isn't.

Around here most green roofs are on garages, less risk there I guess.

2 percent is what is recommended for patios, etc., where there is nothing to slow down the flow of the water away from the surface. However, I would really recommend a much steeper slope for a dirt roof. You want to encourage the water to get the heck out of Dodge as quickly as possible.

Of course, I'm not a professional ... just a disgruntled former owner of a green roof. Which actually could have had a 2% slope and leaked like a sieve.

As Rustoleum says, water is the enemy.

Steeper roofs certainly have more room for error with sloppy construction. Green roofs cant be too steep though or the soil washes away in heavy rain events.