The Elmich green roof system lives on a roof of a building and is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane.

Green roofs are generally categorised into the following:
• Intensive ≥ 300 mm growing media, irrigation with a wide variety of shrubs, grass and tree species on slopes
• Extensive ≤ 300 mm growing media, minimal irrigation with hardy, low growing plant and ground cover species on slopes

Green roofs serve a number of benefits for a building, these include:
• Improved property value – Planted roof areas increase the ‘permeable to hard-stand’ ratio on building sites and allow the creation of usable commercial and recreational roof gardens and terrace areas.
• Improved environment – plant species minimise greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants are absorbed by growth media particles and plant species provide a habitat for a diverse range of fauna.
• Reduced energy costs – radiation is minimised and growth media insulation ensures cooler buildings in the summer and warmer buildings in winter.
• Reduced maintenance – roofing materials and waterproofing membranes are protected against UV degradation, hail and storm conditions.
• Better sound protection – inter level noise transfer is minimised.
• Water retention – precipitation is retained on site reducing run-off to storm water systems.