The cost of any green roof is the sum of four costs:  acquisition, maturation, maintenance and lifecycle.  If one fixates on low aquisition cost, they are likely to get stuck paying for high maturation expenses, high ongoing maintenance costs (ongoing headaches) and a high lifecycle cost (with a system that is short lived).  With LiveRoof, that is not the case—we deliver quality, beauty and long term value.

LiveRoof is a value system.  It is not typically the “cheapest” system to acquire (nor is it the most expensive).  Compared to other options, it will likely cost a great deal less over time.  Here is why LiveRoof is the best value:

  • LiveRoof is fully mature, there is no cost of maturation—that has been done at the nursery where it was fully grown, before it was ever delivered to the job site.  Plant-in-place systems may require 3,4 or more years of expensive (more than $1 per SF per year) of questionably effective rooftop cultivation.  Such systems are unlikely to ever become fully mature to the extent of LiveRoof, and most define success as 80% coverage after 3 years.  That means 20% of the roof will be “unvegetated,” and thus unsightly, a haven for weeds, prone to erosion and a drain on cash.

  • LiveRoof is uniquely easy and inexpensive to maintain—this is because of the unique plants that we select, breed, test and utilize.  LiveRoof has developed a unique plant palette designed specifically for rooftop applications.  These plants are tested to be hardy, dense-growing, and long-lived.  When maintained according to the LiveRoof standardized protocol, it is possible to care for an acre-sized LiveRoof (43,560 square feet) in as little as 15 hours per year.

  • LiveRoof is designed to last essentially forever.  The system itself is underground, and therefore protected from the elements, and therefore expected to last indefinitely.  And, the specially engineered soil is designed to maintain its physical characteristics indefinitely.  It will probably outlast many other aspects of the building, and can even be moved and reused, if that ever became desireable.

  • LiveRoof is amazingly beautiful.  There is far to little attention paid to the aesthetic and social value of the green roof.  In fact, there are those that try to dumb down the emphasis on beauty, and attempt to commoditize green roofs as they would rubber membrane or gravel.  Reference to the plant material as an “assortment of Sedums” is about as sensible as referring to carpeting as an assortment of fibers.  You wouldn’t buy just any old carpeting or shingle, you would match it to the color scheme and design vision of your building.  The same ought to be true of your green roof system and your plant selections—for the same reasons: design, quality, maintenance, lifecycle and value.

  • LiveRoof growers have access to a unique palette of RoofTop Proven™ plants that can yield amazing colors, textures and beauty to optimize the aesthetic quality of your project while minimizing maintenance. Beauty yields intrinsic value—that can equate to monetary value.  Consider this; beautiful vistas yield happy customers, tenants and employees, and that equates to monetary value through loyalty, productivity and efficiency.