Everyone loves a green roof, and done right and at the right places it can be by far greener and more sustainable than any other imaginable roof. Better yet, the materials are free and by far the simplest to lay. A teenager can learn it in a day. But are they possible in cities?
Take Torshavn, the capital city of the Färö islands in the North Atlantic and completely modern. Its old quarter, Tinganes, is built largely with green sod roofs, a densely populated (for this climate) urban environment.
A sod roof, built by locals and with completely local materials, are as useful on small cottages and farm structures as they are on commercial buildings and larger apartment buildings.
The sod roof also mean that the urban area of Tinganes naturally and without regulations maintain a uniform look as all sod roofs are built with a similar pitch (not flat and not more than 45 degrees), and "age" at the same pace, whether one year old or one decade old.
People usually focus on the beautifully alive sod, which is just a square of sod cut right off the ground, but in reality the hero of this roof system is simple birch bark, harvested and laid face down in layers, up to about six deep. Birch bark is waterproof and rot resistant.
To harvest birch bark all you need is a knife and a bit of patience. In early summer you cut and then peel it. No need to cut all around it either, a simple slice is good enough. If you do it well the tree is unharmed and will keep producing bark for years to come.
Cut too deep however and you risk hurting the tree and killing it. Many forestry managers are happy to be rid of birch trees though, but you'll need to check with the owner first!
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