Green Builders Blog

I’m a landscape design student. I have a design project for designing and building a green roof. I live in Puerto Rico, most houses are made with concrete, and the roofing is flat. How do I figure out how much weight can a flat roof can hold? A simple extensive Green Roof weighs between 60-150 kg/m2 (13.0-30.0 lb/sq.ft.) depending on the thickness of the Green Roof system build-up. How do I know if the roof is suitable for a green roof. The roof measures 50′ x 60′, about 8″ thick, all concrete (with steel bars).

What else I need to know to figure this out? I mean calculations, formulas, stuff like that. Can someone please help? I’m quite worried. The teacher has been awful, he’s no help at all. I barely have two week to finish this (plus my other classes). I have been doing searches on line with no luck. I don’t need to hire an structural engineer, I just the know how, in simple words since I’m not an engineering student.

Any reference to anything (books, internet) will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! :o)

Patricia