Build up of grass sod roof on ecological low energy house designed by the architect Miles Sampson. The house and other projects can be viewed at www.milessampson.com This house was featured on TV and this and other clips are taken from the programs. The house is located in Co. Clare in the west of Ireland. It has grass roofs, triple glazing, cedar timber cladding. It has an open plan orientated to the south to take advantage of passive solar gains. This house is not a fully passive house or passiv haus but due to its detailed design will require little energy to heat. The house also features a wood pellet boiler, vacuum tube solar panels and a heat recovery ventilation system. It uses low embodied energy materials like cellulose recycled newspaper insulation, eco concrete, ecocem, timber frame, lime on wood fibre render system. This building features many more green or sustainable aspects which can be seen at www.milessampson.com
Duration : 0:0:52
[youtube vG6kVj-waW4]

Yes, it was …
Yes, it was important for us to blend in with the site and this was even more effective by reusing the sod taken from the site (so the plant species would match). The roof can be walked on, but it is like any other ground, in winter it will be too soft to walk on but in summer it would be fine. The real problem if you want to walk on it is safety railings around the edges, which might destroy the aesthetic.
The grass is a very …
The grass is a very effective way of linking to the site, isn´t it? Can you walk on the sod roof when it´s finished? Or does it need special paths made like the sedam mat type green roofs?