Rooftops are laid out like lawns, and they need mowing regularly! The roofs are green in more ways than one: They turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, improving air quality and cutting emissions. And they boast other qualities, too.
Category
ЁЯЧЮ
NewsTranscript
00:00It's not your average lawn that Rakul Heikse is mowing.
00:10Her house has a traditional turf roof.
00:13It's a method of insulation that dates back a thousand years or more.
00:17The village of Gasedalur is close to a cliff edge on one of the Faroe Islands, positioned
00:22far out in the North Atlantic.
00:25Stables built centuries ago by sailors and warriors called Vikings are still in use.
00:30We always try to make as small an imprint on the environment as possible, and this is
00:36probably a good way.
00:38The Faroe Islands lie between Iceland and Norway in one of the most remote corners of
00:42Europe.
00:43They belong to Denmark.
00:46The 18 islands are home to more sheep than people.
00:49Due to the harsh climate and thin layer of soil, there are few trees.
00:54But there's lots of grass.
00:56The strips of turf provide insulation.
01:01This restaurant is in Torshavn, the Faroese capital.
01:05The grass roof will blend into the landscape.
01:07And that's not all.
01:10It is not only beautiful, it's very good for isolation and also very good for noise reduction.
01:20When we have the hail and rain and snowstorms, you can hear nothing at all on the roof of
01:27the houses.
01:29Green roofs can absorb around two kilograms of CO2 per square meter each year.
01:34These living tiles convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, reducing the climate warming
01:39emissions.
01:45Local architect Heidi Polsen is delighted that one of her favorite building materials
01:49can also play an important role.
01:54Before it was just a material on the roof.
01:59Now it's a tool against climate change.