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                    Create green roofs, walls and facades

                    Vertical gardens on the facade of an apartment building
                    Green roofs, walls and facades enhance our city, creating sustainable and lush social and leisure environments. They help cool hot cities, reduce storm water drainage and insulate buildings all year round.

                    Thinking about greening your property? Here are a few different options.

                    Green roofs

                    A green roof is a vegetated cover or a permanent rooftop planting system covering a significant portion of a building’s roof. They mitigate stormwater run-off, reduce the urban heat island effect and increase biodiversity.

                    There are two main types: extensive and intensive.

                    Extensive green roof:

                    • Shallow layer of substrate or soil (20 to 150 mm)
                    • Low-growing stress-tolerant plants such as succulents, grasses and wildflowers 
                    • Requires little to no maintenance and impose little weight on the building structure.

                    Intensive green roof: 

                    • Deeper layer of substrate or soil (150+ mm) 
                    • Variety of plants, vegetables, shrubs and even trees can grow 
                    • Can be a habitat for wildlife 
                    • Needs frequent maintenance like a normal garden.

                    Rooftop gardens

                    A standard rooftop garden has fewer planted areas than a green roof. Green roofs have substrate (or soil) covering the majority of the roof. 

                    Rooftop gardens have plants in some sections of the roof. Edible gardens or shrubs also may be planted in containers or pots, rather than into soil on the roof itself. 

                    Green walls and facades

                    A green wall is vegetation planted on the external side of a building. Most green walls are vertical hydroponic systems, with plant roots and soil attached to the wall.

                    A green facade typically features climbing vegetation planted on the ground or in raised planters growing up a trellis structure. Facade greening usually costs less than a green wall.

                    Wall or facade greening – as seen on our Council House 2 building – lowers a building’s temperature by shading it. It’s particularly useful for buildings facing the north and west.

                    Step by step guide to developing your green roof, wall or facade

                    Use the Growing Green Guide to design and develop your new green wall, roof or façade. It contains technical information about design, planning, construction, installation and maintenance. 

                    It also includes some great case studies of green infrastructure on roofs and buildings throughout the city. 

                    Our urban nature planting guide will help you find the right plant for your growing conditions. 

                    If you are using planter boxers, pots or planting climbers: Find plants for pots and planter boxes.

                    Do I need a planning permit to green my house, townhouse or building roof or wall?

                    You don’t need a planning permit for gardening on private land, such as planting and pruning, in the municipality of Melbourne. 

                    You might need a planning or building permit to construct a green roof, facade or wall. 

                    To check whether a permit is required, request pre-application advice online or call us on 9658 9658. 

                    Some of the issues that a building surveyor would consider before issuing a permit include:

                    • site considerations, such as whether a planning permit is required, or if the location needs to be assessed against the building regulations
                    • a report from a structural engineer if additional loads are proposed such as planted areas, retained water and extra structures
                    • applicable fire ratings for new structures
                    • access for people occupying the area
                    • waterproofing and drainage of the existing structure and new green roof area to ensure health and amenity of occupants below the roof is not compromised
                    • safe movement for users in and around the area, including ramps, stairs and balustrades
                    • any necessary alterations to essential safety measures within the building, such as additional emergency and exit lighting
                    • adequate and legal weatherproofing and drainage.
                    Tips

                    To check whether a permit is required, request pre-application advice online or call us on 9658 9658.

                    If you are renting, you may also need permission from the property owner.

                    If your property has an owners corporation you may need permission from the owners corporation.

                    If you are unsure about whether you own particular land, check on MapshareVic or call us on 9658 9658.

                    If you want to plant a garden on public land in the city, check the Street Garden Guidelines

                    To learn more about how green infrastructure helps our city, see our Green infrastructure reports.

                    Tips

                    To check whether a permit is required, request pre-application advice online or call us on 9658 9658.

                    If you are renting, you may also need permission from the property owner.

                    If your property has an owners corporation you may need permission from the owners corporation.

                    If you are unsure about whether you own particular land, check on MapshareVic or call us on 9658 9658.

                    If you want to plant a garden on public land in the city, check the Street Garden Guidelines

                    To learn more about how green infrastructure helps our city, see our Green infrastructure reports.

                    Do I need owners corporation permissions to green my property's roof or wall?

                    Most properties with any kind of shared facilities (such as driveways, gardens and apartment buildings) will have an owners corporation. 

                    You will need permission from your owners corporation before undertaking work on common property. 

                    The roof and walls of your apartment building are likely to be considered 'common property' according to the Owners Corporations Act 2006

                    Under the Act, owners and occupiers (including tenants) of buildings covered by an owners corporation need 75 per cent of owners to approve a lease or licence of the common property to you.

                    For more information or advice about regulations, see Consumer Affairs Victoria – owners corporations or contact the owners corporation for your building. 

                    If you are constructing a green roof or wall, a planning or building permit may be required.

                    Greening your apartment balcony

                    If planning to grow a garden on an apartment balcony, you will need permission from the owners corporation if:

                    • the balcony is your property and your garden may affect external appearances of the building 
                    • the balcony is owners corporation common property 
                    • the owners corporation rules for the building require you to obtain permission.

                    If you are renting the property, you may also need permission from the property owner. 

                    For more information or advice about regulations, see Consumer Affairs Victoria – owners corporations or contact the owners corporation for your building. 

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