Without these terraced limestone roofs life in Bermuda would not have been possible.
There are two things Bermuda is famous forhurricanes and the lack of fresh water.
Being heavy, these roofs are resistant to hurricane winds.
Fortunately, Bermudas climate favors rainwater harvesting.
The islands receive an annual average of 55 inches of rainfall that is spread evenly throughout the year.
This allows underground cisterns that each house is equipped withby lawto be topped up regularly.
The law requires that every house must collect 80 percent of the water that falls on its roof.
Thanks to these building regulations, every home is self sufficient.
A traditional Bermudian roof is built of rectangular slabs of local limestone attached to each other with mortar.
In the past, the whole structure was covered in a lime mortar, which had anti-bacterial properties.
The white roofs also keep the homes cooler during the hotter months.
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Many houses also have a separate system of plumbing running to the bathrooms.
This way, a house can save 40 to 50 percent of water typically required.
The values of conserving water is also taught from early childhood.
“You had a cup of water and that’s what you used to brush your teeth.
That water was then used for the garden.
And once the tourist season kicks in, Bermudas rooftop water collection alone cant meet demands.
So hotels, hospitals and other commercial operations now rely on underground aquifers.
The islands also have six water desalination plants.
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