Green Roofs in UK

[Lucy Wilson]

Hi

Has anyone worked on or heard about recent examples of green roof systems (all sorts, not just sedum) in the UK, specifically the South West? I’ve been really strugglnig to get good quality examples for clients and planning documents and of systems that can be visited by developers, planners and geneal public.
We’re also finding clients (understandbly) want rough costs per m2 but suppliers won’t commit to values.
So any info/pics gratefully received!

[Dave Ifould]

Hi Lucy,

There’s a good company called Blackdown Horticultural Consultants who may be able to point you in the direction of some good examples that they have undertaken, or that they know of. Could try them for a friendly ‘please help’ e-mail? There MD does the lecture circuit, so he may be interested in being helpful…If you let hiom know its for ‘raising awarenes’ for developers and planners etc, i’d be suprised if they couldn’t be a little helpful.

In terms of costs, it varies quite a lot. We just finfished a fairly basic system with a 200mm substrate build up with seeding and plug plants, using a system / products supplied by Alumnasc (who incidentally, along wth BAUDER, would also be worth calling. They have technical / sales agents who know their stuff and are happy to be helpful in exchange for you as a ‘contact’), which worked out at about £125 per metre square (not including the waterproofing layer below, which is an essential of any roof…)

Plus these links may help…

http://www.livingroofs.org/
http://www.shef.ac.uk/landscape/greenroof/index.htm (powerpoint presentations)
http://www.wildlifeservices.co.uk/grassroofs.html
http://www.alumasc-exteriors.co.uk/Waterproofing/systems.aspx?systemid=30&section=introduction

Hope this is helpful. Good luck. Gotta love the green roofs!!

[Jonathan Fell]

Hi Lucy

There are several here in Brighton. A self-build project a few years back had all turf/ sedum roofs. I did have some pix somewhere, I’ll have a look, but no promises as it was awhile back. The houses are off Ditchling Rd, on the right, I dare say they are on a website somewhere. I have been trying to get clients to let me do one for a while now. anything new or different you always need to show them an example first or the just don’t get it. We build small scale ‘earthships’ (tyre houses) too. 2 of my guys are in Cornwall building one right now. i have managed to get 1 client to let me do 1 small retaining wall, so I can use that to get others to do the same.

The Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales has some turf roofs too. they mat have some px thy could let you have.

Hey good luck with that,

Jonathan

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