Spring '21

GREENSCAPE 

Ensuring Best Practice for Green Roof & Solar PV Projects MAGAZINE 

SPRING 2021 

Updated GRO Code 

Green Roof Myths 

Green Talk Q&A 

#WGRD2021: Get involved! 

News, views and projects 

In collaboration with the Green Roof Organisation

Technical support 

Roofing experts on-hand to offer help and advice 

Assured standards 

Meets all British Standards and regulations 

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GREENSCAPE 

IN THIS ISSUE... 

Matt Downs 

Editorial Director 

mattdowns@media-now.co.uk 

07963 330774 

www.greenscapemag.co.uk 

As you’ll see from the Spring ‘21 launch issue of Greenscape, it’s been a very busy 

time at the GRO HQ. Last year, GRO progressed from a Special Interest Group 

to an independent not-for-profit Trade Association, and is now positioned 

perfectly to support, develop and promote the UK green roofing industry. 

In our GRO Focus on page 12, Mark Harris, Chair of GRO, looks back at its history, key dates 

in the Association’s past, as well as plans for the future. As Mark explains: “We have come 

a long way since we started this journey in 2008, and we are in the best position yet to aid 

the acceleration of a greener, more natural and healthier built environment.” 

Key to this acceleration will be the adoption of the GRO Code of Best Practice, which 

provides guidance and ensures projects are designed and installed so they enhance the 

built environment as well as stand the test of time. On page 06 we take a look at the 

latest update to the GRO Code, the issues it addresses and the changes to be aware of. 

The updated GRO Code will be officially launched on 6th June to coincide with World 

Green Roof Day 2021 (#WGRD2021), and you can read more about how to get involved 

with this truly global event and key date in the green roof calendar on page 14! 

Elsewhere in this issue, our Mythbusters column on page 22 addresses the misconception 

that green roofs are too expensive; we talk all things green with Paul Garlick of Mobilane 

UK on page 30; and Stuart Nicholson and Stuart Elmes of Marley and Viridian Solar give 

their thoughts on whether all future homes will be solar homes on page 40. 

Enjoy the issue! 

Front cover image is courtesy of GRO member 

Bridgman & Bridgman, showing an extensive 

and intensive green roof project in London. 

GREENSCAPE 

www.greenscapemag.co.uk 

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Registered office: 

1 Forstal Road, Aylesford, 

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Supported by: 

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE... 

p10 

New online 

training 

Chris Bridgman, 

Vice Chair 

at GRO, talks 

training. 

p22 

Mythbusters 

column 

Anthony 

Barnett of ABG 

Geosynthetics is 

our mythbuster! 

p30 

Green Talk 

Q&A 

Paul Garlick 

of Mobilane UK 

tackles our first 

Green Talk Q&A. 

GRO, alongside Lantra and Natural 

Resources Wales, has launched a new 

online short course for newcomers to 

the green roof sector. 

Find out more on page 10. 

Anthony addresses the misconception 

often held by developers and surveyors 

that the cost of a green roof will be 

prohibitive for projects. 

Find out more on page 22 

Paul discusses the challenges and 

opportunities for green infrastructure, 

plus explains why there are always 

reasons to be positive... 

Read the full interview from page 30 

www.greenscapemag.co.uk • GREENSCAPE SPRING 2021 3

Contents 

NEWS 

06 Marley acquires Viridian Solar 

and prepares for rapid PV growth 

06 The GRO Code update is set to 

officially launch on World Green 

Roof Day this June 

08 The British Association of 

Landscape Industries has 

announced a rebrand 

09 Growth for GRO as Mobilane 

UK and Belfast-based Sweeney 

Landscape Design add to its 

expanding membership profile 

GREEN ROOFS 

14 World Green Roof Day returns on 

June 6th, here’s how to get involved! 

18 Wallbarn’s Julian Thurbin 

explains why modular green roofs 

are a ‘quick and easy eco win’ 

20 We take a closer look at Bridgman 

& Bridgman’s award-winning green 

roof project at IKEA, Greenwich 

34 ECO Green Roofs had to get their 

angles right for this complicated 

student accommodation project 

4 GREENSCAPE SPRING 2021 • www.greenscapemag.co.uk

GREENSCAPE 

SOLAR PV 

38 The Optigrun team talk solar 

support and their new load 

supported mounting fames 

40 Will all future homes be solar 

homes? Marley’s Stuart Nicholson 

and Viridian’s Stuart Elmes give 

their thoughts on solar’s role in 

meeting future targets 

REGULARS 

12 Mark Harris looks back at GRO’s 

history and its recent developments 

in our first GRO Focus 

22 Anthony Barnett dispels the myth 

that the initial cost of a green roof is 

prohibitive in the first of our Green 

Roof Mythbusters columns 

30 Mobilane UK’s Paul Garlick 

tackles our Q&A and says green 

elements should be integrated at 

the earliest planning stages, and 

collaboration and communication 

are key to achieving project success 


News 

GREENSCAPE 

MARLEY ACQUIRES VIRIDIAN 

Viridian Solar has announced that 

Marley has acquired 100% of the 

share capital of its business, saying 

the move provides the foundation for 

further growth for the roof-integrated 

solar specialist as it prepares for rapid 

growth driven by changes to Building 

Regulations and expansion into 

international markets. 

Stuart Elmes, CEO of Viridian Solar, 

said: “The last eighteen years have 

just flown by and, whilst we are 

proud of what we have achieved as 

a team, our eyes remain firmly on 

the future. Our ambitious growth 

plans will now be supported by the 

resources and reputation of being 

part of one of the biggest and most 

respected names in the roofing 

sector, with the backing of Inflexion 

Private Equity Partners.” 

David Speakman, CEO of Marley, 

added: “The acquisition brings 

together two complementary 

companies, both of which are 

influential players with highly 

regarded reputations in the 

construction market. Viridian’s 

strong relationship with housing 

developers and solar distributors 

is complemented by Marley’s 

commercial reach into social housing 

and among roofing installers.” 

More from Marley & Viridian page 40. 

Marley has acquired roof integrated 

solar specialist Viridian. 

Skelton Lakes Service Station, 

Leeds. Courtesy of ABG / GRO. 

UPDATED GRO CODE TO LAUNCH 

ON WORLD GREEN ROOF DAY ‘21 

To help celebrate World Green Roof Day 

on 6th June 2021, the updated UK GRO 

Green Roof Code of Best Practice will be 

officially launched. 

The Green Roof Organisation (GRO) 

says the updated ‘Code’ is the result of 

two years of unpaid collaboration and 

hard work between key members of 

the UK green roof industry, building on 

and integrating expert contributions 

from three specialist Working Groups 

covering drainage boards, growing 

media and planting. 

The relaunched Code was said to 

be one of the primary aims of GRO 

when it formed as a not for profit 

Trade Association just over a year ago 

in March 2020, as it has remained 

unchanged since 2014. 

GRO says the updated Code builds 

upon previous editions and recognises 

changes that have occurred in the 

industry since 2014, as well as provides 

additional detail where needed and 

incorporates blue roofs and biosolar 

roofs for the first time. 

The GRO Code is designed to be 

an accessible document providing 

a code of best practice for the 

design, specification, installation 

and maintenance of green roofs for 

anyone involved in the green roof 

sector. Importantly, GRO says it can 

be used as an introductory document 

to practitioners wanting to learn the 

basics and benefits of green roofs, or 

by experienced green infrastructure 

specialists wanting to refer to the latest 

guidance and relevant standards for the 

industry. 

The 2021 edition has been updated to 

specifically include guidance around the 

following key areas: 

• Updated fire regulations and best 

practice guidance 

• Integration of green roofs with 

Photovoltaic installations 

• Integration of green roofs with blue roofs, 

with specific reference to the upcoming 

CIRIA Blue Roof Guidance document 

• Alternative green roof systems 

including modular and cassette build ups 

• Updated growing media parameters 

with reference to the new BS8616 Green 

Roof Substrate Testing Standard. 

Find out more: 

www.greenrooforganisation.org 


INSTANT MODULAR 

GREEN ROOFS 

ACCESS 

ALL AREAS 

M-Tray ® 

The green roof that allows 

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News 

UK SOLAR SECTOR CONDEMNS 

FORCED LABOUR REPORTS 

Members of the UK solar industry 

have rallied behind plans to develop 

a supply chain transparency protocol 

in response to concerns that have 

emerged around alleged forced 

labour in the production of feed 

stock materials, such as polysilicon 

which is used in the manufacture of 

solar PV panels. 

Solar energy companies have placed 

on the record their opposition to and 

condemnation of any human rights 

abuses taking place anywhere in the 

global solar energy supply chain. 

The full statement reads: “We, 

members of the UK solar energy 

industry, condemn and oppose any 

abuse of human rights, including 

forced labour, anywhere in the 

global supply chain. We support 

applying the highest possible levels 

of transparency and sustainability 

throughout the value chain, and 

commit to the development of an 

industry-led traceability protocol to 

help to ensure our supply chain is 

free of human rights abuses.” 

The statement was developed in 

consultation with industry members 

as part of Solar Energy UK’s 

ongoing supply chain sustainability 

workstream. 

Chris Hewett, (left) Chief 

Executive, Solar Energy 

UK said: “This is a matter 

that UK solar energy 

industry members are 

treating with the utmost 

seriousness. The industry 

continuously reviews its 

supply chain protocols, and 

as the UK’s trade association we 

seek to ensure practices are in line 

with internationally recognised 

standards.” 

NEW REBRAND FOR BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE INDUSTRIES 

The British Association of Landscape 

Industries has unveiled its new look ahead 

of its 50th year in business in 2022, 

marking what it describes as the start of 

a new chapter in the Trade Association’s 

prestigious history. 

Spearheading the brand is the 

Association’s fresh, contemporary new 

identity, boldly updated for 2021 while 

celebrating its heritage. 

Following a three-year development 

cycle which saw the team at Landscape 

House carry out research and analysis, 

a series of stakeholder interviews and 

a brand positioning exercise, several 

significant changes were decided upon 

to improve the Association’s continued 

efforts to promote, support and inspire its 

members, the wider landscape services 

industry and the public. 

Since 1st April 2021, Association members 

who have passed its stringent vetting 

procedures are now referred to as 

Accredited members, replacing the 

previous ‘Registered’ name. 

The team at Landscape House, 

supported by its board of Directors, 

felt the replacement term was a more 

suitable choice for explaining the process 

companies went through in order to 

attain accreditation. 

Affiliate, the label used to promote 

members offering trade and public-facing 

products and services has been dropped 

in favour of Supplier, a word that better 

describes that category of membership. 

So, in simple terms, a Registered Affiliate 

will now be known as an Accredited 

Supplier. 

The brand refresh has also brought with 

it changes to the way the Association 

communicates, including a focus on 

high quality content to inform, educate 

and inspire. It will use its position as a 

thought-leader in British landscaping to 

draw attention to issues affecting the 

industry and lobby government, as well as 

developing its technical support offering. 

The rebrand will also bring a new 

approach to the Association’s identity, 

dropping the acronym ‘BALI’. Often 

confused with non-industry terms, the 

Association’s new identity advertises a 

greater public-friendly position, simplified 

so it only displays the full company name 

that better describes the service offer. 

Chief Executive Wayne Grills commented: 

“This is an important moment for 

our Association and its members. We 

recognised, through talking with key 

stakeholders, that we needed to make 

changes to our brand to continue to build 

on our strong foundation and provide 

the high level of customer service our 

members expect. 

“Next year our Trade Association 

celebrates 50 years and we wanted to 

be in the best shape possible to take 

full advantage of what that special 

milestone will bring. Expect further 

announcements of what we have 

planned later this year.” 

Head over to bali.org.uk for further 

information. 


GREENSCAPE 

QUALITY AND GROWTH FOCUS 

AS MOBILANE JOINS GRO 

Mobilane has joined the Green Roof 

Organisation (GRO) as a supplier 

member. 

As long-term pioneers in the 

development of green roof 

technology and products with its 

MobiRoof green roof systems 

(see below), Mobilane says it is 

pleased to be able to support the 

organisation as together they look to 

encourage the retrofitting of green 

roofs to existing buildings, as well as 

promoting installations of high quality 

green roofing in every city and town. 

Aligned with Mobilane’s own aims, 

GRO seeks to increase green roof 

use and development and raise 

awareness of all the potential gains a 

green roof can bring in biodiversity, 

rainfall management and aesthetic 

appeal. 

Mobilane says it will actively 

participate in technical committees 

and events to help extend the reach 

of the green roofing industry. This, 

Mobilane says, will include input 

and involvement in the updated 

edition and commitments within the 

GRO Code, an important reference 

document for all in the industry. 

More from Mobilane on page 30 

175 MW OF NEW UK SOLAR DEPLOYED IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2021 

175 MW of photovoltaic (PV) solar capacity was installed across the UK from January 

– March 2021, new figures released by Solar Energy UK and Solar 

Media show. 

This significant growth over the winter period brings the 

UK’s total installed PV capacity to more than 14 GW, 

generating enough electricity to power over 3 million 

homes. 

Ground-mounted solar parks form 70% of the new 

capacity, while post-subsidy rooftop markets also 

continue to thrive. Rooftop solar capacity has seen 

14% year-on-year growth. Subsidy-free solar PV in 

the UK now exceeds 1 GW, or 7.3% of total installed 

capacity. On a rolling basis, 660 MW of new capacity 

was installed in the 12-month period to 31 March 2021, and 

the UK could be on track to deliver a gigawatt of new solar 

capacity this year. 

Chris Hewett, Solar Energy UK Chief Executive, said: “The UK solar industry is going 

from strength to strength. Great Britain had its cleanest ever grid electricity over the 

Easter Weekend, with solar providing 21% of generation at one point. The growing 

pipeline of subsidy-free projects reflects the confidence investors have in solar 

technology, and the UK can look forward to solar delivering an increasing amount of 

clean, affordable power.” 

GRO’S EXPANSION CONTINUES WITH NEW BELFAST-BASED MEMBER 

GRO has announced a number of new members 

in recent months including Proteus Waterproofing 

and Mobilane (see left), the Green Infrastructure 

Consultancy, HUBBUB, and Greater Manchester 

Combined Authority. 

The most recent new member is Sweeney 

Landscape Design, a leading Green Infrastructure 

contractor based in Belfast and operating in both 

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. 

Noel Sweeney, Managing Director of Sweeney Landscape Design, explained in his 

application that he currently has his first private biodiverse green roof installation in 

Northern Ireland approved, and is in discussion with Queen’s University Belfast with 

regards to their plans to improve biodiversity on the campus. 

In the Republic of Ireland, Noel also has his first private biodiverse green roof 

installation approved, is working with Trinity College in Dublin and has recently been 

in discussion with Guinness regarding greening their Enterprise Centre. Noel says his 

long-term ambition is to establish an Irish Green Infrastructure Association, modelled 

on GRO, to represent both the North and South or Ireland. 

Contact GRO to discuss membership opportunities www.greenrooforganisation.org 


GREEN ROOFS TRAINING 

‘ALL YOU NEED IS A LAPTOP, 

WI-FI & THE DESIRE TO LEARN’ 

GRO, Lantra and Natural Resources Wales have combined to 

produce a new online course for new entrants to the green roof 

sector. Chris Bridgman, Vice Chair at GRO, explains more... 

I 

am pleased to announce a new 

online short course for newcomers 

to the industry has been launched. 

Funded by GRO and Lantra, with 

support from Natural Resources Wales, 

the course, which starts in June 2021, 

covers the history of green roofs, 

the types and benefits, planning and 

structural considerations, design, 

safe access and maintenance for 

installations. It also looks at the future 

of green roofing and how the sector 

may develop. 

It has been adapted from the 

existing Introduction to Installing and 

Maintaining Green Roofs course and is 

aimed at people who want to develop 

their understanding of the concept, 

design, installation, and maintenance of 

green roofs. 

The pandemic’s impact on training 

A year ago, who would have predicted 

the impact that COVID would have 

on education delivery, not just in 

schools and colleges, but also in the 

broader landscaping sector. We all, as 

members of the GRO Forum, know 

how vital education and training 

is, but throughout 2020 it looked 

like all training bets were 

off. However, the 

adversities faced 

due to coronavirus 

restrictions have 

sparked creative 

thinking and 

collaborative 

work amongst 

educational 

establishments, 

training providers 

and employers, pushing 

land-based training 

further than any 

of us would ever 

have imagined. 

Lantra is 

one such 

education 

establishment 

that has 

pioneered 

new online, 

eLearning 

training courses 

and initiatives, 

working in conjunction 

with Trade Associations 

such as GRO. These 

new courses enable 

individuals and 

businesses to access 

essential introductory 

training remotely from 

their office or own homes. 

The world of training continues to 

undergo big changes at all levels. 

Lockdown has also meant that training 

providers have needed to re-assess how 

they can safely support demands for 

the more practical hands-on courses. 

Once progressing through the 

training suite, the ‘Installer’ 

assessment still needs 

to be carried out one 

on one, but can be 

arranged with the 

training provider or by 

the learner to ensure 

the site location is 

suitable for themselves. 

Already the levels of 

For the full 

green roof training 

suite visit: 

https://greenrooforganisation. 

org/green-roof-training/ 

Tweet: @RoofGro 

interest for ‘online’ delivery 

to get started in this 

area shows the brave 

new world we live 

in – all you need 

is a laptop, Wi-Fi 

and the desire 

to learn. 

As David 

Fisher, Head 

of Industry 

Partnerships at 

Lantra, explains: 

“Every day we are 

seeing the demands 

for training and CPD 

changing, and it is 

great to see this being 

embraced through the 

co- funded development 

of eLearning between 

Lantra, Natural Resource 

Wales and GRO, to provide 

the perfect introduction to 

the Green Roofs Installation training 

suite. It highlights how closely GRO and 

its members are working to provide 

access to knowledge and training to 

ensure we meet the need in these 

challenging times.” 

Moving forward, training continues 

to change and there has never been 

a better time to take the advice of Dr 

John G Hibben: “Education is the ability 

to meet life’s situations” – and boy, 

have the educational activities of our 

industry had to meet those situations in 

the last couple of years! 

Images courtesy of Bridgman & Bridgman; 

Left: Biosolar support; Above: Green roof 

substrates; Top: Green roofs in 21st Century. 


Inverted roofs 

Warm roofs 

3 

Podium decks 

3 

3 

For further information go to: 

radmat.com/products/blue-roof-system 

For comprehensive support and design advice email: 

BlueRoofs@radmat.com 

Tel: 01858 410 372

GREEN ROOFS 

GRO-ING PLACES: AN 

INTRODUCTION TO GRO 

Mark Harris, Chair of GRO, looks back at the history of GRO, 

including its recent move to become a Trade Association and 

the plans to further promote and protect the green roof sector 

and those operating within it... 

As far back as 2008, roofing 

industry players and 

environmental activists were 

meeting and discussing the benefits 

of intentionally vegetated roof spaces. 

Back then, ‘green roofs’ as a term could 

mean all sorts of things – a roof with 

plants on, roofs with PV panels on, or 

even roofs painted green! Over the 

following years, and supported by the 

NFRC, the ‘special interest group’ grew 

and green roofs became the term for 

plants on roofs. 

In 2010, one of the academic group 

members won funding to write the first 

ever UK specific green roof guidelines, 

and out of the collaborative process 

of writing the Code, the Green Roof 

Organisation ‘GRO’ was born. 

This first edition of Greenscape 

magazine marks another landmark 

in the short history GRO. Through 

this unique collaboration with Media 

Now, the green roof, blue roof and 

biosolar industry have both a print 

and digital platform through which 

promotion and best practice, alongside 

acknowledgement of the good work 

already being done to protect and 

enhance the natural environment, can 

be taken further afield. 

The GRO Code – best practice 

The first GRO Code of Best Practice 

was launched in 2011 and supported 

by a voluntary membership of less 

than 20 organisations, individuals and 

institutions. Over the subsequent ten 

years, GRO has gone from strength 

to strength, establishing itself as 

a registered not for profit Trade 

Association in 2020, and attracting a 

continually growing membership of 

more than 50 suppliers, contractors, 

manufacturers and associate members, 

from across the UK. 

GRO is a member-run trade association 

and all members are encouraged to 

engage and be involved in one of the 

Technical Working Groups, support 

the Marketing committee, or even 

join the Board. 

GRO encompasses all elements 

of Green roofs and associated 

technology, such as blue roofs, biosolar 

roofs, biodiverse integration and 

amenity spaces at high level. 

Setting up an industry trade body a 

few weeks before national lockdown 

restrictions were introduced in 

March 2020 slightly complicated 

matters, but working together the 

Board and Members were able to: 

• Establish a legal entity with 

insurance liability 

• Elect a 12 strong Board with three 

appointed Directors 

• Create a website https://www. 

greenrooforganisation.org/ 

• Establish dedicated marketing and 

technical committees 

• Appoint a part time Technical 

Secretary and Social Media Consultant 

• Soft launched an updated Code of 

Best Practice – the 10-year anniversary 

edition (see page 06). 


A short history of GRO: 

2008: Founded as a roofing industry 

technical body to support Livingroofs.org 

2009: First guidance document released 

2011: Green Roof Code of Best Practice 

launched 

2012: Special Interest Group formed, 

financially supported by the NFRC, 

LRWA and SPRA 

2014: Code of Best Practice updated 

2017: Working Groups formed to focus 

on drainage, substrates and planting 

2018: Members vote to become a 

full Trade Association for all matters 

relating to greening of roof spaces 

2020: Become a registered company 

and not for profit Trade Association. 

• Collaborate on the UK’s first dedicated 

Green roof training course with 

LANTRA (see article on Page 10) 

• Expand and develop the membership. 

As a relatively young organisation, we 

believe GRO is well placed to support, 

guide and help develop the delivery of 

our ambitious targets and add to the 

great progress already achieved. We 

have come a long way since we started 

this journey in 2008, and we are in the 

best position yet to aid the acceleration 

of a greener, more natural and healthier 

built environment. 

Contact GRO 

www.greenrooforganisation.org 

email: membership@ 

greenrooforganisation.org 


Stronger together and here to stay 

Green roofs are here to stay, but 

what I would say, however, is we are 

still in the early stages of learning 

how nature-based solutions can be 

designed, specified, installed and 

maintained. So if you would like 

to be part of moving a crucial 

environmental technology 

forward, come and join us at 

GRO! 

Main image courtesy of Jon Lucas 

/ GRO. Thanks to article contributors 

Jeff Sorrill, GRO Technical Secretary; Mark 

Harris, GRO Chairman / Radmat (Inset Top); and 

Tom Young, GRO Board Member / STRI (Inset below). 


GREEN ROOFS #WGRD2021 

A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY: GET INVOLVED 

WITH WORLD GREEN ROOF DAY 2021! 

Taking place on 6th June 2021, World Green Roof Day is now an Official Day of the Year, 

and following the success of the 2020 event, organisers want you to get involved again and 

‘celebrate green roofs’ with others from around the world this year... 

The organisers of World Green 

Roof Day want to build on 

the success of the 2020 

event and ensure that every 

country around the world 

gets involved this year, to 

“celebrate green roofs as 

one way we can address 

some of the climate and 

biodiversity issues we face in 

our everyday lives.” 

World Green Roof Day is now 

recognised as an ‘Official Day of 

the Year’, taking place annually on 

6th June. 

Chris Bridgman of Bridgman & 

Bridgman, who organised the 

event alongside Dusty Gedge, 

founder of LivingRoofs.Org and 

President of the European 

Federation of Green Roof 

and Wall Associations, 

explained: “It seems like only 

yesterday that we celebrated 

the inaugural World Green 

Roof Day together. Despite 

the challenges of a global 

pandemic, there was a huge 

buzz around green roofing across 

Continued on page 16 >>> 

Green Infrastructure professional Dusty 

Gedge (main pic) helped establish World 

Green Roof Day with Chris Bridgman of 

Bridgman & Bridgman (inset). 

14 GREENSCAPE FEB 2021 • www.greenscapemag.co.uk

GREEN ROOFS #WGRD2021 

>>> Continued from page 14 

all social media channels, including 

LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and 

Facebook. 

Strength and passion 

“Projects from over 57 countries 

were shared and admired around 

the globe. This campaign has shown 

the strength and passion of our 

community, as well as the skill and 

talent across the industry. It felt 

only right to create a day that this 

could be celebrated, showcased and 

encouraged,” continued Chris. 

“We would love for you all and many 

more to be involved again this year! 

The Official GRO Code 2021 will also 

be launched on this day, and this 

will be followed up by a GRO Q&A 

Webinar on 11th June 2021.” 

Chris concluded: “Green space 

appreciation and awareness of the 

climate crisis is one of the better 

things to emerge from the pandemic. 

We want to build on this and celebrate 

green roofs as one way we can 

address some of the climate and 

biodiversity issues we face in our 

everyday lives. 

WORLD GREEN ROOF DAY: A GLOBAL EVENT! 

Last year, World Green Roof Day really 

was a global event, with green roofs 

from: Ireland, England, Scotland, 

Wales, the USA, Canada, Brazil, Iran, 

Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, 

Czech Republic, Norway, Finland, Italy, 

Spain, Portugal, Russia, China, Poland, 

Singapore, Chile, Australia, Greece, 

Slovakia, Austria, New Zealand, South 

Korea, Kenya, Egypt, Malta, Turkey, 

Indonesia, Costa Rica, Lebanon, the UAE, 

Sweden, Switzerland, Malaysia, Cyprus, 

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Ukraine, Japan, 

Israel, Bulgaria, Latvia, Peru, Colombia, 

Argentina, Kuwait, Macedonia, Iceland 

and Thailand, showcased across social 

media as part of the event! 

Top to bottom, green roofs from around the 

world: Tokyo; Singapore: Germany; Iceland. 

“Please join us again on the 6th June 

by sharing videos, stories, images, case 

studies and your love for green roofs 

on all social media channels using 

#WGRD2021. 

“We want every country around the 

world to take part, so please share far 

and wide!” 

Find out more about 

World Green Roof Day: 

www.worldgreenroofday.com 

Get involved this year and use 

#WGRD2021 


SUSTAINABLE ROOF SOLUTION FOR NEW BUILD PROJECTS 

“PLANT PLANT PLANT” 

‘Build, Build, Build’ acknowledged in 

planned reforms to put infrastructure at 

the centre of the Government’s 

economic growth strategy. 

Part of this announcement has emphasised 

the importance in safeguarding the UK’s 

natural environment by utilising methods in 

‘capturing and removing CO2 from the 

atmosphere, protecting precious biodiversity, 

and connecting people with nature’. (Gov.UK) 

Green and biodiverse roofs and roof terraces 

/podiums can provide mentally beneficial 

spaces for occupants, as well as the ability 

to combat extreme climate conditions. 

The key benefits gained from the utilisation 

of green roofs across developments in our 

inner cities include: 

SUPPORTS AIR 

PURIFICATION 

STORMWATER 

MANAGEMENT 

MITIGATION OF URBAN HEAT 

ISLAND EFFECT 

IMPROVING EFFICIENCY 

OF THE BUILDING’S PERFORMANCE 

INCREASING LOCAL BIODIVERSITY 

CONTACT US AT EARLY DESIGN STAGE 

TO ENSURE A COMPLETE TAILORED 

GREEN OR BIODIVERSE SOLUTION 

W: www.egr.co.uk E: info@egr.co.uk T: 01277 355705

GREEN ROOFS MODULAR SYSTEMS 

ACCESS ALL AREAS: A QUICK, 

EASY AND ACCESSIBLE ECO WIN 

Whilst Julian Thurbin of Wallbarn acknowledges modular green 

roof systems aren’t suitable for every project, he says they offer 

many benefits when it comes to efficiency and access... 

Modular green roof systems 

quickly deliver beautiful, 

established living roofs for 

the hardest to reach domestic and 

commercial flat roof locations, and 

where clients demand retained access 

to roof decks. For architects and 

specifiers they offer an easy eco win, 

allowing almost any green roof project 

to be designed, costed and installed 

without fuss and within days of a 

decision being made if required. For 

contractors, the installation process 

is straight-forward and requires no 

specialist green roofing skills. For endusers 

and building owners the standout 

benefit is the ability to quickly and 

easily access the roof deck if required – 

simply lift any number of modular trays 

to reach the required area. 

The secret to their success lies in 

every element of a traditional mat 

system – root barrier, drainage 

layer, textile filter, growing 

medium and sedum plants 

– being contained within 

cassettes that can be 

hand-balled around site 

and even lifted through 

windows if required. 

This green roof-ina-box 

approach is 

cleaner, quicker and 

leaves little room for 

installation error – as 

well as allowing the 

all-important roof deck 

access. 

GRO member Wallbarn is a 

pioneer of modular green roof 

systems in the UK and has seen 

how simplifying the installation process 

can open up the market for more 

people to enjoy the many benefits of 

living roofs. Its award-winning M-Tray 

system is installed on hotels, homes, 

holiday villages, commercial premises 

and even garden rooms, highlighting its 

versatility and widespread appeal. 

In developing M-Tray, the team at 

Wallbarn identified four areas key 

to the long-lasting success of a 

modular system, as Wallbarn Director 

Julian Thurbin explained: “We have 

a reputation built over 40 years for 

providing high-quality, market-leading 

construction solutions and were very 

clear from the start that we would 

only bring a modular green roof 

product to market 

if it performed 

long-term,” said Julian. 

“Key to this were the tray 

design, substrate, plants and water 

management.” 

Substrate considerations 

The best modular green roof systems 

offer 100mm deep substrate specifically 

developed to slowly release nutrients 

to ensure plants are nourished 

through their lifetime. Achieving the 

perfect mix is a fine balancing act that 

takes into account the key factors of 

long-term nourishment, appropriate 

moisture retention/drainage and 

optimum weight. Consideration must 

also be given to percentage of organic 

matter within the growing medium, 

its chemical composition, PH values 

and the size of particles within the 

substrate to ensure roots have 

sufficient air but that the 

substrate does not drain 

too easily. 

Wallbarn has worked 

with horticultural 

experts to develop and 

refine its substrate, 

testing it at its 

nursery in Hampshire 

and through an 

independent test 

house to ensure 

it offers the best 

combination of nutrients, 

growing conditions, 

moisture retention, 

weight and industry-leading 

environmental credentials. It 


has moved 

away from 

brick-based 

aggregate 

mixes towards 

horticultural 

solutions 

whilst taking 

into account 

recommendations 

and limits on organics 

and other ingredients 

as laid out in BS 8616 and 

the GRO Code. The result is a deep 

growing medium that offers optimum 

levels of nutrients and aeration 

supported by suitable drainage. The 

substrate is environmentally friendly, 

being free of peat – which also shrinks 

over time, affecting plant performance. 

It utilises coir – a waste product from 

the coconut industry – green compost 

and recycled lightweight aggregate. 

Plant care and considerations 

The all-important plants receive the 

same level of thought and care, as Julian 

explained: “Our plants are grown from 

seed on our farm and comprise a range 

of hardy native sedum to encourage biodiversity, 

strong growth across the roof 

and a variety of flowers, colours, leaf 

structures and a haven for pollinators. 

We recently launched a native perennial 

wildflower option, allowing clients to 

enjoy native flowers throughout the 

seasons. All our pre-planted cassettes 

are grown to maturity on the farm 

so the plants are established when 

delivered to site.” 

Water management is key to the 

success of any green roof. Modular 

systems control this via the substrate 

and design of the tray. Wallbarn’s 

recycled polypropylene M-Tray cassette 

has drainage holes strategically 

placed – but not around edges – to 

ensure beneficial water retention to 

prevent plants dying back at edges. 

To aid installation each tray has hand 

grips and connectors to knit units 

together tightly and securely. Corners 

are rounded to avoid sharp edges. At 

100mm deep, the trays 

provide optimum space 

Contact 

Wallbarn 

for healthy roots and therefore plants. 

As with any green roof system, it is 

important to consider time spent in 

transit and the need to un-pack them 

within 24 hours of delivery to ensure 

optimum plant health. If left too long 

on transport crates, enzymes begin 

to break down the plants, so Wallbarn 

advises an absolute maximum of 48 

hours. 

Conclusion 

Modular systems aren’t suitable for 

every project but they are suitable 

for many and can make a green roof 

feasible where a mat system isn’t an 

option, particularly where roof access 

is limited. They provide, quite literally, 

green roofs that are box fresh for quick 

installations and instant roofs. 

Images: Below, a Wallbarn 

installation in Wimbledon; 

opposite page and top: 

M Tray installed. 

T: 020 8916 2222 

www.wallbarn.com 

Tweet: @wallbarn

GREEN ROOFS AWARD 

AWARD WINNING PROJECT 

DELIVERS ON SO MANY LEVELS 

Bridgman & Bridgman worked with Bauder to design and install 

the green roof and roof garden element for the IKEA store, 

Greenwich – one of only 320 buildings to achieve a BREEAM 

‘Outstanding’ rating – which won the Green Roof category at 

the prestigious NFRC UK Roofing Awards 2020… 

The NFRC UK Roofing Awards 

shine a light on and celebrate the 

fantastic work, commitment to 

detail and best practice, and high standard 

of workmanship that is carried out on 

roofing projects throughout the UK. 

Celebrating all roof types and systems, 

the recently announced 2020 Green 

Roof award went to GRO member 

Bridgman & Bridgman Living Roof 

Services, alongside manufacturer 

Bauder, for their work on the green roof 

project at the IKEA store, Greenwich, 

London. 

IKEA Greenwich is described as the 

greenest and most sustainable store 

ever built, and the goal was to achieve 

BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, but with 

the enhanced green roof and roof 

garden features installed on this 

project, it managed to achieve BREEAM 

‘Outstanding’, making it one of only 320 

buildings in the world to be awarded 

this highest grade. 

To achieve the green roof and 

associated features, Bridgman & 

Bridgman were approached by main 

contractor McLaughlin & Harvey to 

work with their appointed roofing 

contractor, to deliver the elements 

for the 3,500 square metre rooftop 

garden. Utilising Bauder roof and green 

roof systems, the green roof and roof 

garden consist of segregated biodiverse 

and sedum covered areas, a wildflower 

meadow, raised urban farming beds for 

school, community and co-worker use, 

planters, paving and synthetic turf for 

community activities. 

All these areas surround a purpose-built 

rooftop pavilion which is accessible 

all-year round during store opening 

hours, and the roof is said to be 

London’s largest accessible rooftop for 

people and nature. A spokesperson 

for Bridgman & Bridgman explained: 

“It is unusual for the general public 

to be able to access a roof garden in 

London, at any time, for free, especially 

one that offers so many secure and 

protected areas for local birds, bees and 

insects, but this is what this project has 

achieved. 

“This is a fantastic example of urban 

greening and utilising roof space. This

Contact 

Bridgman & Bridgman 

wwwbridgmanlandscapes.co.uk 

Tweet: @BridgmanLscapes 

was an exciting project 

to be involved in and 

one that the team is 

proud to have delivered 

on time and within 

budget.” 

Introducing bugs and flowers 

The team at Bridgman & Bridgman 

worked with local groups, including 

environmentalists from Buglife, 

to encourage new insects and 

invertebrates – such as a local beetle 

native to the Greenwich area – to 

the roof at IKEA. Likewise, a working 

partnership was formed with Dusty 

Gedge and ecologist Gary Grant to 

introduce the Viper’s Bugloss flower 

which will encourage rare bees to the 

new roof at IKEA. 

Installation 

Bauder worked with the specifier to 

amend the original spec and advised 

that RBM was a more suitable material 

for trafficked areas and for the type 

of vegetation and landscaping finish 

to the roof. This, however, created 

challenging details where two systems 

joined, but this was overcome by using 

Bauder LiquiTEC, the cold applied 

waterproofing 

system, behind 

cladding to ensure 

waterproofing integrity. 

The extensive green roof is 

constructed using the Bauder 

green roof drainage layers; substrate 

and vegetation blankets; raised planters 

constructed using solid oak sleepers 

that are filled with substrate above the 

Bauder intensive roof build-up; and 

Zoontjens rooftop paving pedestals. 

The spokesperson from Bridgman & 

Bridgman explained that the team 

went above and beyond contract 

requirements by growing the fruit 

and vegetables from seed, ready to 

use and plant with a local school and 

community groups after the main store 

opening. Likewise, relationships have 

also been formed between Bridgman & 

Bridgman and the store co-workers to 

encourage them to grow and harvest 

produce on the roof, highlighting how 

this project has really become an active 

area with ongoing benefits. 

Whilst the team at Bridgman & 

Bridgman have described the project 

as “one of the most challenging to 

date in our 11-year history of building 

green roofs and 

roof gardens”, with 

multiple challenges 

such as operating cranes and moving 

materials to site on a busy retail 

park with a live London Bus lane, no 

accidents or incidents were recorded 

and an excellent health and safety record 

was recorded throughout the whole 

project, highlighting the importance of 

good planning and collaboration on such 

projects. 

The judges of the UK Roofing Awards 

said of the project: “this is a fantastic 

example of urban greening and utilising 

roof space and a testament to the team 

at Bridgman & Bridgman Living Roof 

Services.” 

On receiving the award, Bridgman 

& Bridgman acknowledged the 

collaborative effort that went into 

achieving such a unique roof that will 

provide both an environmental benefit 

in a busy, built-up area, as well as an 

aesthetically pleasing and relaxing area 

for the public to enjoy for many years 

to come: “Thank you to everybody that 

was, and continues to be, part of this 

amazing project. A huge team effort, 

recognised with this amazing award.” 


GREEN ROOFS MYTHBUSTERS 

MYTH: ‘THE INITIAL COST OF A 

GREEN ROOF IS PROHIBITIVE’ 

Anthony Barnett (pictured), Technical Marketing Manager at 

ABG Geosynthetics, addresses this outdated green roof myth... 

When asking fellow GRO 

members about the most 

common green roof myths that 

we can address in this column, high up on 

the list is the misconception often held by 

surveyors and developers that the cost will 

be prohibitive. However, when compared 

to many traditional roof constructions this 

is not the case, and once the sustainability 

and energy efficiency benefits are factored 

in, they can actually add value to the 

property price; so I’d say the question 

should really be ‘can my development 

afford not to have a green roof?’ 

Conservative cost estimates for a 

biodiverse or extensive green roof 

installation usually come in around the £75 

per sq m mark – depending on the specific 

roof configuration and planting. In reality, 

projects are often able to be delivered 

significantly cheaper, and this is before the 

additional energy efficiency benefits, as 

outlined later, have been factored in. 

Currently the components of a blue or 

green roof are not considered as part 

of the roof build-up when calculating 

thermal performance, so the insulation 

design and specification is the same as 

for a traditional roof design. Despite the 

UK building regulations currently making 

no allowance for a blue or green roof, 

research shows that the introduction of 

layers of drainage, growing media and 

vegetation have a positive impact on 

the thermal performance of a roof. The 

thermal mass reduces the amount of solar 

heat entering a building and the various 

layers act to absorb the heat of the sun. 

This reduction in transmission of solar gain 

into the building significantly reduces the 

air-conditioning and cooling demand in the 

warmer months. 

Green roofs also reduce the 

urban heat island effect, 

whereby heat from the sun 

is absorbed by the hard 

surfaces within a city during 

the day and then radiated 

back during the night. This 

creates a hotter city microclimate 

with urban temperatures many degrees 

warmer than the surrounding countryside, 

requiring a higher energy demand to cool 

city buildings through the night. However, 

the evaporation of water from a green 

roof’s soil surfaces and the leaves of plants 

creates a natural cooling effect on the 

surrounding air. The many layers within 

a green roof system also prevent solar 

radiation from increasing roof surface 

temperatures, and therefore subsequently 

radiating any heat back at night. 

As a result, many waterproofing 

manufacturers offer an extended warranty 

for green roof surfaces owing to the 

additional longevity of the membranes 

which are protected against the daily 

temperature fluctuations and expansion 

and contraction effects. For example, 

exposed membranes could reach 50- 

60ºC in the summer months and below 

freezing in winter. A green roof acts as a 

buffer to these fluctuations and reduces 

the severity of maximum and minimum 

temperatures, thereby extending the life of 

the membrane. 

The energy saving and positive impact 

on local biodiversity ensures green roof 

installations directly contribute 

towards achieving the 

required BREEAM rating of 

a building, including from 

the following ecological 

categories: 

Got a green roof myth 

you’d like the team to 

address? email: 

mattdowns@media-now.co.uk 


www.abg-geosynthetics.com 

• LE4: MITIGATING 

ECOLOGICAL IMPACT - To 

minimise the impact of a 

building development on 

existing site ecology 

• LE5: ENHANCING SITE 

ECOLOGY - To recognise and 

encourage actions taken to maintain 

and enhance the ecological value of the 

site as a result of development. 

• LE6: LONG TERM IMPACT ON 

BIODIVERSITY - To minimise the long 

term impact of the development on the 

site’s and surrounding area’s biodiversity. 

The uplift in a project’s BREEAM 

credentials made possible by a green roof 

often enables cost savings to be made in 

other areas of the building’s design, whilst 

still achieving the desired BREEAM ‘Very 

Good’ or ‘Excellent’ rating overall. 

By helping to mitigate the ecological 

impact of the wider development, and 

especially when used on urban sites where 

space for ground level landscaping is 

limited, green roofs help developers and 

local authority planning teams to achieve 

the 10% gain in Biodiversity Net Gain score 

required for planning approvals. 

In summary, before the mitigation of 

flood risk and wider ecological and 

aesthetic benefits of a green roof system 

are considered, there are a number 

of practical energy efficiency and 

waterproofing longevity improvements 

that help to add value to the 

property and offset the cost 

of the roof from being 

prohibitive to developers 

and local authority 

planners. 


Specify insulation 

that stands the 

test of time… 

Creating tomorrow’s green 

roofs, today. 

Save time and future costs by specifying ROCKWOOL stone 

wool insulation, which has shown to retain its insulation 

characteristics and properties for more than 55 years after 

initial installation. 

Stone wool insulation delivers key benefits for green roofs: 

Durability 

Stone wool insulation is dimensionally stable and its 

performance won’t deteriorate over a building’s lifetime. 

Fire safety 

Stone wool insulation can withstand temperatures 

in excess of 1,000ºC and will not burn, helping to 

mitigate the possible fire risks of dried-out vegetation. 

Thermal properties 

Stone wool offers exceptional thermal performance, 

contributing to energy efficiency targets and enhancing 

indoor comfort. 

Acoustic performance 

Trapping sound waves, ROCKWOOL stone wool 

insulation helps to dampen excess noise. 

For a total insulation solution which guards against deterioration 

and futureproofs for tightening fire safety and energy efficiency 

requirements, choose ROCKWOOL stone wool. 

To learn more, 

visit the new 

ROCKWOOL 

Flat Roof Resource 

Hub today: 

rockwool.com/uk/ 

flat-roof-hub/ 

www.rockwool.com/uk

ADVERTORIAL 

DESIGNING GREEN ROOFS 

TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME 

Will Wigfield, Product Manager – Building Envelope, 

ROCKWOOL UK, examines how designers can support 

green roof longevity and explores the role of insulation in 

ensuring green roofs meet fire safety, thermal and acoustic 

requirements. 

The benefits of green roofs 

are well-documented. On top 

of their aesthetic qualities, 

they help to minimise disruption to 

local habitats, support wildlife and 

vegetation, and even reduce flood risk 

in cities by slowing water runoff. Like 

all flat roofs, green roofs are more than 

just a structural element in modern 

construction and must contribute 

across a series of additional design 

criteria – and the insulating layer plays 

a central role in fire safety, thermal and 

acoustic performance. 

By choosing insulation materials like 

stone wool, designers can not only 

address acoustic, thermal and fire 

protection in a single specification, they 

can also feel safe in the knowledge that 

the thermal resistance of ROCKWOOL 

stone wool will remain consistent for 

many years. 

This is because when installed 

correctly, the performance and 

dimensional stability of ROCKWOOL 

stone wool does not deteriorate over 

the lifetime of a building, and tests 

from old construction sites show that 

ROCKWOOL products retain their 

insulation characteristics and properties 

for more than 55 years. 

Not all insulation materials are equal, 

which is why specifying solutions which 

give long-term performance towards 

fire safety, thermal and acoustic 

requirements will help futureproof 

green roof projects. 

Delivering total insulation performance 

for green roofs 

While some concerns have been raised 

regarding the increased fire risk posed 

if green roofs or green walls dry out, 

the use of non-combustible insulation 

below the green roof system helps to 

mitigate the risk of fire spread. 

Specifying non-combustible insulation 

should therefore be considered 

best practice. Stone wool insulation 

is non-combustible, and capable of 

withstanding temperatures in excess of 

1,000ºC. Within a green roof build-up, 

this brings additional fire protection 

and grants peace of mind to the 

designer, building management and the 

occupants. 

Green roof or not, flat roofs are also 

central to the thermal performance 

of a building. With energy efficiency 

targets rising, effective thermal 

insulation within a green roof build-up 

will reduce heating and cooling costs 

while enhancing indoor comfort. Stone 

wool insulation offers proven thermal 

performance which remains consistent 

over the long term, delivering year-onyear 

energy efficiency benefits. 

Designers should also keep acoustic 

requirements in mind when specifying 

insulation for green roof applications. 

In rural settings, green roofs are often 

used to help industrial buildings blend 

into the surrounding environment – 

and in this regard acoustics are just 

as important as visual considerations. 

Trapping sound waves, stone wool 

Contact 

ROCKWOOL UK 

www.rockwool.com/uk/ 

flat-roof-hub/ 

Tweet: @ROCKWOOLUK 


insulation helps to dampen excess 

noise generated by industrial processes, 

reducing the impact of noise pollution 

on the local area. 

Acoustic requirements are also 

extremely relevant in cities where noise 

from nearby roads, airports or other 

developments can significantly affect 

occupants’ mental health – or impact 

upon concentration, behaviour and 

attainment in schools. 

Supporting sustainability in green roofs 

Due to their role in increasing 

biodiversity within urban developments 

and simply providing more natural 

spaces, green roofs are often seen as a 

sustainable option. As such, selection of 

building products which have minimal 

environmental impact contributes to 

the overall sustainability of a project. 

ROCKWOOL is a net carbon 

negative company with its 

stone wool insulation 

saving 100 times the 

energy consumed 

and CO 2 

emitted 

in its production. 

Furthermore, 

through a 

dedicated 

recycling facility at 

its Bridgend site, 

ROCKWOOL has 

a well-developed 

circular economy 

model which feeds 

manufacturing waste 

back into a closed-loop 

production process, and 

utilises material waste 

from other industries. In 2019, 

ROCKWOOL recycled over 3,800 

tonnes of returned material from 

across the UK. 

More than ever, sustainability is at the 

forefront of driving innovation – and 

construction methods are changing to 

reflect this. The role of the roof in this 

evolution should not be overlooked, 

and the contribution that green roofs 

and other warm flat roof build-ups 

can make towards energy efficiency, 

fire safety and other key performance 

requirements is substantial. 


LIVING WALLS PRODUCTS 

FIRE SAFETY & LIVING WALLS 

Sempergreen says its SemperGreenwall is the first living wall 

system on the market with fire safety certificate A2. 

Sempergreen has announced 

that its living wall system 

SemperGreenwall has been 

awarded the fire safety certificate 

A2-s2-d0. 

The company says this fire class is 

often mandatory in high-rise projects 

and its living wall system already had 

the B-s2-d0 certificate. 

This means that it was already 

suitable for project-based 

applications, including use on escape 

routes. With the addition of the 

A2-s2-d0 certificate, the company 

says its SemperGreenwall now also 

offers a fire safe solution for highrise 

projects. This, it says, makes the 

SemperGreenwall the first living wall 

system on the market to meet these 

very strict fire safety requirements. 

Innovative Flexipanel A2 resists fire and 

heavy wind loads 

A SemperGreenwall is a modular living 

wall system built from pre-cultivated 

Flexipanels. These panels are extremely 

flexible, making the system also 

applicable to curved surfaces or corner 

solutions. In order to meet the strict 

safety requirements that often apply 

to high-rise projects, Sempergreen 

says the standard Flexipanel has been 

further developed into the innovative 

Flexipanel A2. Sempergreen says this 

new Flexipanel is not only resistant 

to fire, but also to other extreme 

conditions, such as heavy wind loads. 

Tested for flashover and combustion 

values 

As Sempergreen points out, the 

potential risks posed by fire in high-rise 

buildings are very high and as such, 

the building requirements for high-rise 

projects are therefore extremely strict. 

In order to obtain the A2-s2-d0 fire 

safety certificate, Sempergreen says its 

Flexipanel A2 has been subjected to the 

following tests carried out by Fire Safety 

Expert Efectis. 

These tests included combustion values 


and flashovers. 

•Single Burning Item (SBI) test, 

compliant with EN 13823 

This test determines the heat release, 

flame spread, smoke development and 

the formation of burning droplets. 

• Heat of combustion test (calorific 

bomb), compliant with EN ISO 1716 

A test to determine the maximum 

burning value. 

Sempergreen says the tests have 

shown that according to the European 

fire classification (EN 13501-1), 

Flexipanel A2 barely contributes to 

the development of a fire and cannot 

cause melting parts, only a slight 

development of smoke. 

Response to market demand for 

nature-inclusive and climate-adaptive 

construction 

According to Sempergreen, its 

SemperGreenwall is the very first living 

wall system in the market that meets 

the fire safety requirements for highrise 

projects, and the Flexipanel A2 

makes it possible for architects and 

developers to use a fire-safe living wall 

system for high-rise projects. This, the 

company says, answers the market 

demand for nature-inclusive and 

climate-adaptive building. 

Eden Tower residential block 

in Frankfurt 

The first orders for high-rise projects 

with the application of Flexipanel A2 

are already being realised this year, 

including a residential tower no less 

than 98 metres high in Frankfurt 

called Eden Tower, and 

Sempergreen says it 

expects many more 

similar projects to 

follow. 

Illustration right shows the 

SemperGreenwall, Eden 

Tower, Frankfurt. Jahn / 

Magnus Kaminiarz & Cie. 

Left: SemperGreenwall. 

Contact 

Sempergreen 

www.sempergreen.com/en 

Tweet: @Sempergreen 


GREEN & BLUE ROOFS 

‘OUTSTANDING OUTCOMES’ 

Ravatherm XPS X 300 SL has helped to overcome drainage 

challenges as part of an award-winning East London development. 

Urban construction comes with its 

challenges, but building near the 

Thames means the potential for 

flooding can complicate things further. 

The Forge, Upton Park (pictured), made 

use of Ravatherm XPS X 300 SL insulation 

in a blue roof system to overcome the 

challenge of its location in a Critical 

Drainage Area. 

The 192-home development, designed 

by RM_A Architects, required a roofing 

solution that would meet Newham 

Council’s strict attenuation and flow rate 

requirements. The development also 

needed to meet high thermal standards 

and offer visually attractive habitat roofs 

in sections overlooked by apartments. 

Radmat was able to supply a combination 

of blue and green roof systems to meet 

the specification, with some careful 

amendments. In the most challenging 

areas, Radmat proposed its ProTherm 

QuantumVacuum Insulated Panel system 

which enabled the area to achieve the 

thermal requirement in 80% less space 

compared to standard insulants, while still 

meeting the attenuation demands. 

This system includes Ravatherm XPS X 

300 SL, Ravago Building Solutions’ highperformance, 

multi-purpose extruded 

polystyrene insulation. Its closed-cell 

structure and smooth surface skin allow 

for minimal moisture uptake, resulting in 

a durable product that stands up to the 

effects of rain and frost, and a popular 

choice for British construction. The 

project’s innovative roofing and drainage 

strategy was recognised at the Housing 

Design Awards and Architects‘ Journal 

Specification Awards in 2020. 

Mark Harris, Head of Technical and 

Operations, Radmat Building Products, 

said: “Ravatherm XPS X 300 SL played a 

significant role in meeting this project’s 

stringent demands, reflected in the award 

wins, and most importantly, in the client’s 

satisfaction with the completed works.“ 

Richard Powell, Roofing Sales Manager, 

Ravago Building Solutions, added: “We 

delight in working with our clients to 

produce outstanding outcomes, and 

don’t allow challenging specifications 

to stop us. This project offered the 

opportunity to provide a solution for 

an issue that will complicate many 

London developments, and contribute 

to a building that will offer a safe and 

thermally sound home to many.“ 

www.ravagobuildingsolutions.com 

FREE WATER MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP 

As part of its ‘From the Ground Up’ campaign, Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation is providing 

free technical workshops for stakeholders to learn more about Green Urbanisation. 

Polypipe Civils & Green 

Urbanisation is calling for 

fundamental change in the 

design of urban developments if the 

UK is to meet Carbon Net Zero and 

Biodiversity Net Gain targets and in turn, 

counteract the impact of climate change. 

As part of its ‘From the Ground Up’ 

campaign, the company is providing free 

technical workshops for stakeholders to 

learn more about Green Urbanisation – its 

unique approach to water management 

that takes sustainable drainage systems 

(SuDS) to the next level. 

Inspired by nature 

Green Urbanisation is built on the fact 

that there can be no green without 

blue. By placing water management at 

the heart of urban design, using surface 

water and passive irrigation, it’s possible 

to create truly resilient landscapes that 

are conditioned to the local climate 

and can support a denser, more diverse 

range of fauna. 

Inspired by the natural process of reusing 

surface water, Green Urbanisation 

uses solutions such as sub-base 

attenuation tanks to create a ‘selfwatering’ 

ecosystem. 

Blue-green roofs 

Within a green roof, these systems 

provide source control for water, which 

would otherwise run-off to downstream 

attenuation systems or sewers. Instead, 

tanks capture, treat and store water, 

primarily through infiltration, to be used 

Polypipe’s smart green-blue roof at Aylesford. 

for the purpose of irrigation to areas 

of vegetation. A system like this can be 

considered as a part of the overall SuDS 

management train for the building on 

which it is installed. 

To find out more about how Green 

Urbanisation principles can be applied to 

your green roof project, book onto a free 

workshop at polypipe.com/watershed 


Green, Brown & Blue Roof Systems / Solar PV / Tesla Powerwall / Roofline / Roof Safety 

WE CREATE 

SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, 

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GREEN TALK MOBILANE UK 

“INTEREST IN GREEN ROOFS 

HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER” 

In a wide-ranging interview, Paul Garlick, Commercial Director 

at Mobilane UK, discusses his career, the challenges and 

opportunities within the sector and so much more... 

Greenscape Mag (GM): Could you tell 

us a bit about Mobilane, the company’s 

offering and the types of projects your 

products are utilised on… 

Paul Garlick (PG): Mobilane has over 

35 international agents and nine offices 

around the world, growing, supplying 

and delivering green roofs, living walls, 

living screens and green systems for 

the built environment – outdoors and 

in. Innovators in the ready-made instant 

landscaping sector since 2001 following 

the introduction of the original 

Mobilane instant green screen, our 

offering now covers, quite literally, every 

building facade, flat space and screening 

opportunity in our schools, offices, 

homes, hotels, car parks and landscapes. 

The MobiRoof green roof system is 

simplicity itself. It lends itself to any flat or 

slightly inclined roof surface; its sedumplanted 

cassettes click together, creating 

an extensive roof, instantly and quickly. 

Some of our recent installations can 

be seen in projects across the UK and 

Europe, demonstrating the MobiRoof’s 

versatility on everything from domestic 

use to a multi-storey car park; from 

a series of urban bus shelters to cycle 

storage facilities at a busy hospital; from a 

green roof construction on an apartment 

block and care home to a hotel walkway 

at the heart of a city centre. 

GM: What was your path into 

construction and to your current 

position? 

PG: My path into the world of 

construction materials was a direct one. 

From branch management at Ambius 

to joining Mobilane UK in 2014, my 

background is in the commercial sales 

of exterior and interior green products. 

I help build a strong network and lasting 

partnerships, helping clients around 

the UK to understand the benefits and 

maximise natural landscapes in their 

facilities, buildings and external 

works. 

In my seven years at 

Mobilane UK, I have been 

fortunate enough to 

engage with, manage 

and promote our 

professional offering to a 

broadening client base with 

the ongoing support of our 

technical, product development and 

marketing teams. This has kept us as 

industry spearheads, not only in growing, 

supplying and distributing premium 

quality green systems, but ensuring new 

products are developed to meet the 

creative, sustainability and specification 

demands of those who shape the face 

of the built environment. I am now 

Commercial Director for Mobilane UK. 

GM: How is the sector performing and do 

you anticipate growth in this area? 

PG: The interest in green roofs has 

never been stronger. The difference 

now is that these projects are 

becoming a firm reality; there is a 

genuine commitment to sustainability 

in construction and building design, 

supported by qualified research into 

the long-term benefits and positive 

contributions green walls, screens 

and roofs can have 

to our air quality, 

biodiversity, our 

health, well-being and 

social connectivity. 

We can only see growth 

in this sector. Spatial design is no 

longer limited to natural planting 

on the ground: podium landscapes, 

green roofs, roof gardens and vertical 

landscapes are not just fulfilling green 

criteria, they have landscape potential 

in their own right. We have experienced 

exponential sales growth in these 

products across Europe in the last five 

years, with the UK’s momentum gaining 

pace in the last two years and looking 

very encouraging. 

GM: With this in mind, what more should 

the government be doing to incentivise 

green roofs in towns and cities? 

PG: Integrating the necessity for 

green elements should be involved at 

the earliest planning stages, ensuring 

as many flat surfaces have a green 

consideration to create biodiversity 


and maximise thermal insulation and 

rainwater capture benefits. Financial 

and management plans should also 

make sure the green roof becomes a 

reality in the build, as well as its ongoing 

upkeep. 

In green-pioneering countries on the 

continent, like the Netherlands, local 

authorities have long-established, wellmanaged 

and well-utilised funding for 

projects such as the bus shelter green 

roofs we have supplied there, as well 

as Belgium and Sweden. These are 

exemplary funding streams. 

GM: Mobilane recently joined GRO, what 

prompted this and what are some of the 

key issues that need to be addressed? 

PG: The sector’s momentum is 

quickening. It is multi-faceted, reaching 

across roofing, sealing, landscaping, 

building, design, contracting and 

architectural industries. The headway 

that GRO has already made into 

establishing strong standards and a 

Green Roof Code for all those involved 

in the UK green roofing industry is 

phenomenal – but 

this can only be 

facilitated through 

collaboration. As 

green roof leaders, 

we play just a part in 

a much greater picture, 

and membership of GRO puts us at 

the absolute nerve centre of future 

professional development in this realm. 

The key elements here are 

collaboration and communication. 

GM: What are some of the more common 

mistakes designers and installers make 

when it comes to green roof projects? 

PG: Mistakes are most common 

when the designer or installer has not 

considered the correct system for the 

correct roof application. 

A close eye should always be paid to 

how a roof finish will be applied, as a 

cassette-based system may lend itself 

better than a wildflower or brown roof 

finish. 

GM: What are some of the myths that 

exist around green roofs? Is there one 

that particularly annoys you? 

PG: We always make it clear that whilst 

a green roof might be low maintenance, 

it is not “no maintenance”. No green 

roof is a “put down and walk away” 

solution and its maintenance plan 

should be an integral part of each 

project. 

GM: If there was one roof that you could 

green anywhere in the UK, which one 

would it be? 

PG: It would have to be somewhere 

iconic – perhaps Wembley or 

Buckingham Palace? What would really 

show a commitment to “greening the 

UK” would be to see the Houses of 

Parliament bestowed with the benefits 

of a green roof – imagine the cooling 

effects of the plants on all that rising 

hot air! 

GM: Can you tell us about 

some of the more interesting 

projects your products have 

been used on? 

PG: In the past 12 months 

we have been working 

with an installation partner 

and local authorities across 

the London boroughs and 

Home Counties supplying MobiRoof 

green roof systems for cycle storage 

solutions. This follows some of our 

other headline-hitting successes across 

Europe. In a city-wide project across 

Utrecht, The Netherlands, bus shelters 

were fitted with our green roof cassette 

systems. Creating biodiverse green 

roofs atop of these shelters, the green 

roofs not only helped reduce rainwater 

run-off, but their foliage helps capture 

particulate matter, improving the air 

quality – and creates a real talking point, 

too! This has been replicated in similar 

schemes across Belgium, Sweden and 

Germany. 

Images l-r: Paul Garlick; 

MobiRoof Cassette 

System; MobiRoof green 

roof bus shelters Utrecht. 



GREEN TALK MOBILANE UK 


The finishing touches to 

another installation on 

a Van der Valk Hotel 

included a green roof 

along its entrance walkway. 

With the insulation, 

water buffer and energy 

saving credentials of the 

MobiRoof working in tandem with 

the building’s extensive solar panel 

installation, the building became 30% 

more energy efficient than the current 

building regulations demanded. 

At 1300 square metres, the recent 

MobiRoof installation on top of a multistorey 

car park (see above) in Germany 

was completed in just three days, 

chosen for its speed of assembly and 

instant impact. 

GM: What’s the biggest issue affecting 

the supply chain currently? 

PG: Across the supply chain there have 

been ongoing impacts on raw material 

availability, with supply and demand 

getting further apart and affecting 

all elements of green roofing from 

everything from soil to cuttings. At 

Mobilane we grow our own products, so 

we have both the control and flexibility 

to ensure continuity in availability. 

GM: If you had one piece of advice about 

working and progressing within the 

construction sector, what would it be? 

PG: The most important advice I 

would offer is: never stop learning, 

training and innovating. If we have 

learnt anything as professionals over 

these most strange times, it is to keep 

an open mind, to remain adaptable, 

versatile, flexible and willing to change – 

and if that means retraining, then so be 

it. The same applies to introducing new 

products and adding new functionality – 

it should be never-ending. 

GM: What have you learned about 

your business over the last year whilst 

operating during the pandemic? 

PG: The world has a new perspective 

on nature, 

sustainability and the 

importance of seeing 

and enjoying plants 

in their outdoor and 

indoor spaces. 

I would have to say 

that within the business, 

we have tried to maintain an 

even keel throughout the pandemic. 

Whilst face-to-face meetings have 

been shelved, we have still maintained 

regular communication with our 

installation partners, our end users and 

all key members of the supply chain. 

From a development perspective, we 

have a healthy number of brand-new 

products in the pipeline and nearing 

launch, and we have continued to 

promote and engage with our existing 

and potential customers throughout. 

The demand for training and technical 

support has never been greater and 

we have actually conducted more CPD 

sessions online, more efficiently and 

with a much smaller carbon footprint 

than we would have otherwise had 

travel not been impeded. 

Mobilane have learnt to adapt and 

change direction quickly, embracing 

new distribution channels and engaging 

with proactive, high-end commercial 

online platforms. 

GM: After what’s been a particularly 

challenging year with regards to the 

pandemic and Brexit, are there reasons 

to be positive? 

PG: There are always reasons to be 

positive in the realms of the green 

roof sector and in the green 

and landscaping sectors 

in general. By our very 

nature, we are growing 

and encouraging 

the planting in every 

outdoor space as well 

as interior home and 

workspaces. Architects are 

imagining on every plane 

Contact Mobilane UK 

T: 0203 741 8049 

www.mobilane.com/en/ 

Tweet: @mobilane 

and maximising the natural potential 

of every square centimetre of available 

space; living walls, live dividers for 

workstations, distancing and privacy – 

green screens combatting air pollution 

around playgrounds, parks and 

roadsides; living artwork and interior 

walls creating healthier backdrops to 

our busy lives, soothing our mental 

stresses, improving our concentration, 

easing our anxieties – and looking 

beautiful into the bargain. 

I am both inspired and encouraged 

by our colleagues, our partners, our 

clients, our associates and those who 

design and define this sector. An 

overwhelming commitment to – and 

realisation of – placemaking projects in 

the public realm means that collectively 

we are reimagining and reinventing 

public spaces. Green elements 

are connecting people with their 

surroundings and making sure that 

the potential of every building, park, 

waterfront, car park, shopping mall, 

campus and commercial arena evolves 

with people, health, well-being and the 

environment at its core. 

GM: What can we expect from Mobilane 

going forward? 

PG: We are at the early stages of some 

very exciting green roof projects in the 

UK this year. Alongside our plans for 

MobiRoof, we have been working with 

a number of our installation partners 

on green screening projects across the 

UK as their value both aesthetically and 

environmentally continues to increase. 

As a global leader not only in green 

roofs but green facades, screening 

and interior living walls, Mobilane 

have a number of instant 

new green products 

ready to market that will 

continue to build on our 

recent successes in the 

natural greening of our 

workspaces, home offices, 

public, educational and 

living arenas. 


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GREEN ROOFS PROJECT 

THE GREEN ONYX 

Eco Green Roofs played a crucial role in 

delivering a rooftop garden for the Onyx 

student accommodation, which will help 

with the students’ health and wellbeing. 

Arooftop garden in the city 

centre of Birmingham has been 

proven to contribute towards 

the students’ health and wellbeing. 

Onyx, a 1,025-bedroom student 

accommodation project developed, 

designed and built by McAleer & Rushe, 

was targeted to – and has achieved 

– BREEAM “very good”. Part of the 

BREEAM achievement is said to be 

directly attributable to the green roof 

and landscaped roof garden attaining 

points in three of the five categories – 

Health & Wellbeing, Resource & Energy 

and Land Use & Ecology. 

Located in Lancaster Circus, Onyx 

features two 

towers, 13 

and 24 storeys 

respectively, 

connected by a tenstorey 

link. The scheme 

features an artificial grass area and 

paving on the top 24th floor and a 

similar grassed area, paved walkway, 

cobbles, planters and sedum green 

roof atop the ten-storey building, 

both supplied and installed by Eco 

Green Roofs Ltd (EGR) on behalf 

of waterproofing contractor Able 

Waterproofing. 

EGR also supplied and applied their 

bespoke soil 

to planters 

across the 

ground level 

courtyard. 

The roof 

terrace was 

designed 

to a detailed 

specification, 

with angular areas 

reflecting the design 

aesthetics of the residential 

structures. Behind the enclosing glass 

screen, EGR created the asymetrical 

layout using a combination of pebbles, 

flagstones and ornamental bark 

between sections of artificial grass 

and plant beds encompassing low 

and medium height specimen shrubs, 

hedging and specimen trees. The trees 

were carefully planted and anchored 

to ensure they withstand wind loading 

at height. 


EGR SB+ Sedum Blanket Green 

Roof System was installed; the first 

component fitted was the EGR DBR20 

cuspated drainage board, added EGR F 

filter layer and then completed with the 

surface using EGR Extensive Substrate 

overlaid with EGR Sedum Blanket on 

coir matting. 

Colour all year round 

Sedum green roofs offer an 

aesthetically vibrant finish, offering 

colour all year round. EGR’s system has 

a high water-holding capacity due to 

the EGR drainage/retention boards and 

the EGF specialist substrate. Sedums 

are succulents which hold water within 

their form which further enhances 

this system’s performance. This helps 

mitigate urbanised flooding. Sedum 

blankets specifically offer at least 90% 

coverage from install, delivering instant 

effect and helping prevent invasive 

species from bedding during initial 

establishment. 

Efficient and professional 

James Foster, Director at Able 

Waterproofing, explained: “The 

client brief was very exact and 

comprehensive to deliver due to the 

central city location. 

“From experience, we knew that 

we could rely on Eco Green Roofs 

to deliver the green roof and 

hard landscaping efficiently and 

professionally, giving us a single 

point of contact for both, differing 

elements.” 

Green and social 

John Higgins, Project 

Manager for McAleer 

& Rushe, added: 

“Under Birmingham’s 

Contact 

Eco Green Roofs 

T: 01277 355705 

www.ecogreenroofs.co.uk 

Design Plan, ‘developments need to 

be supported by suitable green and 

social infrastructure’, so inclusion 

of green elements within the Onyx 

scheme was key to our ability to 

develop the project. 

“The green roof and landscaping 

were also part of the BREEAM 

criteria. Their delivery to 

specification by Eco Green Roofs was 

a fundamental element in achieving 

the BREEAM very good target for 

the scheme. Most importantly, it 

delivered a living environment for 

students that, despite its highly 

urbanised setting, still gives them a 

welcoming outdoor space on-site to 

relax beside nature.” 

Images show the green 

roofs at Onyx, a student 

accommodation project 

in central Birmingham. 

Tweet: @EcoGreenRoofs

GREEN ROOFS SUBSTRATES 

MANHATTAN-STYLE LIVING 

Boughton supplied its IN1 intensive green roof substrate 

for the construction of communal roof terraces at a new 

Manhattan-inspired apartment development, nestled on 

the banks of the River Irwel in Manchester. 

Location: Salford, 

Manchester 

Client: Urban Roofscapes 

Quantity: 200m 3 Boughton 

IN1 Green Roof Substrate 

Boughton’s IN1 intensive green 

roof substrate was supplied 

for the installation of Urban 

Roofscape’s green roof system at 

Downtown Manchester apartments. 

The new Manhattan-inspired 

apartment development, nestled 

on the banks of the River Irwel in 

Manchester, boasts communal roof 

terraces that incorporate outdoor 

kitchens, as well as a range of other 

luxury services for the development’s 

hotel-style living. The £85m 374 

apartment development, designed 

by Leach Rhodes Walker Architects 

and built by main contractor McGoff 

Construction, utilised 200m 3 of 

Boughton’s high quality IN1 intensive 

green roof substrate. This substrate 

has been designed to contain a greater 

proportion of organic matter and 

finer sand particles. This allows the 

substrate to retain more moisture 

for longer periods of time, as well 

providing extra nutrition for plants. 

A spokesperson for Urban Roofscapes 

explained that: “Boughton provided 

a service that was exceptional. They 

were very professional to deal with 

throughout all stages of their service, 

from taking the order right through to 

a speedy delivery. Their products are 

the best quality, and we feel safe in 

the knowledge that using Boughton’s 

services will ensure we receive a 

superior product for any project.” 

Contact Boughton 

T: 01536 510515 

www.boughton.co.uk 

Tweet: @BoughtonLoam 


Ravatherm XPS X from Ravago Building Solutions, Europe’s largest 

extruded polystyrene insulation manufacturer, offers architects and 

building specifiers market-leading XPS insulation for roofs and floors. 

www.ravagobuildingsolutions.co.uk 

For technical support and to learn more about our products please 

contact: technical.uk.rbs@ravago.com

ADVERTORIAL 

BIOSOLAR SUPPORT SYSTEMS 

The team at Optigrun discuss Solar FKD and WRB, their new 

load-supported solar mounting frames for penetration-free 

roof mounting of PV modules on green and blue roof projects 

Green roofs increase the 

economic and ecological 

functionality of buildings. 

Buildings with green roofs have 

become an important part of the 

construction world as they minimise the 

environmental impact of the building on 

the environment, especially in terms of 

stormwater management 

Benefits of a biosolar roof 

Likewise, there are many advantages 

to the combination of green roofs 

and photovoltaics – which are often 

referred to as biosolar roofs. The 

evaporative cooling effect of the 

vegetation leads to an increase in the 

efficiency of the photovoltaic system. 

At the same time, the green roof 

makes an important contribution to 

preserving the natural water balance 

and increasing biodiversity. The varying 

amounts of sunlight and water in 

front of, underneath and between the 

modules also provide a varied habitat 

for different plant and animal species. 

PV (photovoltaic) systems for electricity 

generation are of economic interest 

to many building owners and investors 

– whether the generated electricity is 

for personal use or for feeding into the 

public electricity grid. They are also 

used extensively to achieve energy 

efficiency targets for new buildings 

in the pursuit of carbon neutrality. 

Multifunctionality is the new goal of 

urban planning and the combination 

of a green roof and PV system biosolar 

roofs forms a particularly efficient 

system in this respect. 

When it comes to the positive effect 

on biodiversity, the increase in the 

efficiency of the PV system, evaporative 

cooling, the possible structural and 

practical advantages of a support 

system secured with a superimposed 

load require a multi-functional and 

flexible solution. 

Choosing the right solution 

Leading specialist green roof and blue 

roof suppliers Optigrun have over 40 

years of experience in developing new 

and innovative solutions. The challenge 

when engineering a new PV array 

support was to create a product that 

could be entirely ballasted in position 

by the superimposed loading of the 

surrounding green roof build-up, 

without a requirement to be fixed to 

the roof structure in any way. There was 

also a need for the system to be able to 

support vegetation underneath the PV 

panels, thereby maximising the green 

roof area available. 

With the increased use of blue roofs 

on construction projects to enhance 

stormwater management, Optigrun 

were also keen to develop an additional 

product within their PV support range 

that could be used as an integral part 

of a blue roof specification where a 

photovoltaic array was also required. 

The new Optigrun Solar FKD and Solar 

WRB ranges are both load-supported 

solar mounting frames for penetrationfree 

roof mounting of PV modules in 

combination with an extensive green 

roof system. 

The versatile subframe assembly makes 

it possible to mount almost all standard 

solar modules, with inclines of 10°, 

15° or 20°. The rows of modules can 

be installed in a south-facing or eastwest 

orientation. The modules can be 

attached both vertically (portrait) and 

horizontally (landscape). 

The Optigrun Solar FKD solution 

is suitable for use as part of an 

extensive sedum or wildflower planted 

specification. The base has the same 

water storage and drainage function 

as Optigrun’s standard drainage and 

reservoir boards and will, therefore, 

support vegetation growth under the 

PV array, thereby maximising the green 

roof area. 

The Drainage and Storage Board FKD 

25 offers a spacious water reservoir and 

reliably drains excess water. Combined 

with the Filter Fleece FIL 150, optimum 

water distribution is guaranteed so that 

the vegetation is well supplied, even 

under the rows of PV modules. 

The Optigrun Solar WRB solution can 

be used alongside the Retention Roof 

Flow Control system as part of a soft 

landscaped blue roof specification, 

providing rainwater attenuation and 

discharge delay as well as water storage 

for vegetation via a capillary system. 


The use of the proven Water Retention 

Box WRB 80F helps to maintain the 

natural water balance by increasing 

evaporation and controlling the rate of 

surface water discharge from the roof. 

The design of the new system means 

that there are a minimal number of 

interruptions within the storage void 

thereby maximising capacity. 

Both products come with a base 

drainage and reservoir board and 

support frame, as well as secondary 

mounting rails and fixings, leaving the 

PV panel supplier to provide the chosen 

modules, inverters and associated 

cabling. The Optigrun Solar FKD or 

Solar WRB support system will be 

installed at the same time as the green 

or blue roof with the fixing of the PV 

panels normally being carried out prior 

to the planting of the vegetation. 

Technical and specification support 

Optigrun provide full technical support 

for this new product range. This 

includes the preparation of PV module 

and support layouts, wind loading 

calculations, together with general 

specification advice. Minimum loadings 

are provided to ensure that the dry 

weight of the vegetation build-up is 

sufficient to maintain the supports in 

position on all areas of the roof. With 

the Solar WRB solution, Optigrun can 

also provide water storage and outflow 

calculations to suit the requirements of 

the local water authority or drainage 

engineer for the project. 

Contact Optigrun: 

T: 0203 5899 401 

E: enquiries@optigreen.co.uk 

www.optigruen.co.uk 

Top: An Optigrun Biosolar 

roof; Left: Optigrun Solar 

Mounting supports. 


SOLAR PV 

WILL ALL FUTURE HOMES BE 

SOLAR HOMES? 

We asked Stuart Nicholson (right) of Marley and Stuart Elmes 

(below) of Viridian Solar, the integrated solar business 

recently acquired by Marley, for their views... 

In January, the Government set 

out the draft regulations for the 

2025 Future Homes Standard, 

which will require all new homes to 

be highly energy efficient, with low 

carbon heating, and be zero carbon 

ready by 2025. To ensure the industry 

is prepared for this, new homes will 

be expected to produce 31% lower 

carbon emissions from 2022, as part 

of changes to Part L of the Building 

Regulations. 

To enable housebuilders to meet these 

new targets, it is expected that there 

will be a large increase in the number of 

solar PV installations on new builds, as 

Stuart Nicholson from Marley explains: 

“Solar PV on the roof, combined with 

an efficient gas boiler, appears to be the 

easiest and most cost-effective way for 

housebuilders to meet the new Part L 

targets, partially because many of them 

will already have a supply chain and 

trusted installers in place. 

“Well-sized solar PV systems can 

provide 65 to 75% of a household’s 

electricity usage and cut their carbon 

emissions by around 15% – a significant 

contribution to the 31% reduction 

required. Whilst there are other options, 

such as heat pumps, the benefit of 

solar PV is that it is tried and tested, 

readily available and has significantly 

reduced in cost over recent years. So, I 

believe that solar PV will see a big rise 

in installations as a result of the Part L 

changes.” 

The Scottish experience 

The energy efficiency requirements 

set out in the new Part L will mean that 

new homes will come 

with either gas central 

heating, plus solar PV, 

or alternatively can be 

achieved with a heat 

pump. Stuart Elmes, from 

Viridian Solar, says that 

the experiences in Scotland 

where tighter regulations have 

been in place since 2015 will 

affect how measures are 

implemented in the rest 

of the UK: “The energy 

efficiency requirements 

in Scotland are more 

demanding than those 

in England and Wales 

and most housebuilders in 

Scotland reached for solar 

PV plus a gas boiler as the best 

way to meet higher regulations from 

the start. Some tried heat pumps but 

experienced problems with customer 

acceptance. Many also reported that a 

combination of increased demand for 

installers and an underdeveloped supply 

chain led to an increase in the costs of 

heat pump installation. 

“As a result of the experience in 

Scotland, we expect that most 

housebuilders will seek to meet their 

obligations under the new Part L in 

England with a combination of high 

efficiency gas boilers and solar PV. So, 

we estimate that this could increase 

the market for solar PV installations 

by around 125,000 houses a year. 

The amount of solar in the Part L 

specification is greater than that in 

the Scottish regulations. So this many 

new homes would call for, perhaps, 

250MWp or 750,000 solar panels to be 


fitted every year. The Welsh Assembly 

is also expected to announce a similar 

increase to Part L, which should boost 

the numbers still further.” 

A stepping stone to the Future 

Homes Standard 

However, Part L is just a stepping stone 

to the Future Homes Standard, which 

is likely to come into force in 2025. The 

Government has set out a draft building 

specification to support this Standard, 

and at the moment this calls for a 

heat pump and high levels of fabric 

efficiency. Stuart Elmes, believes that 

when the Standard is subject to further 

consultation, the Government will need 

to reconsider this to include solar PV. 

Stuart Nicholson, from Marley, also 

agrees that this is a glaring omission 

from the Future Homes Standard 

specification and will need to be 

addressed to mitigate against higher 

energy bills for new home buyers: “I 

believe that heat pumps and solar PV 

go hand in hand. Heat pumps require 

electricity to run and solar PV can 

provide this for free, so it would be 

foolish to ignore it. By just installing a 

heat pump, the cost to run the heating 

and hot water is higher than for gas 

heating, and with the increasing 

requirement to charge electric vehicles 

as well, on-site electricity generation 

is the way to keep running costs under 

control for buyers of new homes. The 

whole energy market is changing and 

balancing the grid will become even 

more important, as more and more 

electric vehicles come online.” 

So, does that mean that in future all 

new homes will include solar PV? Stuart 

Nicholson is optimistic: “Yes, I believe 

that solar PV will be fitted in all new 

homes in the future because it will 

become expected as standard by new 


Images this page and overleaf show 

Marley / Viridian solar projects and 

systems. Inset top: Stuart Nicholson, 

Marley; Below: Stuart Elmes, 

Viridian Solar. 


SOLAR PV 


home buyers, alongside an EV charging point, solar storage 

and intelligent whole house heating / energy systems. The cost 

to install solar panels has reduced dramatically over the past 

ten years, making it much more affordable and the potential 

savings and return on investment are very good, especially for 

the house buyer. New integrated systems, such as our Marley 

SolarTile, also mean solar PV is much easier to install now and 

can be incorporated seamlessly into the roof design, without 

compromising on aesthetics.” 

Stuart Elmes agrees: “I believe that solar will become an 

established and standard part of all new homes, an inevitable 

part of the roof. A move to electric heating and electric 

vehicles will massively increase demand for electricity and 

local generation will reduce the costs for consumers of such 

technologies, as well as mitigating against costly upgrades to 

the electricity distribution network.” 

It seems that, after a number of false starts for domestic solar 

PV technology, both Marley and Viridian Solar believe that 

future homes will be solar homes and this is an 

opportunity not to be missed by solar installers 

and roofing contractors alike. 

Contact 

Marley and Viridian Solar: 

www.marley.co.uk 

www.viridiansolar.co.uk 

Tweet: @MarleyLtd / 

@ViridianSolar

THE GRO GREEN ROOF CODE 1 

Green Roof Code of Best Practice 

incorporating Blue Roofs and 

BioSolar Applications 

Anniversary Edition 2021 

Photo: ABG Limited 

THE GREEN ROOF ORGANISATION 

THE G 

ROO 

Green Roof 

incorporatin 

BioSolar Ap 

Anniversary 

Photo ©ABG Ltd 

The Green Roof Organisation (GRO) represents companies, organisations and 

people involved in, or interested in, nature-based roof solutions that help our 

towns and cities mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change whilst 

making them nicer, healthier places to live. 

GRO members positively contribute to the delivery of living green and blue roofs 

that support nature, provide amenity, attenuate rainwater and generate solar 

energy, helping ensure no roof goes unused. 

Whether you are active in ecology, design, specification, installation or the 

maintenance of green and blue roofs, join GRO and help make where we 

live and work greener. 

Further information: 

E: membership@greenrooforganisation.org 

COMING 

SOON 

THE GRO GREEN 

ROOF CODE 

W: wwwmenrooforganisation.org : 

GRO CODE 

@ROOFGRO 

@WGRD2021

WATERSHED 

MOMENT. 

Meeting Carbon Net Zero and 

the wider challenges of climate 

change needs innovation, vision 

and a fundamental change to 

urban development. 

A breakthrough in water 

management will help 

unlock the solution - Green 

Urbanisation. 

Green Urbanisation 

• Utilises surface water to introduce and sustain urban green assets 

• Promotes biodiversity and ecological regeneration 

• Reduces potable water demand and energy consumption 

• Delivers multi-functional environmental, health and wellbeing benefits 

• Enhances resilience to flooding, drought and population expansion 

Unlock the future at polypipe.com/watershed

Spring '21

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