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HomeCase StudiesGreen Roofs, Blue Roofs & Podium DecksGreen Roof, Sedum Pitched Roof, Saughall Massie, UK

Sedum Green Roof Installation

- Saughall Massie Fire Station, Wirral, UK

Client Roofdec Ltd (Roofing) & Wates Construction
Designer ABG Geosynthetics
Contractor

ABG Installs
Product

Roofdrain

Extensive Green Roof Systems

Quantity

1,800m2
Benefits
  • Creates a habitat for local insects & birds
  • Positive carbon footprint impact, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and generating oxygen
  • Minimises rainwater run-off

Project Description

Wates Construction were awarded the design and build contract for a new community fire station in the village of Saughall Massie on the Wirral. The project is part of a framework of station mergers for the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and the new building replaces the existing Upton and West Kirby fire stations. There were a number of objections to the proposed development initially, owing to the planned site being located on green belt land. Both local councillors and nearby residents were opposed to the impact a brightly coloured station building would have on the local landscape.

 
Installing sedum matting onto the roof                 Annual maintenance cutting

The Challenge

Following the initial opposition, the new design needed to deliver a more aesthetically pleasing finish that would enhance the biodiversity of the site and be more in keeping with the surrounding fields, woodland and pond areas. This led to the building’s height being reduced by around 30%, while the length of the development was also cut by 30ft with the final proposal encompassing a single-storey two-bay fire station including offices, drill and training facilities, meetings rooms and the green roof.

The Solution

After listening carefully to feedback from residents the station design was made far less obtrusive with the impact on the environment and landscape to be minimised. The exterior design of the building was modified to use more sympathetic materials that softened the impact on the surrounding environment, with all the exterior walls to be clad in timber to resemble the appearance of an agricultural building.

ABG Geosynthetics & Geogreen were consulted by national roofing company Roofdec Limited of Rotherham, to design a durable and sustainable green roof that would be appropriate for installing onto the pitched roofs of the two buildings. The 1,800m² of green roofs installed boast 16 different species of sedum and an array of colours including, whites, oranges, greens, reds, yellows and maroons. In addition to this, the green roof creates an environment and habitat for numerous types of insects and birds and an ideal foraging supply of pollen for bees.

The ABG Roofdrain acts as a drainage and reservoir board, with water stored in the cuspates to irrigate plants during dry spells and flowing out through drainage holes in between the cups and via the core’s channels in spells of wet weather. The integrated geotextile filter prevents the drainage board from becoming blocked by soil particles.

Sedum colours in summertime                  Green roofs help reduce visual impact on the landscape

 

Additional information