Project Description
Education City is an initiative of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, which was founded in 1995 by the Emir of Qatar.
It is set on a 2,500-acre campus on the outskirts of the capital, Doha. Education City hosts branch campuses of five American universities and is also home to educational institutions for children and research institutions. Part of Qatar Foundation’s promotion of a ‘culture of excellence’ required designers to provide innovative solutions for the many buildings sited across the Education City complex. A podium deck finished with an intensive green roof was selected to create an aesthetically pleasing walkway from the metro station through to the main building complex.
The Challenge
The specification called for the planting of ornamental grasses and sedums in multi-shaped planters. With such external planting in the Middle East there is always a challenge to preserve water for maintaining healthy plant growth, especially through the hot summer periods.
A five layer roof detail was devised where the waterproofing layer was protected from mechanical damage and root damage with a water collection reservoir to encourage plant growth and carefully selected growing media. The window for installation was very tight to avoid planting in the middle of the summer and a quick to install solution was required. The multiple layers posed a time consuming installation.
The Solution
ABG, working with WT Burden, proposed the ABG Roofdrain geocomposite system combining three of the separate layers in one product. The 25mm thick Roofdrain is supplied in rolls with overlaps to ensure growing media does not fill the reservoir voids below. The Roofdrain drainage composite is highly versatile and can be easily cut to suit the complex multi-shaped planters on the podium deck. Roofdrain includes a protection geotextile which protects the waterproofing membrane from damage during construction.
With the help of ABG, the green roof and irrigation system installation was undertaken quickly and successfully. The Roofdrain geocomposite captures the irrigation water in reservoir cuspates, optimising reuse of the water.
ABG Roofdrain geocomposite underneath the growing media on the Intensive Green Roof
The ABG Service
Assistance with design detailing and staged delivery, along with site supervision at the start of installation.
