Design/Specification: Green Roof Consultancy Ltd
Installer: The Grass Roof Company
Waterproofing: Hertalan UK
Native Wildflowers: British Wildflowers
Native seeds: Emorsgate Ltd
Installed February 2010
Green roof after installation - February 2010
King Alfred's School in Golder's Green, North London is now proud owners of a circle of green roofs around one of the playgrounds. All the roofs were retrofitted onto existing structures. The orginal waterproofing layers was overlaid with a Hertalan UK EPDM membrane, root protected to FLL standards. Installed by an approved contractor the green roof was then laid out by the Grass roof Company .
The school wanted a green roof to help out the new bee hive that wa arriving in the summer. Dr. G. Kadas, a world famous researcher on green roofs and biodiversity,is a parent at the school. A series of 'flower' rich meadows around the playground would provide additional forage for the honey bees. Designed and specified by both the Green Roof Consultancy and the Grass roof Company the roof was plugged with a range of both native and non- native wildflowers and overseeded with a native and North American praire mix.
Green roof in flower - May 2010
Additional features were installed to provide refuge and nesting opportunties for other invertebrates, including logs and log piles. The design follows the principles arrived at through Dr. Kadas' research in London. This research and other research elsewhere in Europe will be the basis of new guidance to published in the next few weeks by Buglife - the Invertebrate Charity and endorsed by Natural England - England's advisory body on the natural environment.
Green roofs in mid September 2010
The green roof has proved a great success. The parent's and teachers enjoy the rich and varied flowers whilst the bees have been visiting. There was also good news earlier in the year when tree bumblebees were noted nesting near the roof and foraging on flower rich roofs.
You can find more info on the project at Green Roof Training and on Dusty Gedge's blog
