Biodiverse Green Roof Systems | Brown Roofs

Biodiverse Green roof System - Brown Roofs from ABG Geosynthetics

A Biodiverse Roof including drainage & reservoir layer, growing media, plug plants and habitat enhancement features.

Biodiverse roof systems characteristically consist of undulating growing media; typically 80mm – 150mm deep. This is planted with a variety of drought tolerant hardy plants or seed, such as wildflowers, sedums, grasses and perennials.

Applications

New build & refurb
Commercial (Urban)
Flat Roofs
Roofs with limited access

Benefits

Increased roof lifespan
Reduced run-off
Low Maintenance
Habitat replacement
BREEAM points

Increased development of major urban areas has seen a substantial increase in the construction of Biodiverse Roofs. Sometimes referred to as ‘Brown Roofs’, the purpose of a Biodiverse Roof is to replace and often enhance the habitat that would otherwise be lost to the new development. Designed to be self-sufficient and low-maintenance, Biodiverse Roofs are not typically constructed with the intention of being trafficked by pedestrians, but designed to create a natural habitat to support a variety of plants, birds, animals and invertebrates. Biodiverse Roofs contribute significantly towards achieving BREEAM points. They also act to improve surrounding air quality, reduce the visual impact of the building and assist in the run-off and management of rainwater, as well as enhancing the acoustic and thermal properties of the roof.

Biodiverse Roof Systems have increased load implications compared to Extensive Green Roof Systems, with typical loads ranging from 100 – 200kg per m2. A Biodiverse Roof System typically consists of: Roofdrain geocomposite drainage and reservoir layer; a biodiverse growing media; a vegetation layer, such as seed and plug plants; habitat enhancement features (hibernaculums), and; Abpro aluminium edge profiles.

Biodiverse brown roof system from ABG Geosynthetics

Typical Client Profile:

Landscape Architects
Drainage Consultants.
Local Authority Planning Depts.
Roofing Contractors
Roofing System Suppliers
Main Client

Case Studies / Recent Projects:

ABG's Biodiverse Roof system has been installed on the following projects:

Related Systems

The following similar roofing systems are also available from ABG:

Biodiverse green roof system / Brown roof from ABG Geosynthetics

System Products

Within a Biodiverse roof system, the following products are typically used:

Roofdrain

Roofdrain is an integral part of a Biodiverse Roof System, providing filtration, separation, drainage and attenuation in one lightweight and cost effective geocomposite system.

Biodiverse Growing Media

A biodiverse substrate based environment is used to offer a habitat in synchronisation with the surrounding local area, creating ideal conditions for colonisation by neighbouring plant and animal species. ABG’s Biodiverse Growing Media is composed of recycled 14-5 mm crushed brick, fine grade 10 mm topsoil (certified to BS 3882) and 10 mm composted recycled material (certified to PAS 100).

Plug Plants

Plug plants are varieties of sedum, wildflower and herb, planted by hand to the required density, and available in a wide range of species to suit the individual requirements of the project.

Pre Grown Wildflower Mat

Wildflower mats are easy to handle and deliver an aesthetically pleasing wildflower environment on a roof. ABG’s Wildflower Mat is made up of 34 native wildflowers and grasses, with a minimum of 50% wildflowers.

Wildflower Seed

A wildflower seed mixture, containing 22 species of wildflower, is suitable for hand-sowing on to ABG biodiverse growing media.

Abpro Aluminium Profiles

Abpro Aluminium Profiles are manufactured to provide a high-quality finish, and are designed for use in a variety of green roof applications as an edge restraint or as segregation between different materials.