
Roofing
ABG specialise in the design, supply and installation of a wide range of blue, green and biodiverse roof systems. This typically includes everything above the waterproofing system; storage systems, void formers, drainage & reservoir layers (Roofdrain), growing media, vegetation layers such as sedum and wildflower, paving and insulation.
In the case of Green Roofs, virtually any type of roof structure can accommodate such systems. These include domestic and commercial, both new-build and retro-fit, flat and pitched. The significant benefits of a Green Roof are wide ranging, such as helping to mitigate the effects of climate change, whole-life cost benefits, providing amenity areas, to maximising BREEAM credits or by simply adding a natural aesthetic to an urban environment.
As much as 95% of rainfall on undeveloped land is naturally absorbed into the vegetated surface whilst the remainder runs off. Urbanisation and development of land creates hard impervious surfaces, which absorb only 5% of the rainfall leaving the remaining rainfall to run-off into both natural and man-made water systems which struggle to cope with the volumes. This has been highlighted in recent flooding events occurring all over the country.
Green roofs can play an important role in mitigating these events especially when designed as an integral element of a sustainable urban drainage system, also known as SuDS. SuDS design demands that water falling across a development site is not simply channelled into storm water drains and discharged into the local river. Instead the drainage is designed to mimic that found in nature where water is attenuated, treated and infiltrated through natural processes.
Blue roofs also contribute significantly to a good SuDS design, either with or without a Green Roof finish. They work by providing temporary storage of storm water and controlled discharge in line with site planning conditions.
Suitable for implementation on both new-build and retro-fit developments, flat roofs or podium decks with either a warm or inverted roof build up.
Extensive Green Roofs
Extensive
Green Roofs, often referred to as living roofs, sedum roofs or wildflower roofs,
are the most common type and are relatively self-sufficient; they are not
designed or constructed with the intention of being trafficked by pedestrians.
Whilst not providing an amenity area they do contribute to improving air
quality, reducing the visual impact of the roof and assist in controlling rain
water run-off/ harvesting as well as contributing to the acoustic and thermal
properties of the roof.

Biodiverse Roofs
Biodiverse Roofs, sometimes referred to as ‘Brown’ roofs, have always been the least common of the green roof family. However in recent years this is beginning to change. Increased development in urban areas, such as London, has seen a substantial increase in their implementation. 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 relatively self-sufficient; they are not designed or constructed with the intention of being trafficked by pedestrians, but instead to create a natural habitat to support a variety of plants, birds, animals and invertebrates. Whilst not providing any kind of amenity area they do contribute to achieving additional BREEAM points, improving air quality, reducing the visual impact of the roof and assist in controlling rain water run-off/ harvesting as well as contributing to the acoustic and thermal properties of the roof.

Intensive Green Roofs
Intensive Green Roofs, often referred to as a Roof Garden or Roof Terrace, may be landscaped to include trees, lawns, flower beds and paved areas. With an intensive roof the only real limit to its scope is the weight of the system and the structure necessary to support it. Many modern developments incorporate landscaped roofs at ground level, for example above basement areas and underground car parks. These are commonly referred to as podium decks. The decked areas themselves create additional usable space in urban developments.

Blue Roofs
Blue Roofs are a more recent development which are explicitly designed to attenuate rainwater rather than drain it off as quickly as possible as in traditional roof drainage design. ABG blueroof offers a new concept in the management of storm water by collecting and retaining rain fall within the actual roof structure before discharging at a controlled rate. This is particularly beneficial on sites where land take is tight, such as in urbanised areas, where installation of other attenuation techniques such as ponds or subterranean tanks are not feasible.
A blue roof can accommodate a wide range of surface finishes whilst also forming an integral source control and attenuation element within the SuDS design on modern developments, often eliminating the requirement for storage capacity in other areas of the site.
Like green roofs blue roofs are suitable for use on a wide range of substrates and are compatible with most modern waterproofing systems. They are also flexible when it comes the roof build up being equally as effective on an uninsulated podium construction as they are within a warm or inverted roof construction.
The ABG green roof and ABG blueroof systems have been used extensively across many leading sustainable developments across the UK. As with many sustainability aspects the final type and design of the green roof system is dependent on the project specific requirements. ABG Geosynthetics offer a complete green and blue roof service from design installation and on-going maintenance contracts.
To deliver the varying requirements ABG offer a broad range of final surface finishes available including extensive, intensive and biodiverse vegetation along with paved finishes typical of a podium deck.

Podium Deck Drainage
Many contemporary buildings today incorporate landscaped basements and roofs commonly known as podiums. The basement podium can vary from lawn & paved amenity areas to car parking. These waterproofed decks often have minimal falls which make them susceptible to standing water. Deckdrain offers an effective and reliable drainage system for podium decks of all sizes. In addition to drainage, Deckdrain's high CBR puncture resistance protects the waterproofing from backfilling forces & root penetration thus extending the performance and life of the waterproofing system.
Click for recent Green & Blue Roof Projects
Product Literature
Case Studies
ABG blueroof Green Biodiverse Moreland Primary School, Islington Uk CASE STUDY
ABG blueroof Green Extensive Huddersfield University UK Case Study
ABG blueroof Green Intensive St Pauls Sheffield UK CASE STUDY
ABG blueroof Green Roof Extensive Rathbone Market London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Biodiverse Green Roof Bradford UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Biodiverse Regent Street London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Center Parcs Woburn UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Alder Hey Hospital Liverpool UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Cross Green Leeds UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Intensive Mei Foo Station Hong Kong CASE STUDY
Complementary Products
Reference Lists
Specification Clauses
Reference MaterialsProducts DownloadsProduct Literature
Case Studies
ABG blueroof Green Biodiverse Moreland Primary School, Islington Uk CASE STUDY
ABG blueroof Green Extensive Huddersfield University UK Case Study
ABG blueroof Green Intensive St Pauls Sheffield UK CASE STUDY
ABG blueroof Green Roof Extensive Rathbone Market London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Biodiverse Green Roof Bradford UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Biodiverse Regent Street London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Center Parcs Woburn UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Alder Hey Hospital Liverpool UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Cross Green Leeds UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Intensive Mei Foo Station Hong Kong CASE STUDY
Complementary Products
Reference Lists
Specification Clauses
DownloadsProduct Literature
Case Studies
ABG blueroof Green Biodiverse Moreland Primary School, Islington Uk CASE STUDY
ABG blueroof Green Extensive Huddersfield University UK Case Study
ABG blueroof Green Intensive St Pauls Sheffield UK CASE STUDY
ABG blueroof Green Roof Extensive Rathbone Market London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Biodiverse Green Roof Bradford UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Biodiverse Regent Street London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Center Parcs Woburn UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Alder Hey Hospital Liverpool UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Cross Green Leeds UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Intensive Mei Foo Station Hong Kong CASE STUDY
Complementary Products
Reference Lists
Specification Clauses
Product Literature
Case Studies
ABG blueroof Green Biodiverse Moreland Primary School, Islington Uk CASE STUDY
ABG blueroof Green Extensive Huddersfield University UK Case Study
ABG blueroof Green Intensive St Pauls Sheffield UK CASE STUDY
ABG blueroof Green Roof Extensive Rathbone Market London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Biodiverse Green Roof Bradford UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Biodiverse Regent Street London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Center Parcs Woburn UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Alder Hey Hospital Liverpool UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Cross Green Leeds UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Intensive Mei Foo Station Hong Kong CASE STUDY