Green Roofs and the Urban Heat Island Effect
It is generally accepted that it is warmer by a few degrees in urbanised areas than their rural counterparts. This is because of a phenomenon called the ‘Urban Heat Island’ …
biodiversity
Why creating new ponds helps to protect the ecosystem
At the start of the 20th century, there were around a million freshwater ponds in Britain, supporting a bio-diverse mix of animals, plants and herbs. By the turn of this century, …
Grant Associates part of winning design team for Australia’s tallest building
Landscape architect Grant Associates was part of the winning team led by UNStudio and Cox Architecture to design Southbank by Beulah – an AUS$2 billion mixed use development in Melbourne, Australia. Known as Green Spine, the scheme …
What are the opportunities for retrofitting Green Roofs in the UK?
In the UK, (and probably mainly in London), there has been a growing trend towards retrofitting buildings with green roofs. However, not all buildings are suitable for retrofitting and it …
The Secrets of a Sedum Roof
When people think of green roofs, many of them tend to think of a roof covered in grass or perhaps wild flowers such as those typically found in a meadow …
Which sedum plants should you have on your green roof?
In this brief article, we thought it may be a good idea to look at some of the varieties of sedum plants that you may wish to include on your …
Sedum Roof Staffordshire
Riefa supplied a sedum roof to a new garden office in Staffordshire. The installation is almost text book in that the flat roof has a perfect pitch for minimal drainage , …
Can Green Roofs Create Greater Health and Well-Being?
As the evidence for greater human well-being grows as a result of contact (visual and physical) with the natural environment there would appear a greater need to incorporate green infrastructure …
How can Green Roofs improve biodiversity?
The level of biodiversity on a green roof will be dependant on a number of factors including the type of green roof installed. In the past green roofs were designed …
Changing Attitudes to Green Infrastructure in the UK
With increasing pressure on ground level green spaces it comes as no surprise that we are experiencing a growing momentum across the UK in the number of green roofing and …
The Principles of Green Roof Maintenance
During very wet seasons green roofs can have problems retaining the plant nutrients. If the flowers have been in short supply then it may be time to apply a sort …
Should the UK follow the German example in developing green roofs?
When we consider the development of green infrastructure as part of an overall strategy to combat climate change, few would argue that we need to look much beyond Germany as …
It’s time to embrace the ‘living wall’ years
Ellina Webb looks at some of the most successful examples of living walls in the UK Over the past few years the number of buildings with living walls both internally …
New proposals for a wilder Britain
Critical moment to reverse the decline of nature On Tuesday 1st May, The Wildlife Trusts are publishing Towards a wilder Britain – creating a Nature Recovery Network which shows how new laws …
New guidelines call for homes for people and wildlife
Why and how to build nature-friendly housing developments New guidelines published by The Wildlife Trusts today show how new housing developments can be built in a way that provides people …
Key considerations for green roof specification
Stuart Hicks from cold-applied liquid waterproofing specialist, Kemper System, discusses the rise of green roof applications and specification best practice. The green roof market is quite literally growing – in …
Why Hotels should specify Living Walls to communicate Green Credentials?
Hotels across the UK have some great environmental and social initiatives in place, but how do they tell their customers about them? Many sustainability and green messages fall by the …
Big Foot Systems Answers DIY SOS from Great Ormond Street Hospital Project
Big Foot Systems is thrilled to have helped Nick Knowles & the BBC DIY SOS team on a rooftop garden project at Great Ormond Street Hospital for children in London. …
Axter waterproofing at Centenary Quay
Axter Ltd are proud to have provided the waterproofing for Centenary Quay, Crest Nicholson’s vibrant development on Southampton’s waterfront, including 102 apartments with high rise penthouse flats, retail and commercial …
Sika Sarnafil solution creates luxury communal gardens for residents
A stone’s throw from South Bank, BREEAM certified London Square development, Bermondsey Village, is located at the corner of Lamb Walk and Morocco Street. A mixed-use new build, the scheme …
Living Walls for Health and Well-being
Biophilia, the innate human attraction to nature, is a concept that has been recognized for several decades by the scientific and design communities, and intuitively for hundreds of years by …
Axter provide waterproofing at Southampton Centenary Quay
Axter Ltd are proud to have provided the waterproofing for Centenary Quay. Crest Nicholson’s vibrant development on Southampton’s waterfront, including 102 apartments with high-rise penthouse flats, retail and commercial space. Built by …
Sustainable, secure perimeters for high density urban developments
As our urban centres grow, so pressure builds on our green spaces. The drive to build new domestic, commercial and industrial property is hampered by a lack of available space …
You don’t need to think lateral or big to green our new designs
Green has been the in-vogue colour for new developments for several years and it looks like it will remain that way. Of course it’s not the colour green, but the …
You don’t need to think lateral or big to green urban spaces
In its 2012 report on health indicators of sustainable cities, the World Health Organisation recommended 9 square meters of green space per inhabitant of urban spaces. Of course, the WHO …
Greening the urban environment
As the urban environment grows, with new developments taking up brownfield sites and encroaching on greenbelt areas, there is an increasing challenge in ensuring towns and cities incorporate enough greenery and …
The Riefa Green Roof Revolution
For some time, much of the green roofing solutions being promoted in the construction sector have been at times rather questionable as to their actual green credentials. Green roofs are …
International Green Wall Conference 4-5th September 2014
Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent Meeting the Challenge of a Sustainable Urban Future: the contribution of green walls Anyone concerned with the quality of life in urban areas will find the conference …
Green screens key to war on air pollution says Staffordshire University
Green screens will have a bigger and more instant impact on improving air quality than green roofs says Professor John Dover, Head of The Science Centre at Staffordshire University whose …
Riefa Lightweight Living roofs
ONE of the paradoxes of the living roof industry is that, for all our evangelical promotion of the environmental agenda, our products have often been surprisingly un-green. Living roofs are …
All about RIEFA Green Roofs
Riefa ® Boards are a light weight, organic, economical alternative to a traditional green roof. Riefa ® Boards can be fitted directly onto a root resistant, waterproof membrane, then covered …
Benefits of Riefa Green Roofs
Why Riefa Green Roofs? Riefa – Suitable for new or existing roofs RIEFA is totally organic and contains only natural material. It can be composted or disposed of safety. The …
New Planning Guidelines Make Green Roofs A”No-Brainer”
RIEFA is a development of an insulation product made by Riefa Fornatec, based in Reitburg, Germany. The mission of the company was produce a hi-tech yet sustainable insulation product, initially …
Green and pleasant screens
They absorb pollutants, deter graffiti artists and have a calming effect on those who live around them. Sean Farrell of green screen supplier Mobilane explains why ‘living walls’ can help …
Living hoarding helps hospital become NHS sustainability champion
Urban greening company Treebox has installed a living hoarding at Guy’s Hospital in London to help the hospital minimise its carbon footprint and achieve its ambition of being a sustainability …
MOBILANE LAUNCHES ‘PICTURE’ WORTH A THOUSAND BREATHS
Leading green screen company Mobilane is breathing fresh air indoors and out with the launch of its latest innovation, LivePicture – a framed arrangement of plants that can be hung …
Vertical louvres living wall system takes Treebox to new heights
Urban greening company Treebox has unveiled an innovative style of living wall for use in both residential and commercial projects. Living walls are becoming increasingly popular in both external and …
LIVING HOARDINGS IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND PROVIDE SECURITY
Mobilane’s Living Hoardings have been installed at Ponders End in Enfield as regeneration work takes place following the 2011 riots. The council has leased the Living Hoardings for three years …
Green Screens Security Fencing
Mobilane Green Screens provide a perimeter security solution which satisfies environmental and social sustainability requirements, and which delivers a wide range of further benefits including; security, aesthetics, improved air quality, …
Living Walls – A Realistic Solution to UK PM10 Problem
Local authorities must introduce new techniques and measures if we are to improve air quality across the UK says Sean Farrell of Living Walls company Mobilane. It is estimated that …