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GREEN ROOFS AND PLANNING

Regeneration and development offers the chance to employ new sustainable construction techniques, to

help us respond to the threats caused by climate change and urbanisation. The guidance to achievesustainable development it set down in PPS1 of the National Planning Policy 2004.

PLANNING POLICY STATEMENTS

PPS01 - Delivering Sustainable Development - which amongst other things identifies sustainable development

as the core purpose underpinning planning.

PPS03 - Housing - which promotes more sustainable modes of construction and delivery.

PPS09 - sets out planning policies on the protection of biodiversity through the planning system suggesting

the mitigating of land lost to development by replacing it elsewhere.

PPS25 - suggests local Planning Authorities should prepare and implement planning strategies that help todeliver sustainable development by reducing flood risk through the use of surface water management plans,

green infrastructure for flood storage, conveyance and SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems).

PLANNING POLICY STATEMENTS

PPG02 - Green Belts - which are protected where better use can be made of land and buildings within existing

urban areas.

PPG17 - Planning for open space, sports and recreation - to which recreational roofs can make useful

contribution.

PROBLEMS TARGETED

Flooding, increasing temperatures in urban centres, lack of green space and declining biodiversity are only

a few of the problems faced by planners today. From a planning perspective green roofs tick all the boxes,

helping to satisfy a range of needs of a planning application for instance:

sustainable drainage (SUDS)- they slow rainwater runoff acting like a sponge.

reduced energy consumption by keeping buildings cool in summer, which in turn lowers

carbon dioxide emissions. improve biodiversity by creating green spaces.

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CASE STUDIES

Sharrow School

At the new Sharrow School in Sheffield, the green roof and learning terraces are part of an overall sustainablebuilding strategy. The design ethic was to make the school a raised part of surrounding landscape of Mount PleasantPark. The green roof spans over 1200 m2 and consists of 200 tonnes of crushed recycled brick mixed with com-posted kerbside collected green waste. The roof is seeded with wildflowers, creating an elevated habitat for localwildlife. Other sustainable features at the school include a ground source heat pump and rainwater harvesting sys-tem.

The Black Redstart

Biodiversity roofs in Depford Creek, London have been used for conservation purposes, to protect a rare avianinhabitant of brownfield sites, the Black Redstart. The biodiversity roofs use construction waste as substrate,recreating the habitats the birds have lost to development at ground level.

OTHER LEGISLATION TARGETED

1. Water Framework Directive (WFD).

2. The Kyoto Protocol - EU countries are legally bound to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to 8%of 1990 levels by 2012.

3. EU Energy Policy (Jan, 2007) -proposes a unilateral 20% reduction in green house gas emissions by 2020.

4. Forthcoming European Floods Directive ( early 2008).

5. Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006), Natural Habitat legislation Natural, (2000).

6. Directive on Energy Performance of buildings (2002) - this includes the promotion of improvements of the

energy performance of buildings within the EU.

To date there are no British Standards to aid planning departments but the commonly used foreign standards is theGerman FLL guide. They set out guidelines, which cover topics such as;

Green roof system components

Growing Mediums their porosity, weight, structure, water permeability and pH value.

Plant and vegetation requirements

Planting, cultivation & maintenance dry seeding, wet seeding, hydro seeding, Sedum

mats & Turf laying; Readiness for handover, post installation maintenance

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