Organic Roofs bike shed
Melissa Jolly’s bike shed
Shed by Treesaurus
Greenroof Shelter – Grassroof company’s John Little with Dusty Gedge. All singing, all dancing!
Don’t forget, our own James Farrell and Lee Evans will be at Green Architecture Day tomorrow.
Come down and say hello! – we are speaking at 1040.
For info, tickets etc visit here.
Visited the WWF HQ today for a conference to celebrate 5 years of the Catchment Based Approach.
What a building! Completed in 2014, Hopkins Architects (see Olympic velodrome) have created a super comfortable, light and airy space with impeccable green credentials of course (BREEAM ‘Outstanding’). There’s “extensive use of solar energy, there’s also rainwater harvesting and underground heat pumps, while the choice of building materials includes recycled concrete and, of course, timber from responsibly managed forests.”
From our point of view, there are also some lovely, thriving planted balconies and walls that make an attractive and wildlife-friendly space under the eaves.
It cost a bomb though (£20m) – that’s where the membership fees must go!
Furthermore, “the bin stores and cycle shelters within the woodland edge also provide opportunities for new habitats. Climbing Ivy and Honey suckle effectively create living wall features that support a green roof of sedum and saxifrage species. The entrance level introduces non-native species like Bamboo to reflect the global nature of WWF’s work. A restrained palette of ornamental grass and bulb planting complements the elegant lines of the building with flowering climbing plants such as Passion flower and Jasmine adding colour and scent to the railings.”
Green Architecture Day line up has been confirmed for 2017.
Taking place on 25 March, it includes the following speakers:
For tickets etc, please visit https://brightonpermaculture.org.uk/courses/greenarchitecture
Come and say hello!
Some good looking green roofs spotted on a recent visit to Hammersmith.
These are on bin shelters on an estate overlooking the Thames, and were installed by Groundwork London.
Building Green will be speaking this year with Lee Evans from Organic Roofs.
Good to see the great new interpretation boards at the Volks railway opposite Duke’s Mound, celebrating the wildlife of the seafront. Everyone was stopping to have a read on their way past.
The interpretation is by the talented Lucid Design.
Part of the Volks track bed is a local wildlife site, and sports vegetated shingle plants that local developments such as the new Marina development are looking to incorporate into their green roofs and landscaping.
Unfortunately, due to family illness, the green roof DIY course run by Building Green and Organic Roofs in partnership with the Brighton Permaculture Trust, is cancelled.
The good news is we will be announcing a new date soon.
The next opportunity to learn how to ‘do green roofs yourself’ is coming up.
On the weekend of 29 & 30 October, Building Green with Organic Roofs and Brighton Permaculture Trust, is running a workshop on the subject.
For bookings go here.
These highly successful workshops have been running for several years. Don’t miss this opportunity to have a fun weekend of learning about this fascinating subject, picking up new skills and quizzing the experts on how to ‘do it yourself’.
For bookings go here.
Councillor Robert Nemeth has called for a ‘rooftop revolution’ to do something with Brighton’s ‘wasted roof space’. Visitors to the i360 look across a pretty desolate landscape north over Brighton.
Here at Building Green we couldn’t agree more and will seek a meeting. We’re pleased to see the Aroe MSK installation on the Hilton roof, but think green roofs would be a greater contribution to the health of the city.
Read the article in the Independent here and here.
In London there are planning requirements for green roofs and walls on developments over a certain size. In Germany and Switzerland things are rather more established, with Government incentives that encourage greening that creates benefits for storm water management. Portland does this too, with it’s Ecoroof incentive.
That’s the gauntlet for Brighton & Hove then – develop the incentives and policies to make the city a leader in making the most of that ‘wasted space’. A hella better view for i360 tourists too!
Brighton & Hove Building Green 