organic roofs

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DIY green roof workshop a success!

This weekend’s DIY Green Roof workshop was a real success!

Happy green roofers with their green roofed bird boxes

Happy green roofers with their green roofed bird boxes

We had participants from Brighton & Hove and further afield across the country…and a keen Spanish green roofer who travelled over from Córdoba!

We discussed the fine points of projects on sheds, house extensions and even a Dutch barge.

Everyone put their learning into practice by building their own green roofs and installing them on a bird box they also put together.

The second day was a tour of some green roofs and green walls.

Lee Evans, course tutor, talking participants through the benefits and technical aspects of green roofing at Organic Roofs HQ

Lee Evans, course tutor, talking participants through the benefits and technical aspects of green roofing at Organic Roofs HQ

Lee Evans, course tutor, demonstrating how to build the bird box to the course participants.

Lee Evans, course tutor, demonstrating how to build the bird box to the course participants.

Course participants DIY-ing their bird boxes

Course participants DIY-ing their bird boxes

James Farrell, course tutor, talking participants through a container green roof at Organic Roofs HQ

James Farrell, course tutor, talking participants through a container green roof at Organic Roofs HQ

James Farrell, course tutor, talking participants through a container green roof at Organic Roofs HQ

James Farrell, course tutor, talking participants through a container green roof at Organic Roofs HQ

Finished bird box with a green roof

Finished bird box with a green roof

Happy course participant with their green roofed bird box

Happy course participant with their green roofed bird box

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Getting ready for DIY green roofs

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Lee and I spent a few hours yesterday making the bird boxes and green roof kits that our lovely participants will put together on Saturday. No, I’m not about to drill through my hand…

It’s not too late to book!

Visit Brighton Permaculture Trust.

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Channel 5’s ‘Cowboy Builders’ talks green roofs

Lee Evans from Organic Roofs was featured in a recent episode of Cowboy Builders.

Lee Evans of Organic Roofs talks to Dan Lobb of Channel 5’s Cowboy Builders

With film of the Velo Cafe and the refurbished green roof at Infinity Foods, Lee talked about the many benefits of green roofs, compared with your average roof.

Lee has blogged about it here, and you can view the episode here. The green roof section starts 32 minutes in.

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Not too late to book your DIY Green Roof course!

It’s not too late to book your place on this year’s DIY green roof course!

  • learn about how to build green roofs
  • understand the history of global green roofing, and the benefits of the modern habitat-based approach
  • put the principles into practice – build your own green roofed bird box to take home
  • visit inspirational green roofs and green walls in Brighton & Hove
  • get expert advice on your project
  • enjoy the surroundings of Organic Roof’s new workshop, right on the banks of Shoreham harbour
  • have fun, learn new skills and make new friends!

You never know, you might be so inspired that you jack your job in after the course – and become a professional green roofer. That’s exactly what previous course participant Lee Evans did!

To book your place, visit https://brightonpermaculture.org.uk/courses/ecobuild/greenroofs

Happy green roofer with the green roofed bird box we built on the Building Green DIY weekend

Happy green roofer with the green roofed bird box we built on the Building Green DIY weekend

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A visit to Organic Roofs

I visited Building Green partner Organic Roofs‘ workshop and green roof demonstration centre in Shoreham recently.

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Lee Evans with the green roof research station at Organic Roofs HQ, Shoreham

Organic Roofs head honcho Lee Evans showed me around the site, which has an amazing view of the harbour.

We will be holding the next green roof DIY workshop there on 24/25 October – book here. It’s a great venue for it.

On the site are two green roofs created on shipping containers, a nursery for green roof plants, and a new research station that will be measuring the performance of different substrates and plant systems. There’s also a ‘waste office’ which takes after the award winning Waste House in Brighton.

Organic Roofs won a number of awards recently, including NRFC Green Roof of the Year, Brighton & Hove’s Best Environmental Industry Company, as well as being finalists in 2 other categories at the #BAHBAs – Fastest Growing Company and Best Place to Work.

Container green roof at Organic Roofs HQ, Shoreham

Container green roof at Organic Roofs HQ, Shoreham

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Plant nursery, Organic Roofs HQ, Shoreham

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Organic Roofs HQ, Shoreham