Our work in the field of extensive biodiverse roofs has enabled ongoing research to benefit from large scale installations. Through collaborations with our design partners and academic research long term trials of these systems are underway.
This process of evolution through research and practice underpins our design philosophy. It provides our clients with solutions that are both considered and innovative. 
The treatment of roof spaces provides a range of environmental benefits that include high levels of insulation, management of surface water run-off and improved biodiversity value.
The strategy for the roofs at St Mary Magdalene was to create a series of planes at different levels, largely of a ‘Brown Roof’ type. These consist of gravel of different sizes generated from crushed building masonry, graded for unwanted debris and installed on the roofs. The installation provides a variety of substrate depths to create varied habitats for pioneer species to establish. This is important in ensuring that mono-cultures do not dominate. The link building has supervised access for the pupils and will provide an excellent teaching resource exhibiting all phases of this ecological progress and enable pupils to study the establishment of plant material over long periods of time and reveal the associated species found in ecosystems of this type.
Roofs at lower levels will be predominantly ‘Green’ from the time of installation, using a sedum mat with further species added in plug form to increase the biodiversity and create seasonal interest.
The roofs at Oundle School were covered in a lightweight roof fill combined with crushed brick aggregate to give a substrate of varying depth. Pre grown planting mats had additional species added in plug form. The establishment of plant species will be aided by the introduction of plugs of pre grown indigenous material suitable for life in this environment, these will self seed and accelerate the establishment of flora to the roofs.
