Persuading your Client

A rapid cost benefit for Green Roof Technology

PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED TO
Green Roofs 2007 Conference
Opportunities for Architects in
the Green Roof Industry

Presented by: Liam Foster

Sheffield Green Roof Forum
22nd November 2007

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Topics for discussion

• Focussing on the opportunities for surface water management:
• Hydrology
• Surface Water Management
• What does a Green (Living) Roof do to a structure ?
• Why are costs seen as prohibitive ?
• What are the financial benefits ?
• What about added value for your client ?

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Ways to manage surface water

• Conventional ‘hard’ engineering – Collect and remove from area
• SUDS – The ‘Management Train’ principle – Replicate the natural environment

From: www.ciria.org.uk

• Green Roofs – mimic nature

• Storing water volume within layers
• Delaying water run-off – affecting time of concentration
• Losing water – through evaporation
“Green roofs – a good way to get SUDS off the ground”
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Brian D’Arcy (SEPA)
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Effect on Structure

Plainly speaking – Represents some additional loading:

• Foundations
• Columns
• Additional roofing materials
• Construction

But
• Less if included earlier in design process
• Green roofs not suitable for all buildings
• Move away from ‘inefficient’ buildings -
• Part ‘L’ – Building Regs = Opportunity !

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What does the client need to know ?

• Using Green Roofs can reduce need for below ground attenuation structures
• Consider cost of building as a whole – not individual segments
• Encourages better management of fees
• Increased opportunity to avoid cuts - value engineering

• Increased focus on sustainability & environment

• Structural costs can be offset by reductions in development charges/rates
• Section 106 requirements
• Developer infrastructure charges

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Sustainable Eastside - Introduction

•20 – 25 year redevelopment profile – need for strategy

•High percentage of impermeable area – relatively low times of concentration

•Capacity of existing network – largely combined

•Main network run to Minworth WwTW surcharged in 1 in 5 year event

•Minworth WwTW - near capacity

Local Issues

• High groundwater table

• City Centre Location Thus traditional ground level

• Geological conditions SUDS have limited use !
• River Rea Response - Flashy

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Sustainable Eastside - Findings

• Green roofs can save money for:

• Each developer

• Birmingham

• UK Plc

• Identified that strategic solutions would be best with policy to ‘guide’

greening of developments

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Sustainable Eastside – Example Development (1)

Site Q
• Existing 4.75 ha site

• No Green Roof = 106m3 of attenuation (1 in 30yr).

• With green roof = 0m3 of attenuation.

Land Value c. £5 m/acre

Land Area required = 106 m²
Approximate construction cost = £106k (~£1000 per m³)
Approximate land value = £1235.83 per m² = £123,583

TOTAL SAVING = £229,583 (uncontaminated ground conditions)

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Sustainable Eastside – Example Development (2)

• Based on Site Q
– Total roof area ~ 1.8 ha
» Overall building construction ~ £1000 per m²

INTERESTED ? » Value ~ £18m

– Approximate structural cost ~ 40% of Value
» Value ~ £7.2m
– Approximate structural cost of roof ~ 7.5% of structural costs
» Value ~ £540,000

¾ Increase in roof cost to accommodate a Green Roof (extensive) –

conservatively 15% higher build cost for foundations & structures
¾ £81,000

– Cost Benefit = £230k - £81k = £149k saving

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Sustainable Eastside - Benefits

Drainage & network benefits – Private Developer
• SAVES MONEY
• Reduce unnecessary below ground attenuation
• Reduce need for external pipe works
• ‘Nicer’ living/working environment – easier to sell

Drainage & network benefits – Public

• Alleviate overloaded sewerage system
• Avoid heavy investment in artificial drainage systems.
• Underpin long-term development programme for Eastside
• Reduce future energy costs & carbon emissions
• Improve water quality in the River Rea.
Photo: Carlisle 2005 (BBC News)

Winning of other benefits

• Improve central Birmingham biodiversity regime
• Improve micro-climate
• Assist meeting current sustainability criteria
Photo: Craig Churchill
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Emerging Requirements
Planning, Legislation, building requirements, etc
Climate Change & Carbon Emissions
• Code for Sustainable Homes – DCLG (2006)
• The London Plan – ‘Energy Strategy – Zero Carbon Buildings’ (2006)
• The Building Regulations (Part L) – BRE (2006)
• UK Sus. Dev’t Strategy: Securing the Future (2005)

Water Environment
• European Water Framework Directive (2000)

Flooding
• European Floods Directive (~October 2007)
• Tougher requirements to limit surface water from development sites
PPS25 – Development & Flood Risk – DCLG (2006)
• UK Government - Making Space for Water (on-going)
• Designing For Exceedance (CIRIA, 2006)

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Additional benefits
Developer (for disposal) Developer (for retention/leasing)
ESSENTIALLY GREEN ROOFS AND SUDS
Tangible Tangible
USEFUL
•
•
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
Lower build costs
Reuse of materials onsite
• Lower build costs
• Building insulation & efficiency (energy)
TOOL: Intangible • Building management (yields & voids)
• ‘Green’ credentials – BREEAM etc • Increased roof life (membrane)
• • STORMWATER RUN-OFF REDUCTION
Marketing Intangible
• Quicker on-sale Public Benefits • Ongoing ‘green’ credentials
• COOLING OF BUILDINGS – LESS ENERGY
• Reductions in Urban Heat• Inhabitants
Island ‘happier’ – Amenity Space
• Improved Air Quality
• Reduce flooding potential
• BIODIVERSITY
• Cleaner water in rivers
• Aesthetic benefits – community ‘well-being’

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Final Thoughts
• Encourage uptake early in design – promote and keep the concept

• Lump all costs and savings together - Produces different picture

• Whole Life costing not accurately reflecting greening potential

• Changing policy & move to sustainability = OPPORTUNITY

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