ROOF GARDEN

DRAINAGE AND IRRIGATION

- on roof terraces the combination of increase exposure and lack of access to
groundwater means that plants frequently risk drought. There are some ‘green roofs’
that can survive without irrigation and we will return to these in later posts, but for the
most part irrigation is virtually essential. Irrigation systems on roof terraces fall into
two basic types. There are the larger, more complex systems with a supply tank and
control panel, and the simpler ‘temporary’ systems, which run from a tap, normally
with a small battery-powered timer.

Tap timer irregation setup

- These are cheaper and easier to install (often by a landscaper), but have the
disadvantage that there is a limited amount of planters that the network will supply,
even if subdivided into zones. For smaller terraces however, they are usually
sufficient. It is advisable to have a manifold so as to retain a tap for washing down the
paving or hand watering of odd containers. In all cases (larger and smaller schemes),
it is best to run the irrigation pipes beneath the paving or decking and come up
through the base of the container rather than looping up over the side.

- We normally specify a hole to be core-drilled in the paving to allow drainage and

access for irrigation pipes without crushing; the only disadvantage of this is that it
limits the scope for moving the containers in the future. However, in some ways this
is a good thing as it means that designed loads to the roof cannot be easily exceeded.

- For larger irrigation networks, it would be wise to seek the advice of an expert. Most
of these bigger systems will run from a tank (generally situated in the building’s plant
 room) with a pump set and a series of solenoid controlled valves opening and closing
different zones. This means that the whole irrigation system is split up into zones on a
geographic basis, which run in sequence. This has several advantages: firstly it allows
fine-tuning of the individual zones to water demand according to local microclimate –
sunnier zones might need more water for example. Secondly, it allows individual
zones to be drained for repair or maintenance. Finally, and perhaps most importantly,
it reduces the amount of water demand at any one time. The advantage of this is that
both the tank and the pump size can be reduced, as can the inflow – the relationship
between the in and outflow is obviously the main determinant for the tank size.

- There are also systems which can run from a central ‘landlord’ tank with a series of
‘planetary’ sub-systems which can be either under local or central control – useful for
apartment or office buildings with multiple large roof terraces.
All that water then needs to go somewhere – drainage is an important issue on roof
gardens where the entire substrate is usually a concrete slab. On smaller terraces it is
not such a big issue, as the roof usually drains beneath the deck or paving to a gully
and downpipe at one side – you just need to allow for inspection access. I know from
experience on my own roof terrace in London a few years ago that it is surprising the
amount of debris that can build up underneath the decking. With that in mind it is best
to either use a pedestal system or if using decking, build in some easy-access panels
over key drainage positions.

Sketch showing the different layers of build-up on a typical intensive roof.

 - On larger roof gardens, it is not uncommon to drain through the slab to suspended
drainage systems below, although architects generally try and avoid this where they
can. However, the limiting factor is the size of the roof – or more precisely, the
distance from the centre to the edge. There has to be a reasonable fall for below deck
drainage to work well and over large distances this can become prohibitive.

- Where you are intending green build-up – lawns or larger planting beds for example –
it is vital to make sure that the media used are free draining to allow water to move
freely to the outlets. For extensive or semi-extensive green roofs, a drainage board
(‘egg-crate’) is often specified. This allows an element of storage, particularly where
the growing medium is thin due to weight or other restrictions. The growing mediums
used with these drainage boards are different from other media – see the (upcoming)
post on green roofs for more detail.

- Small intensive roofs tend to use containers. Aside from the soft areas, water will also
need to be drained form the paving. Using pedestals, this will happen at deck level.
There are also gullies which allow drainage water to be collected at both paving level
and slab level. These are particularly useful in wet-laid paved areas where most of the
water needs to be taken from the surface, but inevitably some will find its way down
to the slab.

Washed sand and rootzone mix being installed over a roof slab at the Lancasters. You can
also see in the centre how the path is built up separately in blockwork and type 3.

- For larger intensive roofs the issues and solutions are different. Fifteen years ago we
constructed a roof terrace using standard topsoil in layers up to 800mm thick. Within
three years the profile was showing signs of poor drainage and soon we saw water in
 evidence at the base of the inspection tubes we had built into the scheme. As a result
of this, on deeper build-ups (intensive gardens) we now use layers of graded washed
sharp sand followed by sand-dominated rootzone mixtures. This allows a robust, free-
draining growing medium that remains well aerated and maintains its structure. It also
encourages deeper rooting ensuring that plants are less reliant on irrigation and more
on water stored in the deeper layers of the build-up.

- Where paving is required on intensive (or extensive) roofs, there are a number of
solutions. First is to lay the paving traditionally on crushed stone and mortar bedding.
Additionally, we quite often specify hidden block work walls beneath the edges of the
paving. The advantages of this are threefold – it separates the hard and soft landscape
build-ups, it supports the edge of the paving firmly.

- It can also create a handy void in which to run services. However, the more normal
method is to lay the paving on pedestals. These are plastic discs which are supported
on a cylinder and base. they raise the paving up to a given level – anything up to
900mm. They have many advantages, not least that they allow the water to drain
freely beneath them, with easy access in the event of any future problems. They also
mean that paving can be laid absolutely level.
 TYPES OF WATERPROOFING
AND DRAINGE

Root resistant waterproofing

- It is vital that the waterproofing is robust and proven to deliver long-term root
resistance, preventing plant roots and rhizomes from growing in to or through it.
Consideration must be given to the appropriate form of waterproofing so that it can
meet the demands placed on it by the green roof, as such performance characteristics
for durability and thickness of membrane (density), tensile strength (EN 12311-1) and
elongation at break (EN 12311-1) need evaluation before appropriate selection can be
made.

- Bauder waterproofing membrane systems and liquid systems are manufactured in

accordance with FLL guidelines for root resistance and carry BBA certification for
green roof applications.

- When designing the detailing (e.g. upstands, pipe penetrations, rooflight upstands
etc) it is important that you take into account the increased build-up of the green roof
construction. Building Regulations typically require the waterproofing detailing to
finish 150mm above the finished roof surface i.e. the green roof surface not the
surface of the waterproofing. Our technical team can work with you to produce the
correct detail drawings for your green roof project.

Bauder waterproofing for green roofs

- Selecting the appropriate waterproofing system requires consideration so that its

performance matches that required for the green roof.

Intensive green roofs would ideally use root resistant bituminous membranes or hot
melt structural waterproofing systems as the nature of the access levels and
maintenance regimes require a robust solution to ensure that the building is protected
correctly. Extensive green roofs are generally possible on all forms of waterproofing
that have root resistance including bitumen membrane systems, single ply, cold liquid
applied and hot melt. The correct selection for waterproofing can often be determined
because of the depth of substrate required to support the vegetation. The greater the
depth of substrate, the more robust the waterproofing will need to be.
Creating falls on a green roof

- The need for stability of the system is increased because the negative pressure forces
that can develop during Intensive green roofs can be safely installed on horizontal
decks, whereas with extensive green roofs minimum falls of 1:60 and above are
preferred. The criteria is to have a depth of drainage layer deep enough to hold the
landscape above any residual standing water that occurs on the surface of the deck,
either by design or circumstance.

Drainage

- Roof drainage designs should comply with the requirements of BS EN 12056-3:2000

Gravity drainage systems inside buildings. The soft landscaping on a green roof will
retain a large percentage of the average annual rainfall, as for example an intensive
green roof can retain up to 90%. However, the UK’s National Annex to BS EN 12056
does not permit the use of a coefficient to factor down the drainage infrastructure to
take account for factors such as the retention performance of green roofs.

When specifying internal outlets, we would always recommend a minimum of two

outlets per roof, regardless of roof size, as a precaution against accidental blockage.

All outlets should be protected by an inspection chamber with removable covers to

allow access for maintenance, and be surrounded by a pebble vegetation barrier to
prevent encroachment.