Green Roofs - Green Architecture

As Kermit Says ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green’


If you could reduce your heating bills by growing grass on your roof would you? It’s currently not the norm, agreed, and the issue is more of an eco-friendly one than a practical one at the moment but if you were given the option, would you?

Green architecture is a growing trend and homes are being built that take advantage of a wide variety of different techniques that save water, reduce heating bills and save energy. Growing grass on rooftops is one of those techniques.

Simply placing containers on the roof of an office block is currently not accepted as a true green or living roof. Waterproof membrane is required along with an irrigation system, root barrier and drainage layers. It really is a roof covered with proper vegetation.

The benefits of having a green roof are a reduction in heating bills, a reduction in cooling bills, reducing rainwater run off, being able to filter pollutants and carbon dioxide and it creates a natural habitat for birds etc. Another way to create a green roof is to create a pond environment. This can be a good way to treat greywater.

So when we look out from tall office buildings is the sky line going to be dotted with green, lush vegetation? Well more and more this will be the case as more companies decide to reduce bills and their carbon footprint. Are we going to see more house builders using turf instead of tiles? Maybe not.

But more people are deciding to self build and as green techniques to save energy, reduce bills and save water become increasing popular maybe we will see more residential homes with green or living roofs.

For more information on Green Architecture please click here.

What I Did Before Block Architects - Livingston FC

This is the second article ‘What Did I do Before Block Architects’ which features 2 buildings at Livingston Football Club completed when I was an Associate Director at GCA, Coatbridge. I spent 5 years at this Practice and made a few friends some of whom I keep in contact with today.

It was an interesting time working at Coatbridge. There was a smallish team of approximately 10 technical staff and 3 admin staff working on various small to medium sized projects. Many of the Projects were football based as the then Owner of the Practice, Mr Gerry Connolly was involved with a Development company which specialised in the redevelopment of Football Stadia.

I’ve attached a photograph which I took personally on Saturday whilst driving past the stadium. This is a 5 storey Office Development which was one of two proposed identical buildings were to flank opposite corners of the Main Stand. In the end we only ever built one of the office blocks.

At the time I was also responsible for delivering a detailed planning approval for a 60 bed hotel and leisure development which was to be located in front of the main stand. This development unfortunately was never realised by the Club but certainly it reflected the Strong Vision by then Chairman, Mr Dominic Keane.

As part of the Masterplan exercise we also considered some housing located on the site and also a 3 storey NightClub and Hospitality Wing which was to be set behind the West Stand, In the end up we built only the ground floor of the Night Club, known as (from memory) the NightSpot (quite original).

Unfortunately, there has been much negative press associated with Club in recent months but nonetheless I am proud to have been part of a Team who shared and attempted to deliver a Super Stadium for a well supported local Team.