Technical Articles

Green roofs can support sustainable drainage, biodiversity and building performance, but fire safety must form part of the design and specification process. Fire performance depends on the complete roof construction and its surface finish. The...

As developments continue to face stricter Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) requirements, greater environmental expectations, and increasing pressure on available land, roofing systems have become much more than weather protection. They now play...

Surface water management has become a major design consideration for new developments across the UK. As towns and cities grow, more land is covered by roads, buildings, paving, and other hard surfaces. This reduces natural drainage and increases the...

As towns and cities face rising rainfall and ageing drainage infrastructure, developers are under pressure to adopt solutions that improve urban drainage and mitigate flood risk. One technology rapidly gaining traction is the blue roof — a rooftop...

As UK cities continue to tackle challenges such as flooding, climate resilience and increasing sustainability demands, blue roofs and green roofs have become two of the most effective and widely adopted sustainable roofing solutions. But what are...

As the UK and Europe experiences increasing hotter weather, it is important to consider ways that future temperature rises and the reliance on the energy intensive air conditioning of buildings can be reduced. This is especially important when heat...

St James Quarter is an impressive new galleria retail shopping centre and residential development that rejuvenates a large area of Edinburgh city centre’s New Town. The former 1960s-era shopping precinct has now been demolished to make way for the...

The term “green roof” refers to a roof that is partially or fully covered with plants or vegetation. Green roof systems are effectively designed as a surface finish onto an existing roof or new buildings. The are also sometimes called “grass...

ABG blue roof restrictor chamber – unique design features Along with the attenuation void formers, the stormwater restrictor chamber is one of the key components of a Blue Roof SuDS system design. The chambers are fitted above each rainwater...

What are the differences between blue roofs and green roofs? When specifying a new roof for a commercial or multi-residential building, there are multiple considerations to take into account. As a minimum the roofing system will achieve the required...