Combining BauderBLUE STORMcell with Biosolar
When to specify
With modern planning conditions, most local authorities require new buildings to include both a green roof and a significant percentage of site sourced renewables; and if the construction is to be sited in a flood hazard area it must also incorporate a viable sustainable urban drainage system (SuDS) with defined allowable discharge rates. Bauder is able to deliver a solution which incorporates these technologies without compromise.
Bauder has a unique solar photovoltaic (PV) mounting system, BauderSOLAR G LIGHT, that is specifically designed to allow the combination of biodiverse green roofs and solar PV whilst having the ability to be installed atop our STORMcell blue roof construction.
The PV system utilises the green roof substrate as ballast removing the need for penetrating the waterproofing to secure the mounting units to the roof and ensuring that the entire roof area can be considered a biodiverse green roof. The attenuation cell beneath allows free-flowing multi-directional water movement to specifically engineered outlets that restrict the total allowable water discharge to meet planning requirements.
BauderBLUE STORMcell
Design considerations
The initial step is to understand the weight loading of the attenuated rainwater to meet the project specific discharge rates of the SuDS report, as well as including the BioSOLAR green roof loading. More than any other type of flat roof, it is important to avoid, and wherever possible eliminate, penetrations through a blue roof.
Benefits of combining vegetation with photovoltaics
The vegetation we recommend is our BauderFlora 3 seed mix which is a broad mix of low growing biodiverse, shade and drought tolerant species. A well vegetated ground cover is important to ensure that the green roof provides the habitat and nectar source it has been designed for, and also prevents erosion of the substrate which would have implications on the solar design and stability.
Installed above the blue roof void construction the vegetation, substrate and vegetation water storage components retain initial rainfall until saturation, at which point the excess will flow into the blue roof void space for delayed evacuation.
Environmental credentials
Modern buildings are required to have as little impact on their surrounding environment as possible. Using a Bauder BioSOLAR blue roof is best practice from all environmental perspectives as it provides habitat creation, reduces the buildings impact on local drainage systems (helping to meet SuDS requirements) and maximises site sourced renewables.
There are very few aspects of a building’s design that can provide as much of a long term positive impact on the surrounding environment as specifying a Bauder BioSOLAR blue roof on new build projects.
Maintenance requirements
All solar PV systems require maintenance, especially those with vegetation growing beneath them. Possibly the key benefit of the BioSOLAR system is the unique V angle shape of the mounts. This ensures that a strimmer can be run beneath the edge of the panels, quickly cutting back vegetation with no risk to the operatives.
As for the blue roof components, regular checks of the outlets ensure the drainage holes are free of debris or blockages. Inspections should be carried out following any significant storm event, any notable traffic or remedial works as well as following leaf fall during the autumn months to verify leaf litter is not causing obstruction.
Bauder's combined sustainable systems offer the ideal scenario of a vegetated biodiverse roof, complete with the full SuDS capability of a blue roof and a viable PV array for maximum renewable energy generation all on the same useable roof space.
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