Go green with a roof garden from Bauder

Each green roof brings back a piece of nature and on some buildings a recreational space can be created for people to enjoy. A Bauder green roof combines the finished planting scheme and all its supportive components with a high quality and secure waterproofing system to give you the best results every time.

system summaries NBS and BIM specifications CAD Downloads

Intensive green roofs and and roof gardens
Intensive green roofs provide recreational gardens and amenity spaces on podiums and at roof level, with all the benefits usually associated with ground level landscaping. Take a look at our hard and soft landscaping intensive green roof options.
Extensive and non accessible green roofs
Extensive green roofs are designed to be low maintenance, lightweight systems with no general access. Take a look at our biodiverse and lightweight extensive green roof options.
Biosolar
Bauder Biosolar is a unified solution for mounting solar PV arrays where the substrate and vegetation provide the ballast to secure the array. Learn more about our Biosolar system.
Blue roofs
The BauderBLUE Roof System is a sustainable drainage method designed to attenuate and manage stormwater on a flat roof over a 24-hour period via a restrictive flow outlet. Learn more about our BauderBLUE roof system.
Green roof maintenance
All roofs require a minimum of two inspections a year to ensure that the outlets etc are maintained, regardless of the type of green roof. Learn more about green roof maintenance.
Green roof case studies
View our green roof case studies which give you an insight into the variety of different green roof systems we have to offer.

Benefits

  • Creates a natural habitat for flora and fauna.
  • Aids biodiversity encouraging a wider spread of species in the area.
  • Soft landscaping helps to reduce the risk of flooding by retaining large proportions of annual rainfall and reducing rainwater run-off. Particularly useful within Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDs) schemes.
  • Environmental masking blends the building into its surroundings.
  • Improved air quality as vegetation assists in reducing both gaseous pollutants and dust particles.
  • Reduces urban heat island effect (the difference in temperature between urban areas and the surrounding countryside) through absorption of some of this heat and the natural evaporation of water from plants and soil.
  • Reduces building’s carbon footprint through lowering building running costs.
  • Reduced construction costs: no requirement for screed on the deck reducing the overall weight imposed, fewer rainwater outlets, decreased rainwater drainage system capacity and a reduced requirement for storm water attenuation within the SUDs scheme for the site.
  • Increased life expectancy of waterproofing membranes when protected by green roof landscaping.
  • Many local authorities favour planning proposals that incorporate green roofs within the. application, particularly if it meets their policies towards providing a sustainable environment
  • Increased property value – roof usage can be maximised for purposes including leisure, and offers unique potential for replacing the land lost to the building’s footprint.
  • Noise reduction for the building – green roofs have excellent acoustic qualities for both external sound (up to 3dB) and internal noise up to 8dB).

When constructing a green roof there are some fundemental considerations that determine the system required to support the planting scheme. The key decisions are about access and what the roof is to be used for, is it for nature conservation and biodiversity or aesthetics? How will the area be used and how much maintenance will be possible. 


The GRO code

GRO LogoThe GRO code is intended to be recognised as a code of best practice and as such it should be used to guide behaviour relating togreen roof design, specification, installation and maintenance. Bauder endeavour to work in conjunction with the GRO Code of Best Practice for the UK.



 

What is the Bauder green roof promise?

To give Bauder’s clients peace of mind over the long term establishment and health of their green roof, Bauder offer a Green Roof Promise which will match the duration of the underlying waterproof guarantee (see the Bauder Green Roof Promise Document).

 

Installation and maintenance

The quality and experience of the installing operative is paramount to ensuring a successful project. Bauder Approved Contractors are the only people fully trained and certified to install our products. They provide the necessary experience that our exceptional guarantee demands.
Go to approved contractor information ►
Go to maintenance advice ►
 

Accreditations and associations

Take a look at our accreditations and associations including certifications, trade associations and our declaration of performance documents. 
View certifications here ►
 

FAQs

  • What is the cost of Bauder Maintenance and how do I go about getting a quote?
    Please contact Bauder by email: [email protected] or call 01473 257671. An idea of the approximate area, pitch and type of roof would help us in producing more accurate quotation.
  • Do I need to maintain my green roof/How do I look after my green roof?
    Yes. We recommend maintenance should be carried out at least once a year for sedum roofs/twice for wildflower roofs. Maintenance promotes healthy growth, biodiversity and reduces the chance of weeds establishing. There are a few simple things that will help your green roof. Weed the roof (once or twice a year). Sedum roofs should be fed every spring (using Bauder Organic Slow Release Fertiliser). Avoid walking on the vegetation. Water the roof regularly during hot dry weather.
  • What happens if I do nothing to my green roof
    Generally the roof is likely to deteriorate over time. Weed species are more likely to take hold and can choke out other vegetation. The amount of flowers are likely to reduce year on year. Drought conditions are likely to kill off some species reducing the diversity of the roof flora. Some weeds (tree saplings, buddleia & bamboo) can cause structural damage to the waterproofing of the roof if not removed.
  • Do I need to water my green roof after installation/in the long term?
    Initially to bed in the green roof and allow for healthy establishment surface watering is required regularly for the first 6-10 weeks. This is particularly crucial if installation coincides with the spring / summer months. Treat the roof as you would a freshly laid lawn. Evening or early morning watering every day, watering the roof to saturation point (wet to the touch).
     
    Following this establishment period irrigation becomes project specific and something that should be discussed at the initial stages of the green roof conception (see Bauder’s Watering Guide on the Bauder website).
     
    ALL green roofs will benefit from watering in period of hot dry weather. Sedums are much more drought tolerant than British native wildflowers but Bauder always recommend there should be a way of watering a green roof in dry conditions (see Bauder’s Watering Guide).
  • My sedum roof looks dead / red, what is wrong?
    When sedum is stressed in very cold or dry weather it can give a ‘reddish’ appearance, this is quite normal and it should recover (in the summer the red colour is an indicator that the roof should be watered). In some situations it may signify that the roof is in need of fertiliser. Also remember that some sedums are deciduous (meaning they will lose their leaf in the winter), these sedums should recover fully in the spring.
  • My sedum/wildflower roof has lots of grass/weeds - what is wrong and what can I do?
    Sedum Roofs: Weeds can and do occur from time to time on green roofs. Normally the sedum is a dense mat of plants and there is only limited room for grass / weed to establish.  Sedum is drought tolerant and should over a number of years remain the dominant plant species, however in very wet summers and warm winters grass can establish. Regular removal of weeds by hand during annual or biannual visits should prevent weeds becoming too established.
     
    Wildflower Roofs: Weeds are just plants growing in the wrong location, Wildflower mixes tend to have small amounts of grass and weed like species in their growing mix. These are only a problem if they start to dominate the other vegetation or are unsightly. Regular removal of weeds by hand during biannual visits should prevent weeds becoming too well established.
     
  • My sedum/wildflower roof is bare, what is wrong?
    Sedum like all plants need feed and water if the plants have struggled for a prolonged period of time the plants shrink back and their leaf size is reduced, eventually this can cause bare areas. Sedums are not like grasses and do not take kindly to trafficking. 
     
    Wildflowers are more susceptible to hot dry conditions and flower, go to seed and die back very quickly in hot dry summers, watering will prolong the flowering season for most species. Wildflowers are not like grasses and will be damaged by trafficking.
  • Do I need to feed my sedum/wildflower roof?
    Sedum Roofs: Yes we recommend a feed once a year, which would be part of the Bauder Maintenance Contract. 
     
    Wildflower/Biodiverse Roofs: No almost certainly not, Native wildflower species typically grow best in low nutrient substrate. Feeding the substrate normally means that the plants are out competed by weed and grass species. We recommend the roof is assessed prior to any feed, which would be part of the Bauder Maintenance Contract. 
  • The pebble stone edge is full of sedum, is that ok?
    As part of the maintenance visit, gutters and drainage channels will be checked, and if required cleared or sprayed, to assure good drainage is occurring on the roof. This is important to the health of a green roof and important for fire safety.


Contact us today about your project

Each project is unique in its requirements, but we have case studies and examples of our work available to help guide you. If you are looking for a green roof system, then get in touch with our team to discuss your project’s individual needs.