CIBSE's Technical Director, Dr. Anastasia Mylona, recently shared with the Institution of Civil Engineers her first-hand experience of integrating nature-based solutions (NBS) into her home renovation. Dr. Mylona's fascination with NBS dates back to her architectural training, and she saw her home extension as the perfect opportunity to implement these innovative solutions. Here, she recounts her journey and the challenges she faced while installing a green roof.
Choosing the right green roof
Dr. Mylona researched extensively to find the best green roof option, focusing on the structural, installation, and maintenance requirements. She explored two main types of green roofs:
- Intensive Roofs: These require significant soil depth for larger plants or lawns and demand more maintenance, including irrigation and feeding. Despite their potential use as accessible parks, they are costlier to install and maintain.
- Extensive Roofs: These are lighter, needing minimal maintenance and set on thin soil, often without requiring structural reinforcement. They are also more cost-effective.
Dr. Mylona opted for an extensive roof, planting sedums due to their lightweight nature and low maintenance needs. The system only required annual fertilization and occasional watering during prolonged dry periods.
Overcoming challenges and pushbacks
Despite her well-researched decision, Dr. Mylona encountered significant resistance from her builders, who raised concerns about the integration with the existing structure, weatherproofing, and potential extra costs. Initially, this pushback made her reconsider, but she ultimately decided to proceed with the green roof installation, addressing the builders' concerns head-on.
The installation required approval from an independent assessor and a detailed review by the local authority's building control. Dr. Mylona faced numerous questions about weatherproofing and structural integrity, and even had to address privacy concerns from her neighbors.
The green roof today
Two years post-installation, the green roof has proven to be a success. It has not only avoided water leakages but also provided excellent thermal insulation, making the room below the roof the warmest in winter and coolest in summer. The roof's biodiversity attracts birds and bees, offering beautiful, seasonally changing views and enhancing the overall living experience.
Lessons learned
Dr. Mylona's experience highlighted the need for broader acceptance and understanding of NBS. Despite well-developed systems and proven performance, traditional builders, building control authorities, and the public often respond with skepticism. This experience underscores the importance of embedding NBS education in professional training and public awareness to promote systemic adoption. Changing perceptions from viewing nature as a mere aesthetic addition to recognizing its functional benefits for people is essential for mainstreaming NBS.
Dr. Mylona’s journey with her green roof demonstrates the transformative potential of nature-based solutions in enhancing building performance and underscores the need for increased awareness and acceptance of these innovative approaches in the built environment.
Read her full article HERE