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Blue/Green Roof Drainage

Blue Roofs – Integration with biosolar, hard landscaping, green roofs

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Off-membrane blue roof systems are being recognised as a vital part of the UK’s sustainable future, but what does true integration mean for designers, specifiers and contractors❓

With ACO’s method, off-membrane storage integration means modular tanks positioned above the roof build-up keep rainwater storage separate from the waterproofing layer, protecting the membrane while enabling controlled irrigation, hard landscaping and biosolar interfaces 💧

Keeping the storage away from the waterproof layer stops the repeated wetting and drying that concentrates moisture at joints and roof openings. Reducing that strain on the waterproofing helps preserve manufacturer warranties and avoids the extensive work a membrane replacement would otherwise require on multi-use roofs 👷

For inverted and hard-landscaped roofs, keeping stored water off the insulation also removes the need for heavy ballast and the risk of insulation lifting 👍

Passive irrigation using wicking mats connected to the stored water delivers moisture to planting soil and planters in paved areas without surface ponding or mechanical sprinklers. The result is reliable plant establishment, biosolar edge planting and lower energy and maintenance needs — crucial where access and solar-panel maintenance corridors must be kept clear 🌞

Early, joined-up design is essential: consider tank locations, wicking layout and outlet positions during concept stages to meet the London Plan Urban Greening Factor and avoid late-stage structural clashes. ACO’s method works with wicking networks and PV layouts, offers simpler installation than ballast systems, and delivers predictable weights on the roof, making multifunctional roofscapes coherent, maintainable and compliant ✅

Explore blue roofs in greater detail with our free guide, available here ⬇️

https://www.aco.co.uk/blue-green-roofs

ACO and Aquality Create a Blue Roof Like No Other At Queen’s Gate Place Mews

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The ACO Blue roof installed at Queensgate Mews

ACO Building Drainage combined with Aquality to retrofit a blue roof in central London where it was initially thought not possible.

Part of the collection of quaint residential and commercial properties at Queen’s Gate Place Mews is The Lodge. Recently revamped and extended with a new mansard roof to enable a second storey, one of the key challenges of the project was meeting the SuDS (sustainable urban drainage system) requirement and managing the water runoff from the roof, as set out by the The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea planning committee.

Doing what no others can

With sustainable drainage as a vital factor of the extension being granted planning approval, Keystone consulted several blue roof manufacturers and roofing contractors to look at how this could be achieved. However, all the suppliers Keystone approached had refused the project and stated that it would be impossible, given the small roof area and the necessity of holding the water on the roof’s surface while controlling the runoff rate.

The patented ACO blue roof meets planning conditions and building regulations

ACO and Aquality stepped in with an approach that nobody else could offer. Using ACO’s innovative patented RoofBloxx attenuation system, this was adapted into a free-standing retrofit application that sits separately above the roof construction, without adding any risk of water leaking onto the mansard roof itself.

Martin Durham, Managing Director, and Owner of Keystone Construction said: “We were faced with a very tricky challenge set by the authorities. On one hand, to achieve planning permission, we had to comply by controlling the runoff to prevent flood risks and overwhelming the sewer. However, we couldn’t go forward with a typical blue roof, as holding water on top of a conventional roof invariably adds risk and goes against best practice of roof construction. Water will eventually seep into the roof layers and compromise the structure.

“This was a key reason for choosing to work with Aquality and ACO – as their solution was unlike anybody else’s. By being a standalone system, we could install it on top of the roof build up and it works independently of the roof. Alongside the ingenuity of the system itself, we were very pleased with the design service as well as the ease of the installation too.”

To learn more about our blue roof system and to watch our animation please see  https://www.aco.co.uk/blue-green-roofs