Icopal has installed its lightweight green-roof system at Lakeside marina development, creating a recreational space on the roof of the residents’ car park. In conjunction with Sheffield-based Apex Asphalt, Icopal has supplied a complete waterproofing and garden-roof solution, including hard landscaping, planting and turf. The overall garden measures 330m² and the complete complex consists of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and four-bedroom, three-storey town houses set around a lake and marina.

The roof-garden system comprises an Icopal high-performance Rootbar underlay and capsheet with an Icopal Fytonop 20 drainage board, and an Icopal filter fleece, topped with a lightweight soil.

Richard Faulkes of Apex Asphalt says: ‘We were involved in the project from start to finish and were able to supply and fix the whole system from Icopal together with the soft landscaping and planting, thus providing the main contractor with a one-stop service.’

The Icopal lightweight soil mix contains 40% Fytocel™ Flakes, which creates drainage channels for excess water, whilst at the same time retaining enough water to promote healthy plant growth. The use of Fytocel™ Flakes with the soil reduces weight by more than 40% compared to standard topsoils.

Underlying the green roof is a high-quality roof waterproofing and insulation system, capable of long-term, in-use performance. This provides a homogenous and continuous waterproof layer, under hard and soft landscaping. The application of a waterproof layer enables the system to meet certain key criteria such as resistance to root penetration, and high resistance to mechanical and chemical damage, aging and imposed stresses.

Green-roof systems promote longer roof life, as the waterproofing is protected from extreme weather and uv radiation; it also creates quieter buildings with up to 60% reduction in dB levels.

Icopal is a world leading supplier of waterproofing membranes and related building products, with 25 manufacturing sites and 77 offices throughout Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.