Last updated: October 2021
A 5256 m2 extensive green roof was installed to the Washington School in Sunderland as part of the environmental standard set by the local government’s “Building Schools for the Future” (BSF) programme. Besides being a learning tool and being aesthetically pleasing, the roof provides a habitat, helps reduce ambient temperatures, assist in rainwater management and air filtering. The Hetton Lyons Primary school intervention is also part of this city-wide project (Ref 1).
Greenroof: Blackdown Horticultural Consultant
http://www.prestopr.co.uk/wp-content/files_mf/1281018132WashingtonSchool.pdf
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green roofs
Key challenges
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Creation of new green areas
Project objectives
1. To create a naturalistic appearance,
2. Provide habitat for plants and wildlife,
3. Reduce local ambient temperatures,
4. Filter out air pollution,
5. Assist with water management (Ref 1).
Implementation activities
Creation of a 5256 m2 extensive green roof. Blackdown installed the impressive 5256m² extensive green roof, also one of the largest of its type in the North East, to the Washington School in Sunderland, as part of the new environmental standard
set by the government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Following comprehensive consultations with the local community, staff, parents and pupils, Sunderland City Council developed a clear idea of how the new school should make a bold architectural statement whilst remaining sympathetic to the local landscape. For Main Contractors Balfour Beatty, the specification of a green roof was a carefully considered design option that maintained the school’s long-term vision for a healthy, comfortable learning environment and, in its construction, incorporated a number of solutions designed to address the climate change issues that will impact most heavily on the next generation. (Ref 1).
Main beneficiaries
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Public sector institution
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Blackdown Horticultural Consultants executed and planned the building of the roof (Private sector) at the Washington school (public sector instittuion) (Ref 1).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
(Unknown)
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The green roof of this school was part of the Building Schools for the Future plan (Ref 5), which in turn was a response to the national UK Low Carbon Transition Plan (Ref 2). )
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The intervention is part of the Building Schools for the Future plan of the Sunderland City Council, which is in turn part of the City's Carbon Plan for 2007 to 2012. (Ref 3))
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
Ref 1: Green Roof Blackdown Horticultural Consultants. New BSF project bosts blackdown's largest school green roof. Retrieved from Source link on 12th November, 2020.
Ref 2: HM Government. (2009). The UK low carbon transition plan: National strategy for climate and energy. [attached]
Ref 3: Sunderland City Council. (2007). Sunderland City Council's Carbon Plan 2007-2012. [attached]
Ref 4: LocalGov. (2007). Sunderland to back £110M Building Schools for Future (BSF) programme. Retrieved from Source link on 12th November, 2020.
Ref 5: Sunderland City Council. (n.d.). Low carbon city - Sunderland City Council. Retrieved from Source link on 12th November, 2020.
Ref 6: LocalGov. (2008). Building blocks in place for next Sunderland BSF School. Retrieved from Source link on 12th November, 2020.
Ref 2: HM Government. (2009). The UK low carbon transition plan: National strategy for climate and energy. [attached]
Ref 3: Sunderland City Council. (2007). Sunderland City Council's Carbon Plan 2007-2012. [attached]
Ref 4: LocalGov. (2007). Sunderland to back £110M Building Schools for Future (BSF) programme. Retrieved from Source link on 12th November, 2020.
Ref 5: Sunderland City Council. (n.d.). Low carbon city - Sunderland City Council. Retrieved from Source link on 12th November, 2020.
Ref 6: LocalGov. (2008). Building blocks in place for next Sunderland BSF School. Retrieved from Source link on 12th November, 2020.