Case Study – Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC)
Client
Architect
Main Contractor
RAM RGC
Green Roof Contractor
Type of Development
Development Education Centre
Reason for Green Roof
Roof needed repair & conference hall below needed both sound & heat insulation.
RISC is an education centre which aims to raise public awareness of global issues, including sustainable development. The roof garden is a tool for making the links between local & global, eg climate change, and is open to schools & the general public. It also provides produce for the Centre’s café & composts the Centre’s bio-degradable waste.
Type of Roof
Flat
Size of Green Roof
30x4m
Details of Green Roof Element
Build up
Roofing felt, polystyrene insulation, drainage layer, protection fleece, 300mm soil, newspaper mulch covered with bark chippings reduces evaporation
Other Features Hard landscaping illustrates use of more sustainable materials: hurdles & raised beds woven from locally coppiced hazel, path from reconstituted stone, decking & furniture from local windblown oak. Low walls constructed from limestone found during refurbishment of building & originally taken from Reading Abbey in 18th century. Water from garden stored in tanks & automatically pumped to drip irrigation system at night.
Comments
Planting was completed in March 2002, has now matured well and is providing a harvest. Labeling and interpretive display is being devised to explain the rationale of the garden & encourage people to adapt ideas for their own gardens. Educational activities for teachers have also been developed.
