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It's a bug's life: UEL joint winners in sustainability award

Thursday 7 April 2011

Green Roof

The University of East London has been named as joint-winners of the Sustain magazine Biodiversity award. The University won the award in partnership with the Green Roof Consultancy, for their work on the roof at 55 Broadway, above St. James’s Park underground station.

The University was involved in monitoring the roof as part of a project for Buglife, the only organisation in Europe devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates, from bees to beetles.

The design of the roof is based on over six years of study by UEL academic Dr Gyongyver Kadas; one of the world’s leading biodiversity and green roof experts.

The design of the roof incorporates a number of features and is an important extension on the idea of brown roofs for biodiversity. The original idea formulated back in 1997 by members of Green Roof Consultancy was for local recycled aggregates to be used and allowed to colonise naturally. However research showed that this approach delayed colonisation by invertebrates and could lead to ‘eco-dumping’ by contractors. The new design uses a variety of commercial green roof substrate blends and native wildflowers plugs and seeds as well as native sedum seeds.

The roof will be monitored by the University of East London for a further two years adding to an even greater understanding of how green roofs are used by invertebrates.

Darryl Newport, Director of the Sustainability Research Institute at the University of East London, said: “It is excellent to see one of our prominent researchers awarded for her internationally renowned work in this area. Dr Kadas has been an important addition to our Environmental Research Group, and is assisting in the development of more exciting research opportunities in this field”.

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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