What is the Urban Greening Factor?
‘The Urban Greening Factor is a tool to evaluate the quality and quantity of urban greening. It enables major developments to demonstrate how they have included urban greening as a fundamental element of site and building design in order to meet London Plan Policy G5 Urban greening.’
The Urban Greening Calculator has been designed to enable applicants to calculate their Urban Greening scores as part of their planning applications.
As experienced installers of all types of urban greening options we can help to guide and inspire your teams early-on in the design stages on different types of urban greening which can be integrated into your plans.
How you may ask?
We offer inspiring urban greening CPD’s which will ignite thoughts and discussions within your teams as to what to specify at your development – where – and why?
The Pritchard and Pritchard team are experienced installers of all types of urban greening solutions, from traditional landscape installations to all types of living roofs and living walls.
Horticultural content and variety are crucial to creating truly beneficial urban greening applications and we can de-mystify and guide you on the best options for your development.
To book your CPD email niall@pritchardandpritchard.co.uk
What are the key points to note at the start of the design process
1.‘UGF requirements should be considered from the outset of the design process to ensure site specific constraints can be considered and opportunities fully realised, including the potential to link on-site greening into the wider green infrastructure network.
2. Appointing a suitably qualified landscape and/or ecological professional to the design team from the outset will ensure opportunities to maximise greening are fully integrated.
3. The early evaluation of greening options should inform wider design decisions. For example, if a lack of space at ground level may result in non-compliance with the relevant UGF target score, the necessary structural considerations should be integrated early in the building design process to accommodate the required specification for green roofs and/or green walls to meet the UFG target score.’
What are the top 5 ‘scoring’ urban greening solutions?
1.Semi-natural vegetation (e.g. trees, woodland, species-rich grassland) maintained or established on site.
2.Wetland or open water (semi-natural; not chlorinated) maintained or established on site
3. Intensive green roof or vegetation over structure. Substrate minimum settled depth of 150mm.
4. Standard trees planted in connected tree pits with a minimum soil volume equivalent to at least two thirds of the projected canopy area of the mature tree.
5. Extensive green roof with substrate of minimum settled depth of 80mm (or 60mm beneath vegetation blanket) – meets the requirements of GRO Code 2014.
Coming in halfway down the comprehensive full list are green walls which when used in conjunction with other landscaping options pack an UGF punch at 0.6 points per m2.
If your property is already firmly in the ground the options for enhancing horticultural content in your landscapes or retrofitting ‘green’ elsewhere on your building are wide ranging.
If you would like to learn more about the options available get in touch and book us in for CPD via webinar or in person to inspire what you could specify at your next development.
info@pritchardandpritchard.co.uk
