Blue roof, Kings Cross, London

- Blue roof
- Living roof
This innovative 300m2 roof in the North London area of King’s Cross was completed in 2020. It combines the triumvirate of sustainable roofing: blue, green…
Blue roof is the common name for roofs that conform to sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) regulations. They aren’t actually ‘blue’. They restrict the rate that water runs off from a building into storm drains or natural watercourses after a downpour, thus minimising the impact on water quality, biodiversity and flooding.
Pritchard & Pritchard is the leading expert in design, install and maintenance of all types of SuDS-compliant blue roofs, including blue-green roofs and paved blue roofs.
Our SuDS specialists have been installing blue roofs since 2012.
A blue roof incorporates a sustainable drainage system (SuDS), which retains water following a downpour and manages how the water is dispersed to prevent the damaging run off.
Commonly a green roof is installed above the blue roof – sometimes called a blue-green roof. This hits the dual development targets of increasing SuDS and green roofs. An example blue-green project in Kings Cross is shown adjacent.
London’s Sustainable Design and Construction SPG provisions (2014) states: “New development should incorporate Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and green roofs where practical with the aim of achieving a Greenfield run-off rate, increasing biodiversity and improving water quality.”
A blue roof or SuDS-compliant roof can easily be incorporated into a rooftop garden or terrace.
The adjacent image, from a Barclay Homes development, shows Pritchard & Pritchard’s paving team laying slabs on adjustable pedestals over a blue roof system.
For more information on pedestal paving see: rooftop gardens and podiums.
Maintenance plans for blue roofs depend on the type of roof with which it is combined.
The main distinction is that blue roof systems include sophisticated drainage systems that should be regularly checked for blockages.
For details of P&Ps maintenance services, see: Living roof maintenance for more information.
If your blue roof has structural or aesthetic issues, call in our Living Roof Doctor for a consultation.
All your blue roof questions are answered in our extensive living roof FAQ.
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