Biodiversity Roof for West Midlands Fire Service Regional HQ

Client: West Midlands Fire & Rescue Authority

Completed: May 2008

The West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority’s (WMFRA) new Regional Head-Quarters in Birmingham is located on a 4.34 acre site at Vauxhall Road, close to Millennium Point. By incorporating sustainable construction practices and the biodiversity roof the development met one of its key objectives: the achievement of an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating. The building also houses the new ‘Safe Side’ facility, a new, state-of-the-art, safety education centre

The design brief required us to replicate brown field land; considered to provide valuable habitats for a variety of fauna and flora particularly the black redstart, a very rare robin-sized bird that has recently successfully bred in the West Midlands. The biodiversity surface was installed using mainly demolition waste, such as crushed brick and concrete, dusted with a sandy loam to create a substrate or growing medium. The substrate was laid in depths ranging from 75mm to 150 mm to add visual interest and habitat diversity and two dry meadow wildflower seed mixtures were applied. The design was in collaboration with research ecologists based at Birmingham University plus other information via the ‘Living Roofs’ and the ‘Black Redstart’ websites.

The roof has been designed with minimal management requirements, and no need for irrigation. A management and monitoring plan was prepared as part of the design work. Engineering advice ensured the structural integrity of the roof and a drainage mat, capping sheet, under-layer, insulation board and root barrier was installed to protect the roof from root and water penetration. It is intended that a sustained, community interest in the roof will be developed via links established between the Safe-Side Centre with local schools and conservation trusts. Moore Environment was instrumental in creating some of these partnerships and will continue to take an active interest.

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