Green Roof | The Westbury
Category: Gardens & Grounds, Community
Topic: green roofs
New green roof technologies and lightweight products make upgrading of rooftop common areas more economical and sustainable than traditional building methods.
The Westbury’s rooftop upgrade features a large pool and deck area overlooking Sydney Harbour and city surrounds including elevated granite stone pavers to protect the underlying roof membrane and to provide enhanced thermal insulation to the building.
Life-like synthetic lawn was installed adjacent to the swimming pool and at the clothes drying area to provide a relaxed ‘suburban backyard’ setting. It also incorporates a durable, low maintenance timber deck made from a composite of recycled timber and plastic. Intensive and extensive green roof areas incorporate water harvesting drainage trays and lightweight engineered soil.
Sedum green roof plants support a diverse habitat for birds and invertebrates and contribute valuable green space to the local area.
The upgrade, at a total cost of $638,000 ($1,500/sqm), progressed over 2 years as the owners corporation collected sufficient levies to fund it.
Other positive outcomes have been improved residential amenity, higher quality tenants, lower vacancy rates, increased value of properties at sale.
The work was undertaken by Atlantis Design - a member of Green Roofs Australia, a not-for-profit organisation which promotes green roofs as an effective response to climate change and city heat island effects, and to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. The firm’s principal, Mark Harper, has a keen interest in the design of common area rooftops for strata complexes.
More information and photos can be seen at Atlantis Design – Darlinghurst Green Roof
This site was made possible by an Environmental Grant from the City of Sydney