Peacehaven
Peacehaven is the largest grass roof of its kind in Britain sited near Brighton. The green roof project for Southern Water at its Waste Water Treatment Works is also probably one of the largest green roofs installed in Europe with a 200mm depth of substrate.
The Project
- Value £770k
- Duration 20 months
- Location Peacehaven - East Sussex
- Architects Montgomery Watson Harza
- Client Southern Water
- Main Contractor Prater
Key Features
- Largest grass roof in Britain
- Adjacent to the South Downs National Park
- Contract grown special turf mix
- 200mm depth of substrate
- 15 degree gradient on the roof
Key Stats
- 17,800m²Area of roof
- 12Days to lay all the turf
- 4,000Crane Lifts
- 3,500m³Substrate
- 50Deliveries a day
Project Challenges
- Wind exposure on the coastal site
- Development of a suitable construction design
- Loading restrictions on the roof
- Development of a bespoke turf to include wildflowers
- Irrigation of the turf to get it established
- Access for maintenance
Peacehaven
Peacehaven is the largest grass roof of its kind in Britain sited near Brighton. The green roof project for Southern Water at its Waste Water Treatment Works is also probably one of the largest green roofs installed in Europe with a 200mm depth of substrate.
The 17,800 m2 development (equivalent to 4½ full sized football pitches) has been very sensitive to the local area. Frosts took a proactive approach in carrying out trials on seven different substrates in order to get the substrate mix right for this project. The bespoke grass mix was grown at a specialist nursery. The scheme won Frosts a 2012 BALI Award in the green roofs category, and on the 7th December 2012 at the BALI Awards ceremony in London it took the Principal Award in that category.
As part of our environmental programme we looked at the materials carbon footprint for the project. The main product, over 3500m3 of substrate, was produced locally and where possible local suppliers were used for other materials. In December 2010 we started installing the drainage, filter fleeces and substrate. Nearly a year later we began laying the specially grown turf with the last piece being laid on 24 October 2011.
Frosts have been involved with the detail design and the development process of all of the materials for the project, which have been chosen specifically for the 15 degree gradient of the roof.
Peacehaven Gallery
A look at the project through our photo and video gallery
