Release Date: 2008-08-07
Original Link: http://presszoom.com/story_145712.html
Source: LIVING ROOFS
London, England. Two of the UK's leading proponents of green roofs have teamed up to produce 'THE DIY GUIDE TO GREEN & LIVING ROOFS' - a guide aimed at individuals with a Do-It-Yourself inclination along with those having trouble persuading local contractors to take up the challenge of installing a green roof on their behalf.
(PressZoom.com) - The DIY Guide to Green & Living Roofs by John Little and Dusty Gedge came about after a conversation between them uncovered a common situation. As Dusty relates: "We discovered that over the last few years we had both been inundated with phone calls and emails from people keen to build their own green roofs or to convert their sheds and existing roofs to green roofs. As enthusiasts it is difficult not to reply to emails and answer phone calls but both struggle to keep up so we decided to write the guide to try and give people a starting point." John adds: "We also want to challenge the 'IKEA' approach to green roofs. You don't have to go out and buy a system. You can source all the individual components yourself, hopefully locally, and create your own unique green roof. That is the second point of the guide."
John has 10 years experience of building green roofs in Essex, on schools and private properties. He has developed an approach that is as 'green' as it can be. Dusty, who is renowned for campaigning to get green roofs installed on new developments in the UK and is currently President of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations, points out: "We both got involved in green roofs out of a love of nature and both think green roofs are one of the simplest and most cost effective ways to put something back. Big green roofs on large developments are one thing but there is also a huge appetite out there at the micro level. This guide hopes to meet that appetite, not only in the UK but also in North America, Australia and throughout Europe. I have had emails from people as far afield as Japan and St. Kitts in the West Indies from people wanting to do a green roof on their garden shed!"
John, who is a landscaping contractor notes: "When I started out 10 years ago I just wanted to build green roofs. There was no information out there to help me so I had to learn through experience only. Every small building I have built has had a green roof installed and over 10 years you realize that it can be quite simple. At the end of the day Dusty and I just want to see more green roofs and we hope this guide helps add to what is already happening out there on the larger scale."
'The DIY Guide to Green & Living Roofs' is available to buy in eBook formats at http://www.livingroofs.org/DIY_Guide_intro.html for GBP 11.65.
John and Dusty are also planning to run workshops based on the guide throughout the UK over the next year and hope to feature many of the projects stimulated by the guide on their respective websites:
http://www.livingroofs.org
http://www.grassroofcompany.co.uk
Media enquiries to diy@livingroofs.org