Green infrastructure

At Land Technology we are passionate about the environment especially the built environment that’s why we never stop learning and sharing our knowledge with clients, designers and contractors.

It is part of our mission to improve and enhance the environment as we plan on remaining the future of landscaping in the future too, so we are committed to the continual development of our knowledge and inventive ways to encourage as much sustainable green infrastructure as possible in to your build environment.

So, what is green infrastructure?

“Natural or Semi-Natural networks of green (soil covered or vegetated) and Blue (Water covered) spaces and corridors that maintain and enhance eco systems”

To expand on the above it covers all green and blue features within and between our villages, towns and cities and can be anything including gardens, green roofs, living walls, parks and public open spaces to rivers and woodlands.

There are several factors why green infrastructure is beneficial hence why it has been continually raised up the political agenda and is now part of the UK National Planning Framework. The main benefits can be split into 4 principle categories and there are many cost benefits from implementing enhanced green infrastructure to your built environment whether at home, work, place of education or leisure.

The 4 Principle categories:

Supportive – Supporting eco systems and natural processes within, such as: pollination, photosynthesis and soil formation.

Provisioning – Through enhanced green infrastructure the provision of food, fibers and fuels is improved and increased.

Regulating – Having a more balanced green infrastructure regulates air quality and climate, and can reduce flood, drought and fire risks.

Cultural – Greater uptake in recreational activities, greater feeling of wellbeing, higher aesthetic values, therefore increased property values, and provides a sense of place.

These 4 principle categories all equate to a strong business case to invest in your green infrastructure.

Where can you install Green Infrastructure?

Green Roofs, Living Walls, Green Terrace, Urban, Food Production, Brown habitat roofs, Green Corridors, Urban Woodland,Urban Wetland, Reed beds, Rain Gardens, City Parks, Temporary, Floodable area, Cycle networks, Play areas, Sustainable drainage, Adaptable, Public space, Habitat creation, Permeable surfaces, Shared surface, Urban tree, planting

Planning Benefits

  • When Green infrastructure is considered as a key aspect of the planning, for example Green roof and living wall construction in built up areas, soft landscaped grounds including biophilic design principles, and rain gardens and/or natural SuDS systems the planning permissions will be granted with few conditions and increased chances of gaining BREEAM/CEEQUAL credits.
  • Fewer conditions also mean quicker approval of planning submissions, therefore quicker return in your investment.

Construction Benefits

  • Huge cost and time benefits by opting to enhance existing soft landscape features to include more biophilic principles as opposed to creating new features.
  • Installing soft landscaping as opposed to hard landscaping costs less.
  • Natural systems are more effective and cheaper than man made systems.
  • Help to prevent flood risk by clever water management, including use of rain gardens on smaller scale and SuDS systems on a larger scale.
  • Soft landscape features are easier and more cost effective to maintain and can be modified throughout the life cycle of your property.
  • Aesthetically pleasing to look at and improve wellbeing of building users.

Living Walls, Green Roofs and Courtyards

  • Effective for maintaining building temperature throughout various seasons i.e. during warmermonths it is effective in reducing building temperature therefore reduces cost of running wasteful equipment such as Air conditioning units, and in winter it acts as an insulation therefore reducing heating costs.
  • Slows the degradation of the building fabric due to moderating temperatures
  • Reduces buildup of heavy fumes (Smog) etc. at ground level naturally.

Ongoing Benefits

  • Improves reputation of land owner/land user.
  • Attracts high-level funders, clients and more talented staff.
  • Reduces marketing costs.
  • Provides content for internal and external publications and promotions leading to more engagement and quicker sales.
  • Improves engagement levels, productivity and staff retention.
  • Encourages more ingenuity within the work place.
  • Better for the health and wellbeing of staff and building users due to improved opportunities for using the spaces for activities, such as walking, cycling and running, whether for leisure or travel.
  • Improves mental health when there is regular and frequent access to biodiversity, biophilic designed green infrastructure.
  • Improved air quality.
  • Increases value of the building and land. Increases benefits to both sale and retail markets as well as local authorities by then encouraging investment into local areas as a result of higher land values.
  • 40% boost to commercial trading in town centres when improvements are well-planned and maintained.
  • Future proofing by encompassing all the above more companies and organisations will follow suit.
  • Benefits to NHS due to decrease in mental health issues
  • Benefits to farmers due to increased pollinators increasing yields, therefore cheaper foods.
  • Crime reduction – quality of surroundings encourages end users to value the area more, resulting in reduced crime and vandalism.