Biodiverse / Brown Roof
A living roof built for biodiversity — varied substrate depths and locally-sourced aggregates support wildflowers and target species (e.g. invertebrates, ground-nesting birds). Higher ecological value than a sedum roof, plus the same SuDS and cooling benefits.
Carbon and evidence
Carbon Sink & Ecosystem Services
A living landscape element — a carbon sink and provider of ecosystem services, not a manufactured product. Its value is measured by sequestration and biodiversity, not embodied carbon, and it must never be netted against a product’s A1–A3.
Carbon Sequestration
Not sequestration-led
The primary value here is biodiversity and/or water function, not carbon storage.
Biodiversity Net Gain
biodiverse/brown roofs score meaningfully higher than sedum-only
Source: Defra Biodiversity Metric 4.0
England requires a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain; distinctiveness is one input to the habitat unit calculation.
Water / SuDS
good — retains and slows roof runoff
Source: CIRIA SuDS Manual (C753)
Ecosystem Services
Establishment & Maintenance
the build-up (waterproofing, root barrier, drainage, varied substrate) has real embodied carbon; the roof is a habitat, not a carbon sink
Read This Honestly
- •Not a carbon sink — value is biodiversity, SuDS, cooling and roof longevity.
- •Design substrate and depth for the target species.
Products in this category
2 products from 2 manufacturers. Ordered by the evidence each record holds, never by commercial standing.
Specification
- Finish
- Varied-substrate living roof
- Service life
- 40 years