Green roofs
A two-day course run in partnership with Brighton & Hove Building Green and Green Roof Training and in association with RESET
Date to be announced
Saturday, 10.30-4.30, Varndean school
Sunday, 10.30-3.30, Crew club, followed by visit TBC
(Click here if you would like to be notified about future runs of this course/event.)
Learn about green roofs and how to build them. Includes a hands-on practical and site visits.
What will the Green roofs course cover?
The course will enable participants to learn about green roofs and their benefits. Background information will be provided on their history and evolution. The creation of wildlife habitats including local ecologies will be covered, as will the growing of food on green roofs. Details will be given on the selection and purchase of suitable plants and substrates to be used on a green roof and the availability of all the materials. Some time will also be given to discussing green walls.
The course includes a practical session on the construction of a simple green roof, which can be applied to timber structures including garden sheds. Each participant will finish the course with a 'sample roof' (approx 30cm x 30cm) to take away with them to serve as a physical reminder of how the roof was built.
Visits to some local green roofs will stimulate discussion about design and implementation.
Additionally a CD-Rom with practical information will be given to participants at the end of the day.
Who is the course for?
The course will be of interest to architects, planners, builders, conservationists, gardeners and horticulturalists as well as people interested in building their own garden structure. No prior knowledge of green roofs is needed. This course is open to anyone aged 16 or over.
The optional practical element of the course involves very basic woodwork, carried out in pairs and is not strenuous.
Brighton Permaculture Trust aims to meet the needs of participants with physical disabilities and leaning difficulties. If you have any issues which you feel may affect your ability to attend or participate in this course/event, please contact us to discuss them prior to booking.
Learning methods
The course will include talks, slide presentations, discussions, question and answer sessions and site visits. In addition, part of the course will be devoted to gaining practical experience in the construction of a green roof, with guidance from the tutor. By the end of the course, participants will have an overview of the benefits of green roofs and how they can be designed, as well as the practical skills necessary to build a green roof for their garden shed or similar structure. Information sheets will be provided on the day in the form of a CD rom.
Accreditation
Continuing Personal or Professional Development (CPD) accreditation is available for this course/event which is accredited by the CPD Certification Service. We can issue a certificate after you have completed the course/event. To find out more, please contact us or visit: http://www.cpduk.co.uk
Course tutors
The majority of the tuition will be provided by Dusty Gedge and John Little.
Dusty Gedge is responsible for establishing Livingroofs.org, the first not-for-profit company to provide independent advice on green roofs in the UK. He also starred in the TV series 'Wild Thing I Love You'.
John Little is the founder of The Grassroof Company (www.grassroofcompany.co.uk), which has worked for the last ten years on improving urban landscapes across Essex and London.
Hanna Waldbaum will also give a presentation on growing food and medicinal herbs on roofs based on her thesis 'Green Roofs for Urban Agriculture' (PDF, 3MB).
Dusty and John will be assisted by members of Brighton and Hove Building Green and Brighton Permaculture Trust.
Venue
Saturday: Varndean school, Balfour Road, Brighton, BN1 6NP
Sunday: Crew club, 26 Coolham Drive, Brighton, BN2 5QW
Click here for details of local accommodation and to find out about Brighton Permaculture Trust supporters who can provide accommodation in their homes.
What you will need to bring
- If possible a pozidrive screwdriver (no. 2 is best) and hammer
- Warm/waterproof clothing and sturdy outdoor footwear
- Gardening gloves?
- Pen, pencil, notepad, etc
- Packed lunch
- Water bottle
Recommended reading
There is a wealth of information about green roofs available - the following websites are useful sources of information:
www.building-green.org.uk
www.livingroofs.org
www.grassroofcompany.co.uk
www.greenrooftraining.co.uk
Fees
Fees include tuition, refreshments, materials for your sample green roof and a CD rom:
£225 - Sponsored/organisation rate
£225 - Individual income more than 25k/yr
£185 - Individual income 18-25k/yr
£145 - Individual income less than 18k/yr
£105 - Individual, concessionary rate (please read below)
Concessionary rates are available to people in receipt of means-tested benefits (including housing benefit, council tax benefit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the guarantee credit part of Pension Credit, Working Tax Credit (income does not exceed £16,190) and/or Child Tax Credit), full-time students and OAPs. Please bring evidence of this to the course.
We endeavour to make our courses/events affordable to all. Unfortunately we do not receive any external funding for most of our courses/events and rely on large amounts of voluntary input.
See the cancellations and refunds policy.
Booking the Green Roofs course
Booking is essential, as most of our courses/events are fully booked weeks in advance. However, if places are still available, then bookings can be made until midday the day before the course/event. A place is not secured until we have received the requested payment.
Please do not book unless you are able to pay for your place.
Paying for your place
Please read this section carefully, as you could lose your booking.
When you complete the booking process, you will receive a confirmation email from us. If you haven't received that email within the next few hours, please contact us immediately, as this email contains vital information regarding your booking.
You can pay when you book your place using a credit/debit card or PayPal, or you can tick the 'Pay later' box (in the Event Fee section), which gives you the option to pay by BACS or send us a cheque after you have booked.
If you tick the pay later box, you will have 7 days to pay for your place. Bookings that remain unpaid on our system for longer than that will be cancelled. You will receive notification of this cancellation by email. If you then decide you want to come, you will need to contact us to see if there is a still a place available for you.
If you are booking within two weeks of the course, you will not have the option to pay later. Instead, you will need to pay immediately at the point of booking using a credit card or PayPal. This will also be the only option available if the course is nearly fully booked.
Be certain that you understand ALL the information on this page, then:
Coming soon... register here for the next course
If places are available, you will automatically be taken to the booking form.
Contact us
For further information or if you have problems with your registration, please contact us.
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