According to a study conducted into the relationship between green spaces and their communities by Glasgow University and St Andrews University in November 2008, access to green open space can measurably improve the wellbeing of a community by alleviating stress and reducing blood pressure. It was even suggested that simply being able to look out on to green spaces can improve post-surgery recovery rates.

 

Largely, however, the report highlights what many in the landscaping sector already know; that the link between the built environment and green open spaces goes far beyond simple aesthetic appeal. With the rise of the green agenda and a growing population, the creation of wholly sustainable communities relies not just on the built environment but on the spaces in between and landscape architects and landscaping professionals are well placed to play a central role in this drive.

 

For example, landscape architects are increasingly able to specify innovative ‘green’ design features such as sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) and green roofs. It is anticipated that quality compost will make an ideal substrate for use in green roofs, which look set to become an increasingly popular way to introduce green spaces into an urban environment.

 

For designers, green roofs are not only an opportunity to improve the aesthetics of a building, they can help to save on energy costs, remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and absorb and hold rainwater. They do, however, rely heavily on the substrate used in their development, and a series of new WRAP-supported trials will identify exactly how quality compost can be used as part of a reliable growing medium to help promote the growth of roof-top vegetation.

 

But even where high-end aesthetic uses aren’t deemed necessary, landscapers and landscape architects can still contribute towards an increase in the sustainability of a project. Take soil manufacture for example, where existing on-site materials can be mixed with BSI PAS 100 compost to produce a reliable, consistent topsoil that can be used for landscaping requirements. In doing this, landscapers have the opportunity to reuse rather than dispose of existing site resources, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and eliminating the need to import replacement material. Crucially, it also represents a way to make significant cost savings, such as the avoidance of Landfill Tax and other waste disposal costs, highlighting that sustainability can make good financial sense.

 

For landscape architects and landscapers alike, WRAP’s ongoing series of trials will continue to provide further information on the technical, financial and practical benefits of quality compost use. However, landscape architects can already respond to a growing need for better correlation between sustainable communities and open spaces by ensuring that their expertise is drawn on from the very outset of a design project. Crucially, this will allow landscape architects to strengthen their position, access new business opportunities and prove that sustainable design starts from the ground up.