by Brianna Crandall — September 21, 2015—VersiDrain 25P water retention and drainage trays from Elmich were recently selected to be installed on the concrete roof of the McDonald’s restaurant in Jurong Central Park in Australia to create a green roof.
Green roofs not only enhance the aesthetic appearance of buildings but also assist with waterproofing the rooftop and protect the roof skin from extreme ultraviolet (UV) exposure, reminds Elmich. In addition to integrating well with the green surroundings, the greening of the roof considerably reduces the ambient temperature, keeping the interior of the building cool even if the exterior faces the full brunt of the sun.
In this installation, the green roof is expected to help the restaurant reduce energy consumption through lower air-conditioning requirements and also to mitigate the urban heat island effect (UHIE).
VersiDrain 25P water retention and drainage trays, the principal components of Elmich’s green roof system, were installed over the concrete mushroom-shaped roof of the restaurant to facilitate efficient drainage of excess water and to allow water and soluble nutrients stored in the cells to be returned, via evaporation and capillary action, to the primarily inorganic planting medium during dry periods. This effectively reduces the need to irrigate the roof while helping to maintain healthy plant growth.
The resultant green roof is also designed to blend seamlessly into the green environment of the Jurong Central Park. Additional photos of the project are available on the McDonald’s project page of the Elmich Web site.
