Landscape Engineering Images
LANDSCAPE ENGINEERING
Roof Garden
A Roof Garden or Green Roof, as the name implies, refers to the roof of a building that is designed to be covered with vegetation or greenery, all planted over a waterproofing membrane in order to prevent seepages and erosion.
There are two types of Green Roofs, intensive and extensive, depending on the maintenance required and the depth of planting medium. Some Green Roofs also include additional layers that are helpful to the growth of the vegetation such as a root barrier, and drainage and irrigation systems, depending on the size of the Green Roof.
Roof Gardens are frequently designed to satisfy specific engineering and performance goals, and Intensive Green Roofs are roofs which have the capability to become quite deep and merge into large on-structure plaza landscapes with features such as promenades, lawns, large perennial plants, bushes and trees.
The obvious economic benefits of Green Roofs are:- Green Roofs serve as insulation to reduce heat flux through the roof.
- Heating/cooling costs can be reduced by up to 25%.
- It also has property benefits as a Green Roof increases property Value by lessening the stress due to thermal expansion and contraction on the membrane, doubling the service life.
- It reduces noise levels by 50 dB.
- Cultivation of vegetables and food on Green Roofs can contribute to the food supplies of a company and enhances the company´s image.
- Green Roofs have social benefits since it fosters community interaction and has therapeutic effects to improve the health of its users.
ZTC´s Role
ZTC International is associated with Elmich, Singapore, a leading manufacturer of eco-friendly landscape engineering and construction products, to provide you with unique and state-of-the-art landscape designs and engineering solutions. The material used is VersiCell which is an efficient lightweight, high strength, interlocking drainage module that captures and transports high water volumes and protects the waterproofing membrane. It is ideally suited for use in intensive Green Roof systems where load weight bearing capacity and efficient drainage is important. ZTC provides efficient solutions in intensive and extensive Green Roof systems.
Storm Water Management
Storm Water refers to water from rainfall or snowmelt. This resource is of growing importance because of the increasing pressures of water requirements with demand exceeding supply. There are two main areas of managing storm water -- one relates to the volume and timing of runoff water and the other relates to potential contamination.
The benefits of a Storm Water system are similar to Rainwater Harvesting because both involve the collection of runoff. However, Storm Water helps to control flooding and erosion and prevents damage to the building structure. The water is collected in ponds, tanks or allowed to run into the rivers and streams. By collecting and treating storm water, there is a ready supply of water for secondary functions such as toilet flushing and landscaping, thereby saving funds otherwise spent on water supply.
ZTC´s Role
ZTC uses VersiTank storm water tanks which provide an efficient at-source Management system for rainwater from roofs and other impermeable surfaces such as parking areas, driveways, playgrounds and sports fields. Supplied by Elmich, VersiTank modules are easily assembled on-site by clipping together lightweight, high strength interlocking panels. Some of the benefits of the tanks are on-site retention of storm water, mitigation of downstream flooding, catering to all volume requirements, sub-surface installation that maximises site utilisation, allowing storm water to be filtered before infiltrating water tables or storm drains. For this no specialised installation equipment is required.
Rainwater Harvesting and Recharge systems.
Rainwater Harvesting is a system through which, the rainwater that collects on the roofs and the area around buildings, is directed into open wells through a filter tank or into a percolation chamber, built specifically for this purpose. Rainwater Harvesting offers the opportunity to decrease wastage of water and wastewater costs, which are rising faster than energy costs in some parts of the country. Other than the obvious monetary benefits, it is a relatively easy and excellent way to demonstrate environmental stewardship to the community and stakeholders.
In multiple occupancy buildings with large roof areas, harvested rainwater can be used to flush toilets, wash company vehicles, as a coolant in air conditioners, for fire suppression, industrial processes, landscape irrigation and housekeeping. It is estimated that Rainwater Harvesting systems can save up to 80% of the treated drinking water in a business or commercial building.
ZTC´s Role
ZTC, with Elmich, Singapore, provides top of the line Rainwater Harvesting and recharge systems for optimised utilisation. Elmich products have been installed in various projects worldwide on numerous international residential, commercial, infrastructure and industrial projects. ZTC uses VersiTank which is a heavy duty recycle plastic tank that allows either sub-surface infiltration or storage of rainwater or acts as storage tank of rainwater. VersiTank modules are easily assembled on site by clipping together lightweight, high strength interlocking panels. Assembled units can be interlocked both vertically and horizontally thereby ensuring the system remains stable under trafficable or high weight bearing load areas.