Polypipe has emphasised the importance of green infrastructure and pioneering water management solutions to prevent flooding and cool the environment.
At Polypipe's InfraGreen Conference in Westminster yesterday, Sales and Marketing Director Andrew Cullum explained how global warming causes extreme weather such as hotter temperatures and flash floods. He said it is imperative that the design of infrastructure changes to become more environmentally friendly.
The conference focused on green spaces in urban areas, such as high-rise buildings with trees and plants on the roof, where the public can exercise or sit.
Piping systems manufacturer Polypipe recommends using Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems on these roofs to manage rainwater and reuse it to nourish the plants. SUDSs capture rainwater and allow it to run-off into ponds and filtrate into the soil underneath, feeding the plants. This process helps reduce the amount of water filling up sewers and reduce the risk of flooding.
SUDSs contain a Geomembrane which cleans the water as it filters through, removing oil and contamination. Water evaporating from the plants cools the air, and the plants themselves provide shade - mitigating the effect of rising temperatures.
The area also gives residents a place to exercise and be around nature which has been linked to improving mental health.
Jason Shingleton, Marketing and Development Director at Polypipe, said: “Increasingly, planners, developers, designers and installers are looking to employ alternative drainage strategies.
“Those based on nature, which control and manage rainwater where it falls (at source) but also protect and enhance the urban environment.
“These are truly modern times, and we need truly modern water management solutions to keep up.”
