Wavin PolderRoof
The revolutionary Wavin PolderRoof transforms flat roofs into water reservoirs, boosting climate resilience, building performance and biodiversity.
Rethinking Urban Spaces with Blue-Green Roofs
The Wavin PolderRoof is an effective tool for developers, investors, architects, landscapers, designers and engineers who want to wanting to increase sustainability within urban environments. This objective is growing as rapid urbanization brings water-related challenges to the fore and makes sustainable water management an urgent priority. Alongside the risk of flooding and droughts, 25% of large cities now face water stress.
This scarcity undermines reliable water supply, curtailing green spaces' development and the myriad benefits they bring to urban spaces and the people who live and work in them.
Developing a more sustainable approach to our urban environments requires a new approach to urban design based on a circular water economy. Instead of draining water away, it’s time to capture, collect and repurpose it to build more climate-resilient cities.
This process can start at the top – repurposing dense, flat-roofed cityscapes as water harvesting systems. Innovative stormwater management solutions like smart blue-green roofs are a powerful way to enhance building resilience, replenish biodiversity and create healthier, happier urban environments.
Wavin PolderRoof: A Smart Approach to Rainwater Management
Wavin PolderRoof transforms the flat roofs of new or existing buildings into controlled water reservoirs. The system incorporates integrated irrigation and a horizontal attenuation layer.
Making Cities More Sustainable, One Drop At A Time
Using its advanced technology, Wavin PolderRoof contributes to a positive water balance by storing water and making it available for plants, evaporation, building cooling and water reuse, especially during growing seasons.
In times of water shortage and drought, its storage can be actively replenished via another - ideally sustainable - water resource to continue improving biodiversity, urban climate resilience and building efficiency.
How the PolderRoof Structure Contributes to the Water Cycle
Wavin PolderRoof comprises multiple layers:
• An extensive/intensive green roof with substrate.
• A capillary fleece.
• AquaCell 85/160 water storage.
• A protective fleece.
• A warm roof structure with sealing.
When it rains, water infiltrates the soil, collects in the Wavin AquaCell 85/160 system, and supplies plants with water even during dry periods via capillary fleece and evaporation - keeping the roof lush and green.
Benefits of Wavin PolderRoof
Ecological Benefits of Wavin PolderRoof
The Hydrological Advantages of Wavin PolderRoof
Proactive water level adjustment and increased water storage mean Wavin PolderRoof demonstrates high retention rates of 70 to 97%. It also provides up to 70% evapotranspiration with evaporation rates reaching 4 mm/day.
Thanks to passive, self-watering irrigation, which brings water from the retention area to the substrate via capillarity, the roof stays green with little need for additional watering, making it a sustainable choice.
Heating and Cooling: Thermal Benefits of a Blue-Green Roof
The surface temperature of Wavin PolderRoof is less affected by changes in air temperature when compared to a black roof. Differences of around −15°C have been recorded during hot periods and +5°C degrees Celsius during cold ones.
A cooler roof in hot temperatures also benefits the efficiency of any solar panels, making an important contribution to energy efficiency.
Starting at the Top: PolderRoof’s Sustainability and Ecological Benefits
By collecting rainwater directly on the roof, Wavin PolderRoof alleviates pressure on urban sewage systems and reduces the risk of flooding. This stored rainwater then supplies vegetation on the green roof, protecting limited drinking water resources while optimizing conditions for biodiversity to thrive. As it grows and flourishes, this sustainable rooftop greenery also creates wellbeing-boosting green spaces for people who live or work nearby.