Due for completion in December, 2006, our house is a green roof/ semi earth sheltered property with a flat roof. We are building in the grounds of an old hall on a sloping piece of land into which we are embedding the building. This is the first green roof in the Borough of Rotherham. The flat green roof was an attractive option to a pitched roof considering we are in the grounds of an old hall. Our roof, although not desired to be accessible, gives the impression of a terrace area to the hall or a level extension to the garden. Access shall be limited to myself. Original thoughts were to have grass, but now I desire a low maintenance attractive roof.

I am building the structural walls myself from from a polystyrene product from www.polarwall.co.uk, an excellent cost effective method for retaining walls with super insulation. At present I have not decided how to build up roof of water proof but I have allowed 200mm (potentially upto 500mm) for substrate on the top of the concrete beam roof.