1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Wirral
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Green Roof at Irene Kennedy Centre
Short description of the intervention
The scheme of the single storey extension building ‘the Irene Kennedy Centre’ (Wirral Churches’ Ark Project, known as, Wirral Ark; a registered charity) includes a sedum roof which provides a more pleasant outlook from the existing upper floor bedrooms, whilst also maximizing environmental potential. (Ref. 1)
Address

6 Sandford Street
Birkenhead, Wirral
CH41 1BN
United Kingdom

Location
Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Building
Website of the intervention
http://www.denovodesign.ltd.uk/wirral-ark
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2010
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2010
End date of the intervention
2010
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Please specify "other" stage of the intervention
The design for the Wirral Ark (i.e. Wirral Churches’ Ark Project, known as, Wirral Ark; a registered charity), which has been phased over a number of years, included: to provide much needed hostel accommodation, (commenced 2001) and the most recent phase, the Irene Kennedy Centre, (2010), is a single storey extension building. (Ref. 1)
Goals of the intervention
Aim of the roof scheme: maximizing environmental potential by: “reducing storm water run-off into existing drains, providing additional thermal insulation, providing a habitat for birds and insects. The whole project was designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible – both to reduce energy and water costs, and to provide a more healthy and inspirational environment”. (Ref. 1)
-The Irene Kennedy Centre, a new single storey, multi-purpose extension to existing Hostel for the Homeless, part of an ongoing phased development at the Wirral Ark, which incorporates the green roof. (Ref. 2) Also, the CEO of Wirral Ark said "As an organisation we are keen to protect our planet and recycle, reuse and turn off as much as we can. This roof is a continuation of this policy." (Ref. 2, 3)
Quantitative targets
Creation of a green (sedum) roof to “reducing storm water run-off into existing drains, providing additional thermal insulation, providing a habitat for birds and insects”. (Ref. 1, 3)
Monitoring indicators defined
Unknown
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Water management (SDG 6)
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Improving physical health
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Implementation activities
“The Irene Kennedy Centre, a single storey, multi-purpose extension to existing Hostel for the Homeless, part of an ongoing phased development at the Wirral Ark”. The scheme “maximises use of environmental products to minimise running costs and conserve resources. Incorporates a modular green sedum roof to allow for relocation of the trays in the event of future extension upwards. The green roof as well as providing a pleasing outlook from the first and second floors, also helps to moderate room temperature, whilst also helping to reduce water surges into the drainage system”. The Irene Kennedy Centre is winner of “the Green Apple Environmental Best Practice Award 2010 and Built Environment Award 2011”. (Ref. 2)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Nature on buildings (external)
Green roofs
Type of Green Roof
Extensive Green Roof: depth 3 - 5 inches; plants: Mosses, Sedums, Succulents, Herbs and few Grasses; Low maintenance and costs
Vegetation Type
Other
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
Part of the building offering hostels and other opportunities for homeless people (Ref 2)
Amenities offered by the NBS
Other
Please specify "other marginalized group"
Homeless (Ref 2)
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes)
Regulating services
Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)
Flood regulation
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Mental and physical health and wellbeing
Scale
Spatial scale
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Non-government organisation/Civil Society
Marginalized groups
Other
Please specify "other primary beneficiary"
Charity: Wirral Churches’ Ark Project, known as, Wirral Ark is a registered charity (Ref 1)
Marginalized groups
Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
Other
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Private sector/Corporate/Business
Other
Please specify other non-government actors involved
Part of Wirral Ark's policy (Wirral Ark i.e. Wirral Churches’ Ark Project is a registered charity). (Ref. 2)
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
“The Irene Kennedy Centre, a single storey, multi-purpose extension to existing Hostel for the Homeless, part of an ongoing phased development at the Wirral Ark”. Part of Wirral Ark's policy (Wirral Ark i.e. Wirral Churches’ Ark Project is a registered charity). (Ref. 2) Designed by Denovo Design Architects and built by Wirral Construction Company, JFW Construction. (Ref. 3) . Funded through National Lottery Charity funding and donations from local businesses. (Ref. 4)
Key actors - initiating organization
Non-government organisation/civil society
Citizens or community group
Other
Please specify other key actors – Initiating organization
Charity: Wirral Churches’ Ark Project, known as, Wirral Ark is a registered charity (Ref 1)
Land owners
Other
Please specify other Key actors - Other stakeholders involved
Part of Wirral Ark's policy (Wirral Ark i.e. Wirral Churches’ Ark Project is a registered charity). (Ref. 2)
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Non-government organisation/civil society
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Other
Land owners
Other
Please specify other land owner
Non-government organization / civil society (Ref. 2)
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Taskforce groups
Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
Please specify other landowner
Non-government organization / civil society (Ref. 2)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
No
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
Part of Wirral Ark’s policy. The CEO of Wirral Ark said "As an organisation we are keen to protect our planet and recycle, reuse and turn off as much as we can. This roof is a continuation of this policy." (Ref. 2, 3)
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Wirral's Climate Change Strategy promotes the use of green roofs to limit run-off and provide shade. (Ref. 5)
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Please specify other vegetation type
sedum roof (Ref 1)
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The building (the Wirral Ark moved into Mary Cole House in 2001, in Sandford Street, Birkenhead, where it has operated to the present day) was funded through National Lottery Charity funding and donations from local businesses. (Ref. 4)
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
Other
Please specify other source of funding
Funded through National Lottery Charity funding and donations from local businesses. (Ref. 4)
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Donations
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Green densification model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Technological
Product innovation
Please specify technological innovation
Creation of a green (sedum) roof to “reducing storm water run-off into existing drains, providing additional thermal insulation, providing a habitat for birds and insects”. (Ref. 1, 3)
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is completely new without connections to previous initiative(s)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The Irene Kennedy Centre, a new single storey, multi-purpose extension to existing Hostel for the Homeless, part of an ongoing phased development at the Wirral Ark, which incorporates the green roof. (Ref. 2) Also, the CEO of Wirral Ark said "As an organisation we are keen to protect our planet and recycle, reuse and turn off as much as we can. This roof is a continuation of this policy." (Ref. 2, 3)
Replicability/Transferability
Ambiguous (e.g. multiple interpretations)
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
As mentioned above, the CEO of Wirral Ark said "As an organisation we are keen to protect our planet and recycle, reuse and turn off as much as we can. This roof is a continuation of this policy." (Ref. 2, 3)
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Lowered local temperature
Environmental quality
Improved waste management
Reduced noise exposure
Water management and blue areas
Improved stormwater management
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased number of species present
Description of environmental benefits
Creation of a green (sedum) roof to “reducing storm water run-off into existing drains, providing additional thermal insulation, providing a habitat for birds and insects”. (Ref. 1, 3)
The green roof: maximizing environmental potential by: “reducing storm water run-off into existing drains, providing additional thermal insulation, providing a habitat for birds and insects". (Ref. 1)
-The Irene Kennedy Centre, a new single storey, multi-purpose extension to existing Hostel for the Homeless, part of an ongoing phased development at the Wirral Ark, which incorporates the green roof. (Ref. 2) Also, the CEO of Wirral Ark said "As an organisation we are keen to protect our planet and recycle, reuse and turn off as much as we can. This roof is a continuation of this policy." (Ref. 2, 3)
Sound insulation is referenced as an impact of green roofs (Ref 3)

Economic impacts
Unknown
Please specify other socio-cultural impact
Part of the building offering hostels and other opportunities for homeless people (Ref 2)
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
Other
Description of social and cultural benefits
-social justice: Part of the building offering hostels and other opportunities for homeless people (Ref 2)
Type of reported impacts
No impacts reported
Indicators
The green roof: maximizing environmental potential by: “reducing storm water run-off into existing drains, providing additional thermal insulation, providing a habitat for birds and insects". (Ref. 1)
“The scheme incorporates a number of environmental features, however the GreenGrid Modular Green Roof is considered to be the jewel in the crown. In addition to providing the already familiar benefits of being easy to install and supplying an instant established appearance, GreenGrid was particularly specified as it offers the client flexibility for the future, should plans to extend the building upwards be implemented.” (Ref. 3)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Water management (SDG 6)
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of Aug 30, 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref. 1
Ref. 2
Ref. 3
Ref. 4
Ref. 5
List of references
Ref. 1. Riba Architecture (2010) The Wirral Ark Sheltered Housing. Denovo Design Ldt Projects. Information obtained: 2017-07-25. [Website not available in 2020]
Ref. 2. Denovo Design (2012) Wirral Ark. Information obtained: 2017-07-25. [Website not available in 2020]
Ref. 3. RBKC Gov UK (n.d.) Greengrid Modular Green Roof System. SealEco Ltd. Source: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/idoxWAM/doc/Other-1903346.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=1903346&location=Volume2&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1 [Accessed on 27 August 2020]
Ref. 4. Wirral Ark (n.d.) Our History. About us. Wirral Churches’ Ark Project, Wirral. Information obtained: 2017-07-25. Source: https://wirralark.org.uk/about-us/our-history/ [Accessed on 27 August 2020]
Ref. 5. Wirral Council (2014) Wirral climate change strategy 2014-2019. Cool Wirral climate change action. Source: https://www.wirral.gov.uk/sites/default/files/all/About%20the%20council/climate%20change/Wirral%20Climate%20Change%20Strategy%202014-2019.pdf [Accessed on 27 August 2020]
Comments and notes
Additional insights
2020 comments:
As all the multiple layers of a traditional built up green roof are contained in each module, it is a simple exercise to lift the GreenGrid modules and set them aside to be replaced when the additional levels have been built.” (Ref. 3)

The Irene Kennedy Centre at the Wirral Ark has been awarded a Gold International Environmental Best Practice Award for its contribution to the environment. In addition to a prestigious Gold, this project has also been awarded a Silver International Award for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage. (Ref. 3)
Pictures of the NBS
/sites/default/files/nbs/images/irene_k_centre_wirral_ark_ref_1.jpg
Public Images
Irene K Centre Wirral Ark (Ref. 1)
Irene K Centre Wirral Ark (Ref. 1)
Irene K Centre Wirral Ark (Ref. 1)