Introduction to Green Roofs

The Living Roofs Academy is running an Introduction to Green Roofs workshop at Hayley Court on Thursday 19 November, and it's one of those days that'll take you from the classroom to the actual thing. It's a full-day session, starting at 09:30, and it's built around a mix of classroom learning and practical, real-world demonstrations, so you're not just sitting and listening for eight hours straight. There's an on-site café and regular breaks, which is a relief when you're spending a whole day on one subject.

They've put together a broad run of ground to cover. You'll start with the history and evolution of green roofs, then move into the more technical side: health and safety, structural requirements, and biodiversity. From there, it goes into the full range of green roof components, project planning, and the environmental and energy benefits. There's also a look at the role green roofs play in SUDS — sustainable urban drainage systems — which is a big part of why they're used in the first place. It's designed for both domestic and commercial sectors, so it works whether you're thinking about a small home project or something on a larger scale.

It's aimed at anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of green roofs, and the crowd they're expecting is a wide one: landscapers, homeowners, and designers, alongside facilities teams, planners, and anyone just curious about how urban greening can shape the future of the built environment. If you're in any of those lines of work, it's a good way to get a proper handle on the subject in a single day.

Everyone who completes the course gets a GRO (Green Roof Organisation) Introduction to Green Roofs certificate, which you can later upgrade to a GRO Skills Card through further training or an assessed module. Tickets are £294 via Eventbrite, and the workshop runs from 09:30 at Hayley Court, Linford Wood, Milton Keynes, MK14 6GD.