Rooftop garden tests
No moss mats, no green facade as a test for "urban farming".
The solution was a "roof garden" test.
Four test plots were developed in collaboration with partner Ecoworks. A proven concept (standard), normal substrate, 5% biochar addition and 10% biochar addition.
Four small rooftop gardens
A test site was developed in collaboration with Ecoworks, a company specialising in the construction of roof gardens and ecological swimming ponds.
Four small roof gardens of 1 m² each were created. The roof garden was built according to the same protocol as a normal roof garden. The roof construction was re-evaluated using an EU wooden pallet. The pallet was sawn in half and used as a support so that all the 'roofs' were at the same height above the ground.
The roof garden was replicated as accurately as possible on the 1 m² roof platform. Four test plots were created based on the four initial scenarios.
- Roof garden 1: Standard plot with normal standard soil mix that is currently used in the construction of roof gardens.
- Roof garden 2: Soil composed of the normal boden mix enriched with the compost of ILVA.
- Roof garden 3: Existing soil mix enriched with 5% biochar.
- Roof garden 4: existing soil mix enriched with 10% biochar.
Each roof garden is equipped with an identical drainage and collection system for the drainage water.
The intention is to test the drainage water for quality. Is there a difference in the quality of the drainage water between the different gardens? Is there a difference in the amount of drainage water?
Initial results will be available by the end of 2023. In addition, long-term detailed studies will be carried out in collaboration with the University of Ghent. Further publications will be produced in the follow-up project: CASCADE.
