Green roof supply jeopardised by Brexit border disruption

Construction managers overseeing domestic and commercial projects incorporating green roofs need to plan carefully to best manage supply chain issues created by Brexit.

Many of the roll-out green roof systems popular in the UK are European imports of sedum and wildflower blankets, and rely on delivery within a set timeframe to ensure the sedum arrives in a suitable condition for the roof to establish successfully. However, high levels of freight traffic in ports, compliance with new import regulations and border disruption could delay deliveries, creating issues in the supply chain and potential delays on-site.

Julian Thurbin, Director of UK grower and system supplier Wallbarn, said: “The sedum element of roll-out green roofs is usually delivered to site on a just-in-time basis, because the plants are delicate and should not, we believe, be left rolled up for longer than 72 hours. Clients, therefore, need to know how their supplier is managing the situation and the plans in place to ensure on-time deliveries. As a result, he notes that British producers have been experiencing higher than normal levels of enquiries from specifiers and purchasing departments looking to secure a home-grown green roof supply through the first quarter of 2021 and onwards.

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