Projects
Project Post 1
As part of GreenBlue Urban’s ongoing commitment to the further development of its products and
Integrating trees into sustainable drainage systems to manage surface water while delivering long-term urban greening. GreenBlue Urban provides infrastructure and technical guidance that allows trees to function as part of effective surface water management strategies.
Managing surface water in urban environments is becoming increasingly important as development intensifies and rainfall patterns change.
At the same time, cities are increasingly seeking to increase tree cover while managing surface water more effectively.
Delivering both objectives within constrained urban spaces presents several challenges:
Soil cell systems create a load-bearing structural framework
beneath pavements, allowing soil to remain uncompacted and
available for root development.
This approach supports both the structural requirements of the
pavement and the biological needs of the tree.
Uneven load transfer through the
pavement structure
Reduced rootable soil volume available to
the tree
Additional materials and construction
steps
Increased complexity during installation
When designed and installed correctly,
soil cell systems allow urban trees to
thrive while surrounding infrastructure
continues to perform.
Tree-based SuDS combine tree planting infrastructure with sustainable drainage principles.
This approach allows rainwater to be captured, filtered and stored within tree pits and surrounding soil volumes.
Key benefits include:
When designed correctly, tree pits can form an integral part of a wider sustainable drainage strategy.
Tree-based SuDS combine urban tree planting with sustainable drainage infrastructure, allowing green and blue infrastructure to work together.
Structural soil cell systems distribute loads through a continuous
framework beneath the pavement structure.
Maintaining continuity within the system is important for both
load distribution and soil volume performance.
Design approaches that introduce gaps between structural units or rely on additional structural layers above the system can introduce several challenges:
Uneven load transfer through the pavement structure
Reduced rootable soil volume available to the tree
Additional materials and construction steps
Increased complexity during installation
For this reason, many urban tree planting schemes
favour continuous soil cell structures that provide
predictable structural performance while maintaining
consistent soil volumes.
Sustainability is an important consideration in modern
infrastructure projects.
Many GreenBlue Urban soil cell systems are manufactured using
high levels of recycled materials while maintaining the structural
performance required for demanding urban environments.
Durable construction and long service life also help reduce the
environmental impact associated with replacement or repair over
time.
GreenBlue Urban provides several structural soil cell systems
used across a range of urban tree planting applications.
2001
2007
2016
RootSpace creates large volumes of rootable soil beneath paved environments while supporting structural loads.
Maximum soil volume available for root
growth
Flexible modular layouts around utilities and
services
Efficient installation compatible with construction programmes
Manufactured from fully recycled material
StrataCell provides structural soil support beneath paved surfaces while maintaining soil volumes for tree root
a solution suited to a wide range of streetscape and landscape applications
high load-bearing capacity for streets and the public realm
a modular layout for constrained or irregular tree pits
rapid installation with tool-free click assembly
The original modular root chamber system introduced in 2001, with a proven track record in urban tree planting.
stable underground structural support through
interlocking units
products manufactured from recycled
polypropylene
effective root development in constrained or
limited planting spaces
a compact system for smaller planting schemes
Case studies demonstrating tree-based SuDS in streets, public realm and development projects.
As part of GreenBlue Urban’s ongoing commitment to the further development of its products and
Im Rahmen des kontinuierlichen Engagements von GreenBlue Urban zur Weiterentwicklung seiner Produkte und Lösungen wurde
Das Konzept der Schwammstadt hat sich als nachhaltiger Ansatz etabliert, um den zunehmenden Herausforderungen des
CPDs, design guidance and technical documentation used during
specification and project delivery.
Support can include:
This support helps ensure tree-based drainage systems function
effectively while supporting long-term tree health.
Delivering tree-based sustainable drainage systems typically incorporates several infrastructure components.
These elements allow tree pits to contribute to surface water management while supporting long-term tree growth.
Independent studies provide evidence supporting the performance of our SuDS systems, providing confidence in their effectiveness.
