The past decade has seen a steady increase in the number of green, brown and biodiverse roofs being installed across the UK.  

Installed in both new build and refurbishment work the addition of planting and growing media to the roof provides a wide range of benefits to the building and the surrounding environment, including the replacement or replication of habitat lost through decades of construction.

As the industry developed, a number of roofing system manufacturers, green roofing contractors, and academic organisations recognised the need for clear UK guidance that would support the growth of a quality industry and provide clients, specifiers and the wider construction industry with confidence in what many see as new technology.  This recognition led to the foundation of the Green Roof Organisation (GRO) in 2008.

In 2009 GRO issued its initial Guidance Document and embarked on creating The GRO Green Roof Code 2011 in conjunction with Sheffield University and Livingroofs.org.  This Guide to Best Practice is the most downloaded document to date on the NFRC website and is widely distributed by the GRO members and allied organisations.

Following a 12 month review, 2013 will see the release of a revised GRO Green Roof Code, with expansion of the all sections but with particular regard to design, plant selection, installation and maintenance.  These updates help ensure that the GRO Code remains the ‘Bible’ for the industry, until the next update in 2015.

If you undertake any green roofing work - are you registered for GRO, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.