In urban environments, people do not always have access to public parks or natural areas close to home. So, when the industry is forever building ‘up’, the obvious solution is to situate these high-in-demand areas on top of our rooftops. Not only do roof gardens create a place for ultimate relaxation, they also enable wildlife to thrive.

To keep these landscapes flourishing, it’s essential to have high performing Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in place from the outset. Without these, problems can occur later down the line and the gardens won’t receive the benefits.

In this issue, FC&A highlights a compelling project, where a series of roof gardens and patios have been sensitively developed by Blackdown Greenroofs, catering to the large number of young families and working parents in the community at The Old Vinyl Factory, West London. Turn to page 13 to find out more.

In order to continue to create these much-loved rooftop spaces, it’s important that we consider the fundamentals in the construction process. Working at height has become an increasingly important subject, with the risks endless if best practice is not followed. In this month’s issue, our contributors from HCL Safety and NASC offer their top tips and list the important role of principal designers to influence safe working at height.

Elsewhere in this issue, Proteus Facades explores how modern rainscreen cladding materials are helping to bring older buildings into the 21st century, Sapphire Balustrades explains how balcony fires can be avoided by specifying balconies that minimise the spread of fire and SAS International reflects on how architects can reach new heights with metal ceilings.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget, you can also access all of the magazine’s features, product news and supplier information on FC&A’s user-friendly and engaging website. Fully responsive, the website allows you to read all the latest stories on-the-go either on your phone or tablet. Simply search www.fca-magazine.com.