Water Management

Green roofs with Leca® LWA can help by retaining and even cleaning the water.  A green roof can improve the green area available, the habitat and biodiversity, the building physics and the water management.  

There are two types of green roofs, extensive and intensive, differentiated mainly by the cost, depth of growing medium and the choice of plants.

Which are the advantages of having a green roof? 
- Reduction of the “urban heat island” effect
- Reduction of rainwater runoff flow
- Improves the quality of water sent to drainage systems
- Improves air quality in cities
- Increases the building's thermal insulation level
- Improves acoustic comfort

Case study: https://www.leca.co.uk/case-studies/liverpool-grosvenor-paradise-green-roof-project 

When used as a hydroponic medium, Leca® LWA provides a reusable medium for the passage of water and nutrients, completely replacing soil in this form of cultivation.

The roots develop between the expanded clay granules, and feed on the nutrients dissolved in the water, which must always be kept at the bottom of the container.

Leca® LWA is chemically neutral and guarantees air, water and nutrients that penetrate directly into plant roots. At the same time, fungal spores, bacteria and harmful insects are avoided.

More information here: https://www.fiboexclay.de/anwendungen/innenbegruenung/hydrokultur  

The Leca® LWA solution stands out compared to traditional solutions due to its ability to drain and infiltrate water into the soil, its compaction capacity and, in the case of synthetic grass, it simulates a natural lawn due to the fact that the base is more flexible and favorable to impact absorption.

In cold climates you will be able to install heating ducts in the sub-soil and extend the playing time during cold and snowy season.

Advantages: 
- Low density 
- Hydrophilic 
- High insulation capacity 
- Drainage 
- Resistante to biologic attacks 
- Frost insulation and heating

Case study: https://www.leca.co.uk/case-studies/Star-City-Birmingham 

Leca® LWA is known to have filtering properties that benefits water quality. By incorporating Leca® LWA into biofilters or by using Leca-materials as dedicated filter strips,a wide range of pollutants and heavy metals can be removed  from runoff from infrastructure. Leca-materials can be used in soil mixes or as a stand-alone sublayer, for example in bioswales, and will contribute by facilitating immobilisation  or decomposition of contaminants.

Case study: https://www.leca.co.uk/case-studies/craven-cottage-fulham-fc-pitshside-drainage 

The lightweight of the Leca® LWA reduces the pressure exerted on to the pool perimeter walls and the thermal properties helps to insulate the pool.

The rounded and thermal nature of the Leca® LWA also make an ideal, protective bedding to the process pipework that surrounds and services the pool with any future maintenance requirement easily accessed.

Filtralite® Filter media can be used in the compression filters to reduce the back wash and save water. 

Case study: https://www.leca.co.uk/case-studies?filter=Swimming-Pool 

DRINKING WATER: With its unique porosity, Filtralite® Pure filter media offers optimum conditions for water to flow through the filter bed in order to retain more contaminants. This feature, main characteristic of the lightweight expanded clay material, allows for larger volumes of water to be filtered through the same volume as contact area is increased.
Water management facilities can thereby increase their output without having to rebuild and expand existing facilities simply by replacing the conventional filtering media with Filtralite products.

WASTE WATER: With its unique porosity, Filtralite® Clean filter media offers optimum conditions for biofilm growth and for water to flow through the filter bed in order to retain and remove more contaminants. This feature, main characteristic of the lightweight expanded clay material, allows for larger volumes of water to be filtered through the same volume as contact area is increased. Our products also decrease operation costs.

More information here: www.filtralite.com  

The tree snorkel increases the life chances of trees that suffer from unfavorable site conditions and extreme environmental conditions. The combination of tree snorkeling with soil improvement with Leca® LWA  in the planting pit is particularly effective.

Which are its advantages?
- Soil-gas exchange.
- Nutrient supply.
- Water reservoir.

More information here: https://www.fiboexclay.de/produkte/pflanzsubstrat-produkte/baumschnorchel 

Rain gardens are basins, or depressions, shallow and small in size, designed to collect and filter water from surface runoff, using vegetation and soil for this purpose.
The water that is collected and filtered is then naturally infiltrated into the soil or collected in a drain and sent to the drainage system.

Which are its advantages?
- They contribute to the aesthetic beauty of the place where it is located.
- Reduce the volume of surface runoff.
- They remove pollutants and some heavy metals from surface runoff.

Case study: https://www.leca.co.uk/case-studies/laureate-gardens-henley-thames 

Leca® Safe is used as anti-skid and sprinkled as an alternative to salt and gravel on pavements, driveways and the like. Leca® Safe settles into the surface, where it ensures a non-slip surface. Due to its low weight, the material floats in water, so if the snow dries and freezes again, the light tiles will still lie on the surface and ensure a non-slip surface.

Leca® Safe contains no harmful substances and is therefore not harmful to animal paws. Does not damage trees and bushes and is also not harmful to concrete and asphalt pavement.

When the snow melts, a large part of Leca® Safe floats away with the melt water and does not settle in sand traps and sewer pipes, but is directed away completely, where it can be "skimmed off" at central treatment plants and used for soil improvement.

More information here: https://www.fiboexclay.de/anwendungen/streugranulat-fur-privatanwender 

The run-off water drainage can be done through permeable pavements, for pedestrian and/or vehicle traffic, that allow rainwater to infiltrate the base layer.

How do they work? Infiltration occurs through:
- The covering material (concrete or bituminous, for example), which must be porous (porous pavement);
- The joints between the covering pieces that are normally waterproof (permeable flooring);

The sub-base must consist on a Leca® LWA layer to guarantee the water retention and storage capacity.

Which are its advantages?
- Increase soil permeability in urban areas.
- Improve water quality since  Leca® LWA, in the sub-base, function as a filter, retaining pollutants and heavy metals.
- Economical solution: eliminates the drainage system that a waterproof floor has to provide.
- Simple and reduced maintenance.

Leca® Sportsfiller brings life to your greens and save money for "wash away" nutrients.

Shortly after application you will discover that your lawn / green present: 
- More grass growth
- Larger roots
- Stronger plants
- Better utilisation of fertilizer 
- More resistant to sickness

So why that? Leca® Sportsfiller brings: 
- Air to the roots
- Drain of the surface
- Improve the soil
- Retain water
- Retain th efertilizer close to the roots

On the fairway, driving range or driveways, LECA® LWA will help draining the lawn extending access and play time.

More information here: https://www.leca.dk/node/1726