Unexpected guests swarm new UCD Moore Centre for Business
Green initiatives contribute to UCD’s Strategic Campus Development Plan
The UCD Moore Centre for Business, the new wing of the UCD Lochlann Quinn School at the UCD Belfield campus, is set to officially open on September 2 but that didn’t stop some visitors from creating a buzz ahead of schedule. Hundreds of honey and bumble bees descended on the building’s new green roof, which is currently in bloom with small, pink flowers.
“Our vision is that this new, world-class facility will be a hive of activity for our students, but we didn’t anticipate other members of the public flying in at such a rapid rate,” said Director of the UCD Quinn School Professor Maeve Houlihan with a smile. “Of course, we encourage the cross-pollination of ideas in the UCD Quinn School and welcome our new guests to cohabitate with us for a more environmentally friendly future.”
The bees were attracted to the Irish-grown, green roof system which has a number of positive impacts on the environment. Not only does the roof promote urban biodiversity, but improves stormwater management by reducing rainwater runoff and enhances overall water quality. The greenery also reduces dust and air pollutants and provides heat insulation, which helps to advance the University’s sustainability goals.
The extensive vegetated roofing system is composed of a range of different plant varieties including sedums, small grasses, herbs and flowering herbaceous plants, all which require minimal maintenance. Species in the green roof may include Sedum Acre Aureum, Sedum Album Coral Carpet, Sedum Album Mini, Sedum Hispanicum, Sedum Summer Glory, Sedum Reflexum or Sedum Weihenstephaner Gold.
The build-up of the roof includes a reservoir board to store stormwater which is then used to maintain the plants. In the courtyard of the UCD Moore Centre for Business, a pollinator garden will further support the ‘All-Ireland Pollinator Plan’ with pollen-rich flowers and safe nesting sites along the garden edges. In time, the open green space will be used to host student events.
A new bicycle park will also feature as part of the outdoor enhancements around the UCD Moore Centre for Business.
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