Case Study: Macaulay Point Pump Station Green Roof, Esquimalt BC 

The design of the new Macaulay Point Pump Station in Victoria, British Columbia applies Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles. The pump station slopes towards the ocean and includes a low maintenance green roof, a rain garden, native plants to reduce irrigation requirements and low-level lighting to minimize light pollution.  The landscape focused design by LADR Landscape Architects offers a universally accessible lookout to visitors. LADR’s extensive planting design means that, including the green roof, over 75% of the site is vegetated. The LiteN’Less Classic II system was selected for this project.  It is a minimalist lightweight “soilless” green roof system also found on other public sector buildings in British Columbia.

Macaulay Point Pump Station Green Roof System 

The LiteN’Less Classic II consists of 4 flexible layers 

Security strips were installed at the top and halfway down the slope to anchor the green roof layers to prevent sliding on the 10% slope.  As water runs off quicker on sloped roofs due to gravity, a drip irrigation system was installed to supplement the green roof as needed. 

 

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Macaulay Point Pump Station & Stormwater Management 

The beautiful landscape surrounding the building also manages stormwater on site and it starts with the green roof.  Rainwater is retained on the green roof and any excess exits the drains at the bottom of the roof.  The roof runoff falls on a permeable aggregate strip and continues down the landscaped slope to the rain garden, where the water is stored and allowed to infiltrate back to the ground.  This treatment train showcases how green infrastructures work together to manage stormwater on site. 

Added Amenity for Local Community  

The one-storey building was designed to minimize the environmental impact and enhance the amenity space at its waterfront location.  It was constructed out of BC wood and sports a pitched vegetated roof that slopes towards the ocean.  The building integrates with the surrounding landscape featuring native plants to lower irrigation needs and a rain garden to reduce site runoff.  A recreational area was created between the pump station and the waterfront, completed with accessible pathways, benches and picnic tables, for public enjoyment. 

The Macaulay Point Pump Station pumps wastewater from western core area municipalities and the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations to the McLoughlin Point Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) through the Macaulay Forcemain, a 1350-mm diameter pipe that connects the two facilities.  Instead of being directly discharged into the ocean at the original pump station, the sewage will now receive tertiary treatment at the McLoughlin Point WWTP thanks to the new pump station. 

Acknowledgements 

Thank you to everyone who worked to make this project a success.

Owner: Capital Regional District 

General Contractor: Kenaidan Contracting Ltd

Landscape Architect: LADR Landscape Architects

Consultant: Kerr Wood Leidal Consulting Engineers 

Landscape Contractor: Mammoth Landscaping & Masonry 


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NLSM is Canada’s leading supplier of pre-vegetated roofs such as LiteN’Less™, Xeroflor® and StormCap™ systems. We customize to local requirements. Offer warranty& maintenance support, provide ​stormwater calculations specific to location ​and building/roof type, stormwater test data & related innovative hydrologic modeling. Email or call (416) 637-5772 Ext 1.