For most, urban heat management is a given, but flood management? Approximately one square metre of WaterUps wicking cells will store 101 litres or water. This makes them a great rain capture and storage system, reducing the impact of intense rain events in our cities. 

In Toronto, Canada, over 700 rooftop gardens are now doing just that while providing additional usable space and food farms. 

Since 2005 Toronto has suffered six major flood events, exacerbated by roads, footpaths and buildings not absorbing rain downpour. As a result, stormwater floods the city’s sewerage system onto the streets. This is an issue also experienced in many Australian and International cities.

In 2021 Toronto became the first city in North America to make green roofs or rooftop gardens mandatory for all large new buildings. Their rooftop gardens equal 73 football fields, capturing up to 70 percent of rainwater during storms and sustaining a number of thriving urban farm enterprises, bolstering fresh food supplies. 

Internationally, rooftop gardens have been used extensively in Madrid for decades as a cooling device and more recently in Italy. UK, Canada, North America and France to cool buildings, avoid flooding, grow food locally and provide better natural habitats.