Green roof opens at Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability

Glascott Landscape & Civil has completed work on the Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability, following seven years of hard work.

Commissioned by North Sydney Council, the Coal Loader project saw the transformation of a former industrial site at Waverton into a learning hub for sustainable living. Glascott started on the project in 2011 with Stage 2 and has now delivered the much-anticipated Stage 4 — the conversion of the old coal-loading platform into one of Sydney’s largest publicly accessible green roofs.

Situated on Sydney Harbour, the concrete and sandstone platform structure is one hectare in size (approximately the length of seven Olympic-sized swimming pools end to end). A multipurpose recreational space, the green roof is set to house community ‘urban harvest’ plots irrigated by recycled stormwater, a performance and exhibition space, and extensive seating and viewing areas. It will be powered by five tracking solar arrays and 64 large solar panels.

The Glascott team spent two years managing the intricate refurbishment of this historic site, which required delicate restoration of coal-loading relics and structural rehabilitation on the platform and tunnel below. The coal tunnels and chutes have now been converted into sustainable facilitators, responsible for harvesting the rainwater that irrigates the green roof on the platform. Work in Tunnel 1 meanwhile included creating chambers that run the full length of the tunnel with varying doorways and sensor lights leading from one end to the other, providing a creative and interesting space for cultural events such as art shows.

The platform also includes a lift to access all levels of the site and signage that tells the story of the original coal-loading operations at this heritage site.