Client
Services
Year
Location
Auckland Council, Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience
Research + Strategy + Policy
2026 · Published report TR2026/9
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Helping Council identify practical ways to support living roofs as climate resilience infrastructure.
Living roof opportunities and recommendations
From research to decisions.
Auckland Council needed to understand what would enable wider, appropriate use of living roofs. The report examines their contribution to stormwater management, urban cooling and biodiversity, alongside the barriers to uptake.
Our contribution
Zoë Avery and Jonathon Avery led the report. The Urbanist ran consultation with technical experts, managed delivery of the document, and created much of its design work and imagery. We brought monitoring evidence, international experience and policy analysis together in a report that makes the options and recommendations clear.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei contributed guidance and authorship. The work also drew on Auckland Council, Koru Environmental, the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science and Tektus Consultants. Monitoring research is credited to the University of Auckland.
What we delivered
A review of local performance evidence and relevant policy.
Analysis of the confidence, regulatory and cost barriers affecting adoption.
Recommendations for technical guidance, demonstration projects, catchment priorities and potential incentives.
A phased set of actions for Council to consider.
A practical basis for action.
The published report helps Council consider where guidance, investment and further investigation could make living roofs easier to deliver. Its recommendations are proposals for consideration, with implementation subject to the relevant decisions and processes.
Living roof opportunities and recommendations for Tāmaki Makaurau
Auckland Council technical report TR2026/9, September 2026.
Explore the Central Library living roof monitoring →
Discuss research, policy or nature-based solutions with Jon or Zoë →
Report cover: Auckland Council, 2026. Reproduced from TR2026/9 under CC BY 4.0.