Green Roofs for Stormwater Management

Featuring: Kipling GO Bus Terminal

Toronto, ON | LiveRoof® Ontario

This month, we're highlighting Kipling GO Bus Terminal in Toronto, ON. This project represents the first large-scale use of a water detention green roof in the City of Toronto. Due to site constraints, traditional stormwater containment methods such as underground tanks or infiltration trenches were not feasible. The station, located at the terminus of the Bloor Subway at Kipling Station, features interconnected underground bus terminals, leaving no space for conventional stormwater management solutions. As a result, the LiveRoof® RoofBlue® Detain system was selected to provide an innovative solution.

A Pioneering Stormwater Management Approach

The design effectively integrates stormwater detention and retention into the roof structure. LiveRoof® Standard modules are responsible for an initial abstraction of 5mm of stormwater in every rainfall event, capturing approximately 50% of the seasonal precipitation at the site. During larger storms, excess water is temporarily stored in the RoofBlue Detain cavity, working alongside controlled flow drains to alleviate strain on the municipal stormwater system in this rapidly growing urban area.

At full capacity, the LiveRoof® modules retain approximately 170,000 litres (45,000 US gallons) of water, while the RoofBlue® Retain cavities and surrounding open roof space can detain an additional 450,000 litres (119,000 US gallons).

Project Visionaries

Strasman Architects and NAK Design Strategies collaborated on the station's design, integrating practical regional bus operations with an innovative stormwater management solution housed on the building's roof.

Project Details:

  • General Contractor: EllisDon
  • LiveRoof® Installer: Flynn Canada Ltd.
  • Installation Date: Summer 2020
  • Size: 45,900 sq. ft. (4,265 sq. m.)
  • Module Type: LiveRoof® Standard
  • LiveRoof® Accessories: RoofBlue® Detain

A Key Part of Toronto’s Transit Expansion

Kipling GO Bus Station is a major component of the Kipling Station redevelopment. This hub integrates multiple transit systems, including the TTC Subway (Line 2 west terminus), GO regional rail service, Toronto’s TTC bus network, GO regional bus service, and the City of Mississauga’s MiWay transit system. The area surrounding the station is experiencing rapid high-rise development in three directions, reinforcing the need for sustainable infrastructure solutions like green roofs.

About the Grower

LiveRoof® Ontario has been a trusted member of the LiveRoof® family for 18 years. They are dedicated to providing high-quality products, services, and technical expertise to clients across Eastern Canada.

For inquiries about this project or other green roof initiatives, please contact Kees Govers, Technical Sales Manager for LiveRoof® Ontario.

For more information about LiveRoof® Ontario - Click HERE.

About this Piece:

This is the first article in our ongoing series: Green Roofs for Stormwater Management. We hope you enjoy following this series throughout the year.

I’m Jodi Griffin, Business Development Manager for LiveRoof® Global. Feel free to reach out to me via email at jodi@liveroof.com.