Transforming grey spaces into green

CitygreenCorporate ProfileSustainable urban landscape solutions for a cleaner, greener, better world. Together, let’s make it happen.

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Contents04 Who we are?04 Company Vision06 What makes us different?

08 Who are you?

09 What we do09 Citygreen’s Collaborative

Working Model12 Solutions

16 Why we do it?

18 Facts and Figures18 Urban Environmental Cycle

20 Why choose us?20 Case Study

22 Next steps22 Early Stage Modelling22 Co-funded Tree Pit Trial

23 How to get in touch

Citygreen played a key role in the

$6 billion transformation of Barangaroo,

a landmark harbour-front development set

to transform Sydney by generating jobs,

boosting the economy, and providing

a new place to live, work, and visit.

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At Citygreen, we love green space.

In fact, we believe it holds the key to

better cities – and a better world.”

Who we are?

Urban Landscape Solutions for Greener Cities

At Citygreen, we love green space. In fact, we believe it holds the key to better cities – and a better world.

Mankind needs trees in urban spaces in order to thrive. There is a huge body of environmental data proving the many benefits of environmentally-sound urban development, and this data continues to grow rapidly. As a result, urban planners are now designing smart, green cities that mitigate heat island effect and have low environmental impact.

Trees as green utilities play a key role in maintaining sustainable urban ecosystems, and must take precedence in urban planning and design if we – and generations to come – are to reap the benefits.

But, trees have always battled to survive in cities, with one of two outcomes usually occur-ring. Either growth is stunted with trees never reaching their full potential, or surrounding infrastructure is damaged by invasive root systems. The problem was clear, with no economically or agriculturally viable solution. Determined to make a difference, we founded Citygreen to solve it.

Investing years in comprehen-sive research and development, we explored the challenges, the causes of failure, and the reasons for premature mortality in urban trees. We then examined the negative impact poor planting can have on urban environments. Having identified the key issues in both areas, we thoroughly researched the solutions for those issues, and then designed practical products and systems to address them. Successfully!

Today, our urban landscape solutions are best practice in their field and endorsed by pro-fessional organisations around the globe, putting Citygreen at the cutting edge of sustainable landscape solutions for cities.

Company Vision

We love this company’s

products, and their products should

be required by our city development

guidelines for all urban projects.”

William Hrycan | Crosby Hanna & Associates

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A company with a positive attitude to

trees and products that promote their growth.”

Charles Gordon | Wellington City Council

What makes us different?1 SustainabilityWe believe that sustain-able urban development must utilize sustainable methods and products. For example, our Stratavault structural modules are made from 100% recycled plastic, and are designed to minimize freight volume for reduction of fossil fuel us-age. We take plastic waste, granulate it, and then injection mould it into highly engineered Stratavault modules – providing a huge environmental benefit.

2 QualityCitygreen brings you unparal-leled quality, standing by our products 100%. We comply with high production standards and quality procedures in accordance with ISO90001, and we’ve also achieved Environmental Management System accreditation.

3 ServiceWe pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service, described by our customers as helpful, ethical, and trustworthy. We offer unrivalled service and support during consultation, design, and installation.

Our VisionWhilst we’ve grown in leaps and bounds, our vision remains powerfully simple: a world where sustainable green space is within reach of every person, every day.

To achieve our vision, we’ve collaborated with global research and industry partners over the last two decades to deliver this technology glob-ally, with distribution channels across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK and Europe, the USA and Canada, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. We also collaborate with local authorities, Landscape Architects, Arboriculturalists, Civil Engineers, and other re-lated professionals to continually improve best practice in green technology implementation.

Together, we’re transform-ing grey spaces into green – and changing the world. Welcome to the journey!

Citygreen is professional and a

great resource informing professionals

about current trends and improvements

in this area of tree planting.”

Kristine Ancher | Kingsborough Council – Tasmania

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Landscape Artchitects

Arborists / ForestersEngineers

The space that Citygreen Consultants works in.

Landscape Artchitects

Arborists / ForestersEngineers

Traditionally, Landscape

Architects, Engineers, and Urban

Foresters / Arboriculturists have

worked in isolation of each

other. Citygreen brings all three

together with proven solutions

to achieve a common goal.”

True invention occurs

at the overlap of disciplines.”

: Traditional working model when designing green urban spaces.

= �Citygreen has transformed the traditional model: bringing all parties together to work collaboratively, resolve conflict, and design a solution that ticks everyone’s boxes.

What we do

Citygreen’s Collaborative Working Model

Your Role Your Challenges Why you’ll love Citygreen

Landscape Architect

You want to make the world a beautiful and better place by innovating, but you’re not sure where to start

You’ve got too much on your plate, with a number of deadlines fast approaching!

The trees in your projects will grow bigger and better

Your job will be easier with CAD downloads

You get to be part of a global movement, making the world a better, greener place

Arborist You want to increase tree canopy in your city significantly, but need to elevate sustainability issues within your council to do so

You struggle with competing priorities, low budgets, and trying to get conservative Engineers on board

We tick the boxes for all your tree health needs

We really care about trees, and will also assist you to keep your Engineers happy!

You get to be a part of an exciting global development

Developer You want to leverage unused land, but you’re worried about environmental restrictions

You need to get council approval, and ensure you’ll make a profit

We’re the infrastructure experts when it comes to large tree installations in streetscapes

Our solutions will help you make the profit you desire

Engineer You want to design and refine solutions to engineering problems, reducing risk along the way

You need to understand every component to make informed decisions and ensure things will work together

We provide detailed information and specifications, and have a systematic approach – ensuring the success of your project

I have always found their service pleasant and helpful. I know

the research and development of their tree planting vault systems is

sound and I have seen it used well in specialised landscapes. I also

know the senior people and find they have a very ethical business

model, counting customers first, helpful and trustworthy.”

John Atkins | Treeology PL

Who are you?Citygreen works across a range of disciplines, and with all

stakeholders to deliver successful urban outcomes.

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At Citygreen, we solve your challenges with innovation and creativity. We are a team of dedicated consultants who take our clients through a compre-hensive consulting process to design and implement the best solution for each project.

To kick off the process, you’ll be assigned a dedicated Citygreen consultant who will oversee your project. An initial conversation will clarify your objectives in terms of tree health, Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), and Low Impact Design (LID). We then take these objec-tives, and transform them into a written report – including recommendations regard-ing soil volume and WSUD.

Next, detailed designs are produced and reviewed by our Engineers, before a final report – including modelling details and cost projections – is presented to key stakeholders for sign off. Based on this report, we finalise pricing and select the best installation technicians.

This comprehensive process ensures the very best solu-tion is designed to resolve your unique challenges.

Consulting

ExecuteSelection of installation technicians and pricing

PresentPresentation to key stakeholders (engineers, Landscape Architects, Urban Planners, Local Government Authorities for implementation

ExpertFinal report prepared on findings, recommendations, targets and objectives. Design and modelling details are completed

ModelConsensus on proposed report (aligned) and details designs are produced. Where necessary these are reviewed by engineers. Stormwaster modellingand passive irrigation methods are detailed

AlignDiscussion between consultant and key stakeholders to align the report with site requirement, Local Government Authority’s priorities and asset acceptance

ReportBased on the recommendations on target soil volume and WSUD treatment from inhouse experts, a report is produced, showing an economical method of achieving targets.

SuggestInhouse experts and design partners review the objectives and priorities of the project and make recommendations on target soil volume and WSUD treatment

LearnDiscussion about the objectives of the project and what they are trying to achieve in terms of tree health and WSUD

Typically, our clients face two overriding challenges:

1 Enabling trees to thrive in built, urban environments; and

2 Managing (and leveraging) stormwater for environmental outcomes.

We help with both.

EngageConsultant connects with key stakeholder (Engineer/Landscape Architect/Urban Planner)

A professional company that offers

viable solutions to improve successful plant

establishment within the urban environment.”

Richie Hill | Paper Street Tree Company

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SolutionsThe urban tree faces a range of challenges brought about by the restricted and usually paved areas in which they must exist. In cities, trees increasingly have to share aboveground space with pedestrians and cars and below-ground space with utili-ties of many kinds. Challenges to healthy tree growth include compacted soil, lack of water and oxygen, excessive wind forces, and damage from vehicles and vandals.

Informed by years of research and development, we offer global best practice for the implementation of suc-cessful urban landscaping, water harvesting, tree and infrastructure protection, and improved quality of life.

Soil for Healthy Trees

Trees require an adequate supply of loose, well aerated, moist, and uncompacted soil structure in order to thrive. This enables their roots to obtain nutrients, oxygen, and water – all essential for healthy tree growth.

In highly urbanised areas, too often inadequate space is allowed for tree roots to develop. The soil structure is frequently compacted through having to bear the weight of footpaths and roadways, pedestrians, and traffic in general. As the soil becomes compacted, the voids between particles that hold water and oxygen are lost. Trees attempting to grow in compacted soil rarely meet their full growth potential and may die prematurely. Pavement heaving can also occur when tree roots seek out spaces between the compacted soil and the overlying pavement, where air and water are present. Various methods have been tried to resolve the conflict be-tween providing adequate soil volume for tree rooting while also providing a stable base for roads and pavements. The main approaches are:

6 Structural Soil:a compacted mixture of gravel and horticultural soil. The gravel compacts to provide the weight bearing capability while the soil provides for the needs of the tree.

6 Structural root cells:modular units which assemble to form a skel-etal matrix, situated below pavement level, which sup-ports the pavement while holding a large volume of uncompacted soil for healthy root growth. Root cells have large apertures for root growth and to allow conduits, service pipes, aeration, and watering sys-tems to be incorporated.

Industry professionals are in-creasingly insisting on the use of structural root cells. They recognise that while structural root cell technology builds upon the earlier structural soil concept, it is clearly superior in performance. Not only is vastly more soil made avail-able to the tree, installation is relatively straight forward, not requiring the extensive cal-culations and testing needed for the use of structural soil.

Managing Tree Roots

While we need trees within our cities, preventing tree roots from interfering with infrastructure is an ongoing issue. The most effective solution is to direct them away from surrounding infrastructure and services.

Aeration and Deep Watering

In addition to water and nutrients, oxygen is essential to healthy deep root growth and therefore healthy trees. Just as inadequate water will eventually kill a tree, so too will excessive water, unless it is drained effectively. It fills the voids between soil particles and deprives the tree of oxygen, over time ‘drowning’ the roots and killing the tree. Compacted soil can also be disastrous for trees, restricting both oxygen and water.

While we need trees within our

cities, preventing tree roots from

interfering with infrastructure

is an ongoing issue. The most

effective solution is to direct

them away from surrounding

infrastructure and services.

Forward thinking products

well engineered.”

Neil Fitzpatrick | alc/ucc site constructors

Sensible innovative solutions

to a common problem.”

Jessica White | Confluence

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Support for Trees

Until they become established, trees may require support to hold them upright – particularly trees that are very tall in relation to their root ball. Indeed, urban trees may be subjected to extremely high winds, one aspect of the ‘canyon effect’. Urban canyons are created by streets cutting through dense blocks of structure, especially skyscrapers, causing the chan-nelling and acceleration of wind speeds. Winds can be strong enough to knock you off your feet, blow objects around, and even pull glass from windows during stormy weather. Clearly, trees planted in such locations need assistance until their roots become well established.

The provision of some kind of support avoids the risk of the root ball moving in the ground, preventing the establishment of new roots. Various alternatives are used including staking, rootball anchorage, and guying. Staking and guying will not

damage trees if done correctly. However, it is most important to remove such systems promptly, probably after one season. The risk is that a tree will not develop a sturdy, flexible trunk with a proper tapering shape from base to top if supported for too long. Rootball anchorage is a longer lasting method which does no damage to the tree and might actually improve its root growth.

Protection for Trees

Young trees in urban and regional areas need protection from wind, vermin, vandal-ism, and urban traffic.

Harvesting Rainwater

The growth of urban areas, characterised by extensive impervious surfaces and limited vegetative cover, has altered the natural water balance leading to a much greater discharge of waste water and poor quality runoff. Infiltration into ground water is reduced and quality may also be degraded due to the presence of pollutants which in turn damage aquatic habitats. Limited tree cover reduces water storage in root systems, the release of water into the at-mosphere through transpiration, and natural pollution filtering through tree roots especially.

As a consequence, increased attention is being paid to managing the water cycle in urban development. Often referred to as Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), this is an alternative approach to traditional stormwater manage-ment. It seeks to minimise the extent of impervious surfaces and mitigate changes to the natural water balance through on-site reuse of the water as well as through temporary storage. Key principles in water sensitive urban design include integrating stormwater treatment into the landscape, protecting its quality, and reducing runoff and peak flows.

Various approaches harness the potential of vegetation and soils to reduce urban runoff. These approaches aim to reduce peak flow, reduce runoff volume, and remove pollutants. Approaches include:

6 Surface drains which capture water through drainage grades and direct it to the root zone of trees where the water may be absorbed into the surrounding subsoil or by the trees’ root systems.

6 Rain troughs which incorpo-rate plants that collect and break down pollution and contaminants carried by sur-face water. Integrating drain-age pits into the kerb and gut-ter, with appropriate methods to deal with pollutants.

6 Permeable pavements and tree pit surfaces which enable water to flow freely into the root zones of adjacent trees, for absorption.

6 Harvesting roof water discharge, typically cleaner than road run-off, from nearby buildings and piping it to the root zones below the pavement.

6 Increased use of trees in water sensitive urban design to slow water runoff.

These products are quality and

help to enrich the urban landscape

& promote plant growth.”

Lyndon Slavin | Outerspace Landscape Architects

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Our corporate culture is one of transformation:

1 Transforming the career trajectory of employees.2 Transforming our company and realising the full potential of our solutions.3 Transforming the world and realising our vision to create sustainable green space within reach of every person, every day.

Why we do it?

Go for Citygreen without hesitation.”

Mehdi ElBeik | Alpeza General Cont. Inc

Vision

Our vision embraces a world where sustainable green space is within reach of every person, every day – and natural re-sources are utilized (not wasted) for the benefit of mankind.

Mission

Our vision embraces a world where sustainable green space is within reach of every person, every day – and natural re-sources are utilized (not wasted) for the benefit of mankind.

Values

Our values form the backbone of everything we do:

6 InnovationThrough sustained focus on problem solving, we continually strive to un-ravel sustainability issues and provide innovative solutions.

6 In-depth ResearchFunded by company revenue, ongoing research and devel-opment informs our products and sets us ahead in our field.

6 CollaborationWe work with universities, colleges, and industry experts on an ongoing basis to ensure we offer industry bestpractice methods.

6 Environmental AwarenessEnvironmental sustain-ability sits at the forefront of everything we do, in line with our vision and mission.

6 QualityOur systems and products undergo rigorous testing, and are proven to meet their quality requirements.

6 ExperienceWe bring decades of global experience in green building and landscape construction.

6 ReliabilityWe are honest, trustworthy, and reliable, with unrivalled customer support.

6 GivingWe give back to the industry and to society, with the aim being to create a better, greener world.

These guys offer the latest and

greatest design ideas and innovation

in urban tree management issues.”

Gary Warner | Cooper Carry

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© Citygreen, 2015

WATER

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WATER

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Dis-connected Environmental Cycle in CitiesUrban Heat Island, Evapo-transpiration,

Flash Flooding, Erosion

Reconnecting the Environmental Cycle in CitiesRainwater Harvesting, Soil Infiltration,

Onsite Detention, Filtration

Facts and Figures

Benefits of Trees in Urban Environments

Urban Environmental Cycle

Wildlife and biodiversity:Urban forests help create and enhance animal and plant habitats and can act as reser-voirs for endangered species.

Local climate and energy use:Trees influence thermal comfort, energy use, and air quality by providing shade, transpiring moisture, removing air pollut-ants, and reducing wind speeds.

Real estate and business:Landscaping with trees can increase property values and commercial benefits. One study found that, on average, prices for goods purchased were 11% higher in landscaped areas than in areas with no trees.

Ongoing scientific research provides overwhelming evidence to reinforce the numerous benefits and ad-vantages that trees can bring to the urban environment, in terms of both their social and environmental impacts:

Water flow and quality:Trees and soils improve water quality and reduce the need for costly storm water treat-ment (the removal of harmful substances washed off roads, parking lots, and rooves during rain and snow events), by intercepting and retaining or slowing the flow of precipita-tion reaching the ground.

Individual wellbeing and public health:Urban trees and forests make the environment a more aes-thetic, pleasant, and emotionally satisfying place in which to live, work, and spend leisure time. Urban trees also provide numerous health benefits; for example, reducing ultraviolet radiation and its associated health problems, and enabling hospital patients with window views of trees to recover faster.

Community wellbeing:Urban forests make important contributions to the economic vitality and character of a city, neighbourhood, or subdivi-sion – improving the sense of community optimism.

Noise abatement:Properly designed plantings of trees and shrubs can significant-ly reduce noise by 50% or more.

Reliable, ethical and professional.”

Rob Wittkowsky | Tim Davies Landscaping

The leading edge for tree

structured soil systems.”

Gary Palmer | Gosford Council

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Why choose us?Case Study

Lonsdale Street, Central Dandenong transformed into one of Melbourne’s great green boulevards

In the heart of Melbourne’s growing southeast corridor lies the City of Dandenong. In 2010, a comprehensive ‘Revitalising Central Dandenong’ initiative was launched by the Victorian government through Places Victoria. Seeking to rejuvenate the rundown Lonsdale Street precinct, a team of renowned Landscape Architects, Engineers, and Builders came together to create a fresh new future for the city.

Five years down the track, the project has proven to be an overwhelming success, with Lonsdale Street now considered one of Melbourne’s great boulevards. A green, pedestrian-friendly main street encompasses the city’s vibrant retail industry with wider foot-paths, various urban furniture, bicycle stands, and – the jewel in the crown – 251 thriving Pin Oak trees. In line with urban stormwater best practice, there are also a number of rain gardens which capture and treat stormwater, which is then reused for irrigation.

Today, the thriving streetscape looks as if it’s always been there, belying the comprehensive engineering and technology below ground that made it all possible. Whilst the original design specified reinforcedcon-crete slabs supported by streel screw piles over a continuous soil trench, the suspended slab ultimately proved too expensive due to poor ground conditions. Argot Consultants Pty Ltd & KLM Spatialwere engaged to investigate cost-effective alternatives to piling, and after seeing several successfulprojects in Auckland, New Zealand, Citygreen’s StrataCell product was selected.

Landscape contractor Sugan Blanchard, of Canteri Bros Construction Pty Ltd, said,

“Argot Consultants Pty Ltd & KLM Spatial came up with the StrataCell system, which provided cost and time saving to the project. The main cost saving was on the reduced thickness of the slab as it was designed as a slab onground instead of suspended slab. We had never used this system before but found it to be easier to install and time efficient, providing the structural strength to overlying pavement while allowing uncompacted growth media for trees.”

Landscape Architect, Scott Adams, Director of Taylor Cullity Lethlean, counts the Lonsdale Street project as one of the firm’s landmark projects. Adams said, “The Lonsdale Street site proved to be really challenging, and the StrataCell product was the solution that got sign off from Argot Consultants Pty Ltd & KLM Spatial Engineers. Thankfully, the project was completed on time and the product hasn’t failed despite significant surface traffic. It’s definitely been successful in generating the result we wanted, with the trees perform-ing well. As a result, we’ve recommended the product on a number of subsequent projects.”

Theo Niakolas, Principal Engineer at Argot Consultants Pty Ltd, echoes this sentiment.

“From our perspective, the project has been a success, and the clear evidence is the health of the trees. The cells have performed well in terms of providing support to the hard stand paving above, as expected during design. No adverse distress of the rigid pavement is evident. We’ve since suggested the product in other streetscape projects too numerous to identify.”

Today, Lonsdale Street is unrecognisable, transformed from a grey, uninviting locale into a green, thriving streetscape for residents, workers, and visitors to enjoy.

Qualified and practical advice at

the ready for problematic locations.”

Craig Walton | The Plant Management Company

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Printed on ecoStar Silk 100% recycled 150gsm

Co-funded Tree Pit TrialKeen to trial a Citygreen tree pit with minimal risk? Under our Co-Funded

Tree Pit Trial Program, we’ll help you incorporate a pilot tree pit in

your Council - and we’ll contribute a significant share of the cost.

You’ll get:

6 2 hours free design consultation including Water Sensitive Urban Design (value: $280)

6 Complete CAD drawings fully dimensioned (value: $450)

6 2 hours free hydrology modelling (value: $360) 6 A comprehensive report, including:

– Recommended soil volume based on tree requirements and water harvesting

– Wilting Days projection for the trial tree compared to a conventionally-planted tree

– Colour visual of the completed project, with schematics of water flow

– Arborist’s report – Engineer’s report on the structural design – Soil specification by Soil Scientist

6 A 30% discount on the price of the system 6 Complete installation manual 6 4 hours free assembly and training time on site (value: $960)

6 Educational signage for public education, displaying the system and environmental benefits

6 Full reporting at 1 year and 2 years from installation, approved for publishing

Contact us on the details to the right, and a Citygreen consultant will be in touch to discuss your specific site and project details.

Next stepsEarly Stage ModellingContact the Citygreen team for a complimentary consultation,

and modelling of an early stage concept for your project.

We’d love to support you on your next urban landscape project. For expert noobligation advice, please contact us on the following details:

USA freecall 1 888 999 3990

P (+61) 2 6578 8250 E info@citygreen.com W www.citygreen.com

Los Angeles | Toronto | Sydney

How to get in touch

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Green utilities play a vital role in sustainable ecosystems…

Water HarvestingTechnology

University Tested& Certified

Made in Australia Global Leaders100% Recycled and Recyclable Polymer

...yet, how often do they survive in the urban environment?Tree canopy cover in urban areas has declined by more than 30% over the last two decades – while urban areas have grown by 20%. Trees as green utilities play a crucial role in sustainable urban design, and their long-term health should take priority if we are to enjoy the benefits of utilising ecosystem services within our cities.

StrataCell™ system is the fully engineered solution for healthy urban trees – incorporating water harvesting technology as well as supporting heavy traffic loads. This unique skeletal matrix provides over 95% space for roots, and has worldwide patents.

Australian distributor: Arborgreen Landscape ProductsPh 1300 760 642 sales@arborgreen.com.au

info@citygreensystems.com www.citygreensystems.com

Green utilities play a vital role in sustainable ecosystems.....

…yet, how often do they survive in the urban environment?Tree canopy cover in urban areas has declined by more than 30% over the last two decades – while urban areas have grown by 20%. Trees as green utilities play a crucial role in sustainable urban design, and their long-term health should take priority if we are to enjoy the benefits of utilising ecosystem services within our cities.

StrataCell™ system is the fully engineered solution for healthy urban trees – incorporating water harvesting technology as well as supporting heavy traffic loads. This unique skeletal matrix provides over 95% space for roots, and has worldwide patents.

info@citygreen.com www.citygreen.com