Parks, sports fields, planters and roof gardens
Enviro-Rock for landscape architects
Van der Zalm + Associates designed both published Enviro-Rock park projects: the Killarney Park soccer field in Vancouver and the Jim Lorimer Park playground in Burnaby.[1][2] The fill weighs 200 kg/m³ (12.5 lb/ft³) loose and drains freely.[3][4]
Enviro-Rock at a glance
- Loose dry bulk density
- 200 kg/m³
- Angle of friction
- 39° at 65 kPa
- Thermal resistance
- R-2.4 per inch, dry
- Up to, per B-train load
- 140 m³
From the Enviro-Rock specification table and delivery trailer sheet. Sources on the product page.
Your priorities
What you need from a supplier
01
Weight the structure can carry
A fill light enough for roof slabs, podiums and wet park sites, with a weight the structural or geotechnical engineer can design with.
02
Drainage that suits planting
A base that drains under turf and planting beds and stays separated from growing media.
03
Stable grades
Fill that keeps its shape under paths, play structures and landforms.
What you get
What Enviro-Rock provides
01
Two park case studies
About 11,000 m³ under the Killarney Park soccer field, with a drainage network trenched into the fill[1], and a 500 mm layer at Jim Lorimer Park, where the design projects roughly 200 mm of settlement instead of around 600 mm.[2]
02
Drainage data
Brochure void space of 50% loose and 30% at 20% compaction, based on worldwide averages[3], in an open-graded fill that lets water drain through rather than trapping it.[4] No permeability value is published.
03
Roof and plaza uses
Green roof build-ups, fill beneath pavers and pedestal systems, lightweight fill over structural roof slabs and deep-fill rooftop assemblies.[5]
04
Angular, interlocking stone
Rough, angular particles interlock when placed and compacted[6], with a 39° friction angle at 65 kPa.[3]
05
Chemical data on request
Material composition, pH and chemical test data are available on request.[7]
Applications
Where you are likely to use it
Application
Soft ground embankments
Enviro-Rock foam glass aggregate fill for road embankments, grade raises and widenings over soft or compressible ground, accepted on BC's Recognized Products List.
Application
Retaining wall backfill
Free-draining foam glass aggregate backfill for MSE, cast-in-place and segmental retaining walls, where a lighter fill means less lateral earth pressure on the wall.
Application
Green roof and plaza fill
Lightweight, free-draining foam glass aggregate for green roof build-ups, deep fill over roof slabs and the base under pavers and pedestals on plazas and terraces.
Application
Sports field fill
Lightweight, free-draining fill that brings sports fields, parks and playgrounds to grade over soft ground, used at Vancouver's Killarney Park and Burnaby's Jim Lorimer Park.
Questions
Common questions
Will it affect pH for planting?
Enviro-Rock does not publish a measured pH value, and its chemical test data, including pH, is available on request.[7] Published tests on other foam glass aggregates report alkaline values, from about pH 9 to above 12.[9] At Killarney Park, geotextile separated the fill from the base aggregate, sand and turf above.[1]
Will it float in a wet site or planter?
Foam glass aggregate is buoyant, so specifications place it above the water table or hold it down with cover material.[9] In a planter, the drains must keep water from backing up into the layer; on a wet park site the design anchors or ballasts the fill, as at Jim Lorimer Park.[2]
How heavy is it when wet?
Enviro-Rock weighs 200 kg/m³ (12.5 lb/ft³) loose and dry.[3] Highway design practice uses 376 kg/m³ (23.5 lb/ft³) for compacted, moist foam glass aggregate, and Finnish data compiled for the Illinois Tollway report gives 270 to 530 kg/m³ long term in a road structure and 600 kg/m³ under water.[9] The structural engineer sets the wet design weight for a roof or podium from these and from Enviro-Rock test data.
Can it fill large planters on a podium?
Enviro-Rock is used as lightweight fill over structural roof slabs and in deep-fill rooftop assemblies.[5] The structural engineer checks the planter's wet load against the podium's limit.
Can it go under synthetic turf?
Yes. Enviro-Rock is used under synthetic turf fields as well as natural grass fields and playgrounds.[10]
Can I get a sample for a client meeting?
Yes. A sample tin of Enviro-Rock pieces is available on request.[8]
Sources
- [1] Case study: Killarney Park soccer field, Vancouver, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [2] Case study: Jim Lorimer Park playground, Burnaby, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [3] Enviro-Rock civil infrastructure brochure (metric), specification table, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [4] Enviro-Rock benefits: drainage and permeability, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [5] Enviro-Rock applications: green roofs and terraces, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [6] Enviro-Rock benefits: angle of friction, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [7] Enviro-Rock benefits: chemical resistance, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [8] Enviro-Rock samples, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [9] Applications for Foamed Glass Lightweight Aggregate, final report, Illinois Tollway Research Program, Washington State University et al., 2025
- [10] Enviro-Rock applications: sports fields and recreational areas, Enviro-Corp Recycling
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