Water scarcity is no longer a regional issue. It is a structural global challenge.
In collaboration with Dubai Municipality and RADIUS, KI Urbanscape conducted a six-month Proof of Concept at Al Barsha South Park in Dubai — a location specifically selected due to recurring Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) shortages and extreme summer conditions.
The objective was clear: Can engineered mineral wool root-zone technology significantly reduce irrigation water demand under real climatic pressure?
The Focus: Green Roll
At the heart of this research stands one product: Urbanscape Green Roll.
Manufactured from long rock mineral wool fibres and mechanically needled into a dimensionally stable, binder-free structure, Green Roll is engineered to:
- Retain large volumes of water within its mineral fibre matrix
- Redistribute moisture through capillary action
- Stabilize root-zone humidity
- Reduce irrigation frequency
Conventional soil systems are prone to rapid vertical percolation and moisture instability under high evapotranspiration stress. Green Roll modifies this dynamic by introducing a mineral fibre matrix with high capillary activity. This matrix temporarily stores irrigation water and redistributes it laterally and vertically within the root zone.
Its mineral structure maintains consistent hydraulic performance over time.
The Experimental Setup
To isolate the performance of Green Roll, three adjacent plots were monitored under identical irrigation control and climatic conditions:
- Plot A: Soil profile with Green Roll + membrane
- Plot B: Soil profile with Green Roll
- Plot C (Control): Conventional soil profile
Precision Baseline biSensor™ soil moisture sensors were installed at 10, 15, and 30 cm depths. Flow meters continuously measured total irrigation water consumption.
Measured Results: Structural Water Reduction
From July to December — covering peak summer stress — the results were conclusive.
Total Water Consumption:
- Control plot: 102.59 m³
- Green Roll configurations: approx. 43–46 m³
- Water reduction: 73%
These savings were not seasonal anomalies. They were sustained across peak heat periods and shoulder seasons. Critically, landscape quality remained uncompromised. This demonstrates a fundamental shift:
Green Roll does not simply optimize irrigation. It reduces structural water demand.
How Green Roll Changes Water Behaviour
Green Roll functions as a mineral water reservoir embedded directly within the root zone. Its fibre structure:
✔ Stores irrigation water efficiently
✔ Releases moisture gradually to plant roots
✔ Prevents rapid percolation losses
✔ Stabilizes soil moisture fluctuations
The result is fewer irrigation events, reduced total water input, and improved resilience under heat stress. Water is not only applied. It is retained and managed within the soil system itself.
Why This Matters for Global Cities
If Green Roll achieves over 50 % reduction in irrigation demand under extreme Middle Eastern climatic conditions, its scalability across European and global urban environments represents a significant opportunity.
Cities facing:
- Increasing drought cycles
- Urban heat island effects
- Rising water costs
- ESG and sustainability targets
The findings from the Dubai proof-of-concept highlight an important shift in how sustainable landscapes must be designed in the future. Rather than relying solely on irrigation efficiency, the real breakthrough lies in engineering the soil system itself to store, regulate and gradually release water where plants need it most.
By integrating Urbanscape Green Roll into the root zone, the trial demonstrated that landscapes can remain healthy and visually resilient while dramatically lowering irrigation demand—even in challenging climatic conditions.
What this research ultimately shows is simple but powerful: the future of water-efficient landscapes will not be defined by how much we irrigate, but by how intelligently the landscape itself manages water. Urbanscape Green Roll represents a new generation of solutions where innovation beneath the surface unlocks measurable sustainability above it—helping cities move closer to a more resilient and water-responsible future.
Discover More
➡Explore how Urbanscape Green Roll can redefine water retention performance in your projects. Green Roll | Knauf - Urbanscape
➡ Download detailed specifications in our resource center. Download center | Knauf - Urbanscape
➡ Contact our team for technical documentation and project support. About us | Knauf - Urbanscape