Green Infrastructure

Filterra® Bioscape

Green infrastructure has been used for decades to provide excellent treatment and ecological outcomes. A manufactured system providing market-leading enhanced treatment outcomes, the Filterra® Bioscape requires as little as 10% of the footprint of conventional treatment devices.  

Filterra® Bioscape is a collaboration between Stormwater360 and design consultants, placing the proven Filterra® technology into custom-designed, large format, built-in situ encasements. Custom-designed flow distribution makes sure every part of the Bioscape is providing treatment, and full integration into any landscape design is possible. Whereas ponds and wetlands need rebuilding periodically, the Bioscape media should not need replacing and has an expected life span of at least 25-years.

Approvals:

Auckland
Christchurch
Accepted by all regional councils

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Benefits of Filterra® Bioscape

Footprint
High hydraulic conductivity means the Filterra® Bioscape requires as little as 10% of the footprint of conventional treatment devices, allowing more space for development or recreation.

Biodiversity
Manufactured in New Zealand from locally sourced materials, the Filterra® Bioscape complements Low Impact Design (LID) principles. New Zealand native plant species promote biodiversity, community and cultural outcomes.

Maintenance
Only the mulch layer needs to be replaced every 6-12 months, sourced from an approved third-party supplier. Under normal conditions, the media and plants should not need replacing. Planting, commissioning and 12 months of maintenance are included in the supply of the Filterra® Bioscape.

Cost
Filterra® Bioscape offers substantial cost benefits when compared to traditional devices. The smaller footprint results in more developable areas with less earthworks, and maintenance does not require a specialised contractor. A Life Cycle Cost report is available on request.

Performance 
Filterra® Bioscape media undergoes at least 25 quality assurance assessments to ensure pollutant removal, hydraulic conductivity and performance over time. Each batch takes over a month to produce and is guaranteed to not leach or transform contaminants such as phosphorus or copper. Plant trials have established successful plants for the long-term health of the system, and rigorous third-party tests in New Zealand, Canada, USA and Australia are available to demonstrate its TSS, metals and nutrient removal capabilities.

Treating a 5.5ha subdivision, the proposed large format rain garden was 1,200m². The Bioscape required to treat water quality flows is 165m².

Application

Ideally suited to larger land development projects where a centralised treatment solution is preferred, Filterra® Bioscape can provide treatment for a range of applications:

Greenfield and brownfield developments
Residential subdivisions
Mixed-use and commercial subdivisions
Local roads and highways
Catchments over 1ha

Design

The Filterra® Bioscape is a packaged design solution for large biofiltration systems. The design is a collaboration between consultants, contractors, asset owners and Stormwater360. Bioscape can be uniquely tailored to individual project requirements, site conditions and landscaping design contact us today for more information.

Green Infrastructure - Filterra® Bioscape

Design Support 
Stormwater360 work with the consultants and other project members to develop a preliminary design and functional green infrastructure design.

Regulatory Engagement 
Stormwater360 reviews the final design and drawings to ensure the success of the project and provides support to regulatory approval process review consent conditions and monitoring conditions.

Detailed Design 
Detailed drawings are provided showing the custom-designed  cross-section with project levels, the volume of high-quality  engineered Filterra® media, custom adjustable flow controls, and  a specific design for the underdrain manifold to ensure effective  collection of filtered stormwater at high hydraulic conductivity.

Construction Support 
Stormwater360 liaises with the construction team for pre and post-construction requirements.

Planting, Operation and Maintenance 
High-flow bioretention plants are sourced and supplied with a 12-month warranty ensuring healthy and robust vegetation. Stormwater360 operate and maintain the Filterra® Bioscape for the first 12 months.

Bioscape can be designed to blend into the surrounding landscape and uses native plants as shown in the Plant Guide.

On steep sites, innovative solutions can be found to accommodate treatment where traditional green infrastructure devices are not feasible.

Treatment outcomes

Stormwater treatment device efficiency is highly variable from site to site, and storm to storm. Particle size distribution, speciation and contaminant mix all influence pollutant removal efficiency and subsequent percentage removal.

Stormwater360’s approach is to provide transparent independent test reports from New Zealand, Canada, USA and Australia, with third-party verification, certification and approvals over a range of land uses and applications. Full test reports are available from Stormwater360.

Some field study highlights are as follows:

Washington Department of Ecology: Bellingham Study  90% TSS and 70% TP removal
Canterbury University Filterra® Roof Study : 99% Total and Dissolved Zinc Removal
Washington Department of Ecology - ARMCO study:  Total Copper 88.3%, Dissolved Copper 48.7%
University of Western Sydney Study : 89% Total phosphorus and 47% Total Nitrogen Removal

Cultural Design

Filterra® Bioscape is a land-based approach to stormwater management, using all natural processes and promoting a connection with the treatment and water body.

Bioscape is a living asset. As a living system, care throughout its lifetime is critical to protect the health of the device and maintain the treatment performance over time.

Stormwater360 can help project teams address any cultural considerations or questions at the outset of developing our custom solution, incorporating the needs of all stakeholders in the design and implementation of each Filterra® Bioscape.