When people imagine roof terrace landscaping, they often picture a clean and relatively easy job.
No mud. No heavy digging. Just plants, planters and a great view over the city.
But sometimes the hardest part of building a roof terrace garden isn’t the landscaping itself.
It’s simply getting the garden up there.
And on this project, that challenge appeared on day one.
Day One: Preparation for a Roof Terrace Project
Monday was the first day on site for a new roof terrace landscaping project on the 7th floor.
The plan was simple:
- receive the first deliveries
- bring materials up to the terrace
- prepare the work area
- begin organising materials for the build
But there was one problem nobody expected.
The lift was out of service.
That meant every delivery had to go up the staircase instead.
Moving Materials to the 7th Floor
Even though this was only the first stage of deliveries, the numbers quickly added up.
The staircase to the terrace had:
104 steps
And the terrace itself was located on the:
7th floor
During the day, the team made 28 trips up and down the stairs carrying materials.
These included:
- some tools
- equipment
- smaller landscaping materials
- awkward shaped items
This was only a small portion of the total materials required for the project.
But even this early stage required serious physical effort.
The Stair Climbing Numbers
Let’s break it down.
104 steps per climb
28 trips carrying materials
Total stairs climbed:
2,912 steps
And that was just for the first batch of materials on the first day.
In terms of vertical distance, that equals roughly:
half a kilometre of vertical climbing.
For comparison, that’s similar to climbing:
• The Shard nearly three times
• a serious stair workout at the gym
Except this time it was done carrying tools and materials.
Calories Burned Climbing Stairs at Work
Stair climbing is one of the most physically demanding movements in everyday work.
Exercise estimates suggest climbing stairs burns approximately:
0.15–0.17 calories per step
With nearly 3,000 steps climbed, the energy used during this preparation work could be around:
500–700 calories
And when carrying loads, the real energy expenditure can be even higher.
That’s roughly the equivalent of:
- a full English breakfast
- two bowls of pasta
- three large sandwiches
And remember:
This was just site preparation on day one.
The actual landscaping work was still ahead.
Real Activity Data From Day One
To put the effort into perspective, here is activity data recorded by one of the team members during the first day on site.
Even though this was only preparation and partial deliveries, the numbers already show:
- over 13,500 steps
- 124 flights of stairs climbed
- around 600 active calories burned
And that was before the main landscaping work had even begun.
Hydration During Physical Work
Climbing stairs while carrying materials raises body temperature quickly.
The body responds by sweating to cool down.
Typical sweat rates during moderate to heavy work are:
0.5 – 1.5 litres of sweat per hour
During a physically demanding task like repeated stair climbing, it’s easy to lose:
around 0.7 – 1 litre of fluid
That’s roughly:
• two standard water bottles
• four glasses of water
And sweat doesn’t just contain water.
It also contains electrolytes, including:
- sodium
- potassium
- magnesium
These minerals help regulate muscle contractions, hydration levels, and energy during physical work.
Maintaining proper hydration can help prevent:
- muscle cramps
- fatigue
- headaches
- reduced concentration
Even on a relatively cool day, physical labour like stair climbing can quickly lead to dehydration.
Roof Terrace Landscaping Starts With Logistics
From the outside, roof terrace landscaping often looks simple.
But projects like this involve a lot of logistics before the real work even begins.
Materials need to be:
- delivered
- transported
- organised
- lifted to areas where machinery cannot reach
Sometimes that means cranes.
Sometimes it means lifts.
And sometimes it simply means using the stairs.
Just the Beginning of the Project
By the end of the first day only a small portion of materials had reached the roof. And nearly 3,000 stairs had already been climbed.
All before the real construction of the roof terrace garden even started.
And with many more deliveries and installation steps still ahead, this was only the beginning of the project.
