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in the news
upcoming events

February 21-24: Green Cities 2010 - People, Places & Performance Conference, Melbourne, Australia

February 22-23: Sustainable City Development, Abu Dhabi, UAE

February 22-24: NRCA Convention and International Roofing Expo, New Orleans, LA

February 22-24: RESNET Building Performance Conference, Raleigh, NC

February 24-26: Urban Aquaponics Conference, Brisbane, Australia

February 25-26: MiaGreen 2010 Expo & Conference, Miami, FL

February 25-26: 2010 Water Conservation Conference, Albuquerque, NM

February 26: Call for papers due for the World Green Roof Congress, London, U.K.

March 1-2: Greenprints Conference & Trade Show, Atlanta, GA

March 2-4: Ecobuild & Futurebuild 2010, London, England
 
                                                                       >>more
 

newslinks

Building of green spaces continues
The GW Hatchet,
by Kara Dunford
February 8, 2010
DC. "The University's effort to increase green space on campus is progressing with construction continuing on two major green spaces, the Square 54 green roof and the Square 80 green space. Square 54 will include more than 26,000 feet of green roof structures, including 18,000 square feet on the roof of the below-grade parking and loading structure that will function as a courtyard..."  >>more


WEG Part Of 'Cool Rexdale' Program
Standardbred Canada,
by Staff
February 8, 2010
Toronto, Canada. "Partners in Project Green today announced the launch of Cool Rexdale, a new program that will help to improve the economic, social and environmental vitality of Rexdale, one of Toronto's priority neighborhoods...Cool and green roofs can help businesses reduce their heating and cooling costs and extend the life of their roofs. Green roofs, which support rooftop vegetation, also help clean our air, enhance biodiversity and retain storm water and its pollutants..."  >>more


Dubai Pearl Achieves Prestigious LEED Gold Pre-Certification
Al-Bawaba,
by Staff
February 8, 2010
United Arab Emirates. "Dubai Pearl, the 20 million sq ft integrated sustainable destination, overlooking the Palm Jumeirah, has attainted pre-certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC) at the Gold level for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)...extensive grey water collection and re-use, green roofs and heat recovery systems will be integrated into the development..."  >>more


Fact Sheet: News on the Recovery Act
American Chronicle,
by Staff
February 7, 2010
Bronx, NY. "...the borough is getting a $4 million federal stimulus grant to create a free job-training program that will prepare about 400 borough residents for 'green jobs.' Program participants will get job training at several South Bronx sites that focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, training in such areas as building green roofs, retrofitting buildings and planting trees..." >>more


Vermonters shape space, better and better
BurlingtonFreePress.com,
by Joel Banner Baird
February 7, 2010‎
Burlington, VT. "Vermont’s architects, bless ’em, are stepping up to the challenge. Displays of some of their latest (and greatest, some would argue) work will surface Wednesday and Thursday at the “Better Buildings by Design” conference, held at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center...A living, 'green' roof planted with sedum (in patterns designed to appeal to airborne viewers) drains to a 35000-gallon underground tank - and the water is used to wash aircraft..."  >>more


County stormwater shift to promote more 'green'
SoMdNews.com,
by Meredith Somers
February 5, 2010‎
Charles County, MA. "The preservation of Charles County's natural landscape and the promotion of conservation-friendly drainage systems is the way Charles County development will be headed in the coming months...Alternative surfaces include such things as green roofs and permeable surfaces, the latter of which is already in use throughout Southern Maryland..."  >>more


Building's secret garden top idea
Otago Daily Times,
by Allison Rudd
February 5, 2010‎‎
Dunedin, New Zealand. "Passers-by will never see the secret the University of Otago's new psychology building is hiding. High above the campus, the six-level building on Leith Walk has a roof garden - not a space to be admired or sat in, but one contributing to the building's rainwater collection and recycling system..."  >>more


A High School For Green Teens
Huffington Post Blog
, by Kerry Trueman
February 4, 2010‎‎
New York, NY. "...At his current position teaching at the Discovery High School in the Bronx, Ritz just oversaw the installation of a living, edible green wall in partnership with a for-profit enterprise called Green Living Technologies, a pioneering developer of cutting edge urban agricultural systems... Green Living Technologies is sponsoring a team of Ritz's students, bringing them to Boston later this month to be the first high students in America to be trained and certified as green wall and green roof installers..."  >>more


'Green' building in Hempfield now tells its story on the screen
Pittsburgh Post Gazette,
by Maryann Gogniat Eidemiller
February 4, 2010‎‎
Hempfield, PA. "The roof and grounds surrounding the building known as GreenForge in Hempfield were white with snow last week. But Westmoreland County's ultimate model of conservation was as green as ever...Jim Pillsbury, the district's hydraulic engineer and specialist in storm water management, worked on the project that turned the roof into Westmore-land County's first -- and, so far, only -- green roof. Instead of shingles, the surface is covered with thousands of sedum plants in nine varieties..."  >>more


The urban Ewok village
The Martlet,
by Glen O'Neill
February 4, 2010‎
Vancouver, Canada. "Imagine flying over any major city and, instead of seeing vast, square cement rooftops, you see parks and walking-path bridges that connect to adjacent rooftop parks...Vancouver is well known for its two large-sized green roofs. In 1995, the Vancouver Public Library had a 1,500-square-metre green roof installed. As well, Vancouver’s Convention Centre is home to a six-acre green roof, which houses thousands of indigenous plants..."  >>more


Over the Top: Data Shows "Green" Roofs Could Cool Urban Heat Islands and Boost Water Conservation
Scientific American,
by Katie Moisse‎
February 2, 2010
New York, NY. "Quantifying their urban climate change-mitigating effects is an important step in getting green roofing initia-tives off the ground...Green roofs can cool near-surface air temperatures by an average of 16.4 degrees Celsius per unit area...A four-inch-thick green roof can hold a gallon of water per square foot..."  >>more


LEED Gold Certification for Cape Cod Green Home Achieved by Cape Associates and ZeroEnergy Design
PR Web,
Press Release
February 2, 2010
Cape Cod, MA. "Modern Cape Cod house earns both ENERGY STAR and LEED Gold certification for green features including solar electric, a green roof, and the use of sustainable materials...The house includes a wide variety of green features including solar electric, solar hot water, a living green roof, low flow fixtures and toilets, local and rapidly renewable materials, stormwater manage-ment, and a whole house ventilation and allergen filtration system..."  >>more


Green industrial roofing
PlantServices.com,
by Robert C. Lichy
February 2, 2010
US. "Evolution is yielding effective technology...Manufacturing plants located in urban or suburban areas frequently are guilty of contributing to what has been termed the Urban Heat Island effect because of large, black parking lots and dark roofs. While a white roof might reduce the negative effect, a green roof might actually mitigate the heat island. Green roofs not only cool and humidify the ambient air, they filter out dust and smog particles. Plants absorb aerosol contaminants in the ambient air, leaving the air safer for all of us..."  >>more



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features

greenroof project of the week
February 7, 2010

Where in the Greenroof World?
The Greenroof Projects Database!


2009 Top 10 List of Milestones and Accomplishments

By Linda Velazquez, ASLA Associate, LEED AP & Greenroofs.com Publisher

As we continue to ring in 2010 we hope you enjoyed warm holidays with family and friends and celebrated the New Year with renewed hope for the future. Can you believe we've entered a new decade?  Shall we call it 2K10, Twenty Ten, or just good old fashioned 2,010? In any case, we're finally out of the 0's, now we're into the 10's.

Our world economy has been through a lot in the past few years, yet with a promising light hovering just over the horizon. Although development overall has declined, there is continued desire for green buildings from both the public and private sector, and in general our greenroof & greenwall industry has weathered quite nicely. Many of us are taking time to reflect on this passage of time and make New Year's resolutions (another topic altogether!), and I was thinking of how far we have come since the German experience entered our architectural radar and into our collective consciousness in the 1990's. Literally thousands of vegetated roofs and walls have been constructed since then in every continent except for Antarctica, with ever growing support from forward thinking multidisciplinary professionals: designers, government officials, organizations, companies, universities, students and other advocates looking to make Earth a little more sustainable.    >>more 


Kelly Luckett

The Green Roof Guy

Green Roof Wind & Fire Design Guidelines:
After Three Years, Half the Battle is Won

By Kelly Luckett, LEED™ AP, GRP

Hello once again green roof fans,

As many of you know, the Green Roof Guy has been waste deep in the efforts to get design guidelines for minimizing risks of fire and wind uplift for green roof systems inserted into the International Building Code.  The journey that started nearly three years ago has been one with many starts and stops and has been a continuous learning process.  You may recall the initial discussions throughout the industry as to whether testing was necessary or even possible.  The decision was made to develop design guidelines that would govern how we build green roofs rather than attempting to test seemingly infinite green roof variations.

However, as we coursed down this winding road, the wind design guide called Single Ply Roofing Industry (SPRI) / Green Roofs for Healthy Cities RP-14 met with some resistance that we could not overcome without conducting some testing. Though the testing...   >>more 

Testing at SIUE to help develop prescriptive design guides for wind uplift (RP-14) for green roof design and construction.


The Green Walls Column

Empowerment with Vertical Agriculture, Edible Walls & Urban Farming Food Chains
By George Irwin

All Photos Courtesy George Irwin Unless Otherwise Noted

Volunteers celebrating a completed Urban Farming Food Chain Green Wall in Los Angeles.

If you ever have an opportunity to talk with my family you'll see there are very few things I am obsessed with except for my fascination with food.  Fortunately when I am home and not traveling, I have the means to provide nutritious food such as fresh berries, raw vegetables and other non processed edibles.  I do 90% of the cooking; I make three meals a day for my family - breakfast before school, homemade lunches, and dinner. For me it is not just about making the food - I am obsessed with cooking high quality nutritious meals...   >>more


industry news: company/organization/
government/university
 

american hydrotech

American Hydrotech is offering a free waterproofing and roofing resource handbook for all architects and design community professionals. Topics include sustainable design, waterproof product specification, and proper installation tech-niques for use by building professionals in designing and waterproofing roof decks, plazas, vertical foundations, reflecting pools, and green roof applications.
American Hydrotech Architectural Binder literature is available free of charge in both print and electronic versions. Print versions can be ordered by emailing binder@hydrotechusa.com; electronic versions can be downloaded here.


asla

On November 5, 2009, the Sustainable Sites Initiative™ - the first national rating system for sustainable landscapes - was released. The first voluntary, scientifically researched rating system and guidelines for design, construction, and maintenance of sustainable landscapes, with or without buildings, is a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and the U.S. Botanic Garden. The rating system works on a 250-point scale, with levels of achievement for obtaining 40, 50, 60, or 80 percent of available points, recognized with one through four stars, respectively. Read more at: www.sustainablesites.org.

The Sustainable Sites Initiative opened a call for pilot projects in conjunction with the release of the rating system. Any type of designed landscape is eligible so long as the project size is at least 2,000 sf. The call will remain open until February 15, 2010, and read more at: www.sustainablesites.org/pilot.


city of milwaukee

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is inviting units of government, organizations, school districts, and businesses within the 28 communities it serves to participate in a 2010 Regional Green Roof Initiative Program. Participation in the program will require interested parties to respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP) following standard procedure. Proposals are due by 10 a.m. on Feb. 12, 2010.

The MMSD’s interest in green roofs is in capturing rainwater on our region’s rooftops and keeping it out of our regional sewer system. Doing so will help reduce polluted stormwater runoff and combined and sepa-rated sewer overflows to Lake Michigan. For more information you can download the press release from we energies regarding the Initiative along with a Green Roof Program Notice and RFP from MMSD. Read more in Industry Support.


city of portland

The City of Portland is sponsoring Ecoroof Portland on March 12-13, 2010. Learn how ecoroofs work, why they're important, and what's next for Portland's rooftops and skyline. The City has nearly 200 ecoroofs and an incentive available to help with the costs - if you own property in Portland, manage or own development projects, aspire to work in the ecoroof industry, or just support things sustainable, Ecoroof Portland is the event to get involved with this alternative roofing approach. Activities will include Portland ecoroof tours, live ecoroof installations, presentations by local and national experts, and workshops to help you get started on your own project. Fair attendance is free and vendors can reserve booth space very economically. In addition to Dr. David Sailor of Portland State University, Ed Snodgrass and Linda Velazquez will be speaking!  Learn more here.

Part of Portland's Grey to Green initiative to increase sustainable stormwater manage-ment practices, control non-native, invasive plants, and protect sensitive natural areas, over $800,000 will be spent on the incentive in this fiscal year, and will make funds availa-ble over the next three years. You could receive $5 per square foot to build your ecoroof! Applications of incentive appli-cations will be available in April 2010 for the next cycle that begins in the summer of 2010.  Read more under Industry Support.


 city of toronto

Toronto City Council Adopts Mandatory Green Roof Requirements: the City  passed a new greenroof by-law with overwhelming support on May 26, 2009, consisting of a greenroof construction standard and a mandatory requirement for greenroofs on all classes of new buildings. The by-law re-quires up to 60% greenroof coverage on multi-unit residential dwellings over six stories, schools, non-profit housing, co-mmercial and industrial buildings. Larger residential projects require greater greenroof coverage, ranging anywhere from 20 to 50% of the roof area. Read more here. The City will provide incentives of $50 (Canadian) per square meter up to $100,000 for building owners who install greenroofs, on a one-year pilot basis. The next application session deadline is for Spring, which opens February 1 and the Application Deadline is April 2, 2010.  Read more in Industry Support.  


epa

EPA Guides Federal Facilities to Greener Stormwater Solutions: A new technical guide to help federal agencies minimize the impact of federal development projects on nearby water bodies was issued on December 10, 2009 by the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency. Under the new requirements, federal agencies must minimize stormwater runoff from federal development projects to protect water resources. Agencies can comply using a variety of green infrastructure or low impact development practices, including reducing impervious surfaces, using vegetative practices, porous pavements, cisterns and green roofs. Click here to view or download the new guidance document - "Technical Guidance on Implementing the Storm-water Runoff Requirements for Federal Projects under Section 438 of the Energy Independence and Security Act."


green roofs for healthy cities

GRHC issues Call for Papers & Posters for the CitiesAlive! 8th Annual Green Roof and Wall Conference on Nov. 30, Dec. 1 & 2, 2010 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.  Conference streams fall under Policy, Design & Case Studies, and Research and GRHC is particularly interested in presentations that emphasize the themes of integration and climate change. Of interest also are projects that reflect the unique climate based challenges of the Pacific coast. Submission requirements: Completion of the call for papers submission form that includes a 300-word abstract and 50-100 word biography by March 15, 2010. Visit vancouver.citiesalive.org to download the form or for more information.


nyc department of buildings

The Department launched a new process for Green Roofs and Solar Electric Generating Systems tax abatements. This process will involve new job filing and abatement application filing procedures in the New York City boroughs for 2010 thru 2013. The Green Roof and Solar Tax Abatement Program Team have revised the PC1 form to reflect new required items - PTA3 and PTA4 Abatement Eligibility Approval.  To learn more and for prompt and current updates about this, and other department initiatives, visit Industry Support.


ssbx

Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx) is a non-profit organization that champions hope and opportunity for their community and other urban communities with innovative programs that improve both the economy and our environment. They seek to combat climate change and urban disinvestment through green collar job creation. Their nationally-recognized Bronx Environmental Steward-ship Training (BEST) celebrated their 175th graduate at the end of 2009, nearly doubling the scope of SSBx's training from the past year. SSBx continues to seek employer partners who are looking for the right employee trained from their BEST Academy program, which is currently recruiting for 2010 training sessions. Learn more here.


wgin

The World Green Roof Infrastructure Network (WGRIN) changed the name of the association from WGRIN to the World Green Infrastructure Network - WGIN - and added the slogan "Vegetation makes it possible." The name change was decided in Toronto last October for the first CitiesAlive! World Green Roof Infrastructure Congress.

Back to Top
 

Sky Gardens Blog

Welcome to our Sky Gardens Blog ~ where cool green
meets lofty blue
!

Midori no Tobira: An Inspirational Green Door
by Gavin Walsh, February 7, 2010

2009 Top 10 List of Milestones and Accomplishments, by Linda, January 21, 2010

First Greenwall in New Zealand Makes Sustainability Sexy,
by Linda, December 29, 2009

National Roof Over Your Head Day
by Linda, December 4, 2009

The Making of the Greenroofs of the World™ Calendar Series,
by Linda, December 1, 2009
 


Click Here to Order Your DVD!

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students on green roofs

A Drop in the Bucket
By Christine Thuring, Student Editor
 

Over Thanksgiving this year, I found myself in a discussion about the choices we make on behalf of the environment and planet.  It started before dinner over a beautiful glass of wine, when an uncle asked why I choose not to eat meat.  Keen on learning more about his organic garden and wishing to keep the conversation pleasant and simple, I opted for the simplest answer: “I just don’t like it.”  It seemed like he’d accepted this answer, but before I could launch into my curiosities he queried, “So you’re not one of those people who abstain from meat on behalf of the environment?”  Ach.

His take was that many of the environ-mental choices we make are personal sacrifices that will never be sufficient to effect the intended change.  “If you really want to effect change,” he said, “you need to target the big players: governments and policy, corporations and multi-nationals.  Until they change their ways, your choices are just a drop in the bucket that will never amount to anything.”

In genuine contemplation, I raised the point: if it weren’t for individual drops to fill it, what’s the bucket for in the first place?  As Lao Tzu put it in 6th century China, a vessel is a vessel because it is empty.  The empty space which defines its form also defines its usefulness...                      >>more


guest feature article

A French Green Roof Research & Development Program

By Maxime Darnis and Philippe Faucon
Photos Courtesy Maxime Darnis

A part of the 200 square meter green roof system for plant resistance tests.

Compared to Germany, green roof total surface in France is small but the annual market is getting more and more important.  In 2008, more than half a million square meters of rooftops were vegetated here. This shows the increasing interest for this technique, but market expansion is still slowed down by lack of knowledge: contactors are still questioning green roof benefits and techniques.  To give answers and fill the lack of research, we launched a research program in 2007.

The CRITT Horticole is a regional center of innovation and technology transfer specialized in...                 >>more


guest feature article

The eThekwini Municipality Green Roof Pilot Project

By Clive Greenstone
Graphics Courtesy and Photos By
Clive Greenstone

The eThekwini Municipality Green Roof Pilot Project; Photos By Clive Greenstone

The Greenroof after 6 months.

During this millennium Durban, South Africa, like other cities around the world, will be challenged to provide sufficient food, shelter, basic services and jobs for all its urban residents.  This challenge is compounded by the necessarily to fulfill these needs whilst simultaneously building more sustainable cities that mitigate, rather than add to, climate change.  There is growing consensus that the future is in cities and the drive to change these urban forms into more sustainable ecological spaces is a necessity.

With strategic and creative planning solutions from both municipal governments and citizens, the urban environmental...            >>more


Sustainable Roofing Technologies Column

In the Year 2020
By Ralph Velasquez

For all of those who read my New Year’s article, all my resolutions have been broken, so I have decided to look forward to a new year, the year 2020 in fact.  I have chosen 2020 because all my grandchildren that have been born to date will be either in college or about ready to enter college and I will have reached the normal retirement age of 65.  What will their sustainable future look like and mine in retirement?...                    >>more


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The "Ask Ed" Plant Column

Ed Snodgrass

How to Secede on Green Roofs Without Really Trying
By Ed Snodgrass
All Photos Courtesy Ask Ed unless noted

What happens on a green roof without intervention?  Ecological succession is at work in all climates at all times turning areas scrubbed clean from fires or lava flows into meadows then shrub lands to primary forests to secondary forests to climax forests.  All human-designed gardening and agriculture fights this natural succession to keep the intended plants from...   >>more

Aerial View Prior to Succession; Photo Courtesy Adnams Brewery.


greenroofs.com
press releases

Greenroofs.com - 11.23.09
Greenroofs.com Releases their new 2010 Greenroofs of the World™ Wall Calendar

                                             >>more


advertiser press releases

Greensulate - 2.3.10
Greensulate LLC announces that it has been awarded funding from The New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS)

Skyland USA - 2.3.10
Skyland USA, LLC expanded the rooflite® Authorized Blender Network to Canada

Alumasc - 02.02.10
Alumasc Creates a Roof-Top Haven at The River Quarter

GreenGrid® - 1.28.10
Weston relocates regional headquarters to Concord, New Hampshire

LiveRoof - 1.20.10
LiveRoof, LLC contributes to 'Extreme Makeover Home Edition'

Bison Deck Supports - 1.6.10
Bison Wins Architectural Record Editor’s Pick
                                             >>more

Greenroof Directory and Banner Ad customers may send
Advertiser Press Releases to:
media@greenroofs.com


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joblinks

2 Positions Available in Green Roof Maintenance in Somerville, MA with Apex Green Roofs.

Position Available as a Horticulturalist in Chicago, IL with American Hydrotech.

Position Wanted in the UK involving Green Roofs and Walls

Position Wanted as an Architect in Chicago, IL
                                           >>more


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