Today we have the pleasure to air “CDA Leads the Way for Incorporating Green Roof Space in an Airport Environment” by Rosemarie Andolino from our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit on  greenroofs.tv and our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube.

We all know that Chicago has led the way in North America in greenroof implementation for the past decade, including its airports.  I first corresponded with Rosemarie in 2005 after I wrote the paper “European Airport Greenroofs – A Potential Model for North America,” which looked at impacts of using a greenroof within airports as well as some of the potential barriers to greenroofs.  More recently, I had contacted the Chicago Department of Aviation about O’Hare and Midway International updates for a presentation I did at the Atlanta Aero Club last February – see: A Look (Again) at Airport Greenroofs.

We were thrilled when Commissioner Andolino accepted our invitation to speak at our inaugural Virtual Summit:

Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner (CDA) Rosemarie S. Andolino is responsible for the management and operation of one of the world’s largest and busiest airport systems, comprised of O’Hare and Midway International airports. She is also charged with implementing the O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP), which is reconfiguring O’Hare’s intersecting runways into a modern, parallel layout allowing for reduced delays and increased capacity well into the future.

Andolino’s leadership has brought the CDA to the forefront of airport sustainability. She led the creation of the groundbreaking OMP Sustainable Design Manual (SDM) and an updated and expanded version called the CDA Sustainable Airport Manual. The manual is internationally recognized as the definitive source for sustainable airport design, construction, planning, operations and maintenance, concessions, and tenant activities.

Both Andolino and the O’Hare Modernization Plan have been recognized for excellence in environmental stewardship by the U.S. Green Building Council, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, the United Nation’s Environmental Programme for Livable Communities, as well as several government agencies and industry publications.

Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino speaks about the Chicago Department of Aviation’s industry-leading sustainability initiatives, with a focus on the existing and future green roof projects at O’Hare and Midway International Airports.

Chicago’s airports currently feature 230,000 square feet (5.3 acres) of green roof coverage. That includes a new O’Hare FedEx cargo facility, which is the largest continuous green roof at an airport in the world.  Andolino will discuss the benefits and unique challenges of incorporating green roof space in an airport environment.

Rosemarie Andolino is joined here by Amy Malick, Deputy Commissioner of Sustainability Chicago Department of Aviation.

Enjoy!  Visit  greenroofs.tv to see “CDA Leads the Way for Incorporating Green Roof Space in an Airport Environment”  or click below:

If you saw Haven’s and my  2011 Top 10 presentation, you’ll remember seeing Rosemarie in a photo representing the Chicago Department of Aviation at O’Hare’s new Aeroponic Vegetable Garden as a representative project in the # 8 category: Interior Plantings: Indoor Building Integrated Greenery.  Here, twenty-six towers will supply the international airport’s restaurants with swiss chard, red habanero peppers, lettuce, green beans, and 42 other types of fresh herbs and vegetables.  Learn more about the  Chicago Department of Aviation and all their great greening initiatives.

Watch earlier videos on our exclusive Virtual Summit  greenroofs.tv play list, or see the following Virtual Summit videos now available on our  GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

If you’re looking for an overview, make sure to see our  2011 Virtual Summit Highlights video (6:18) and our  2011 Virtual Summit Trailer (2:59).

Check back next week on GreenroofsTV for our 4th installment from the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011!

~ Linda V.