In celebration of honoring Earth Day 2015 and our planet’s ecology through healthy, regenerative design, we are highlighting each of the 23 awesome videos from our 30+ spectacular speakers from Greenroofs.com‘s Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2015 ~ Connecting the Planet with Living Architecture: People, Projects & Design, running through May 31st.

Our hope is that by familiarizing you more with each presentation and its particular benefits, you will be enticed to join us during our wonderfully easy-to-navigate online Virtual Summit!  And, along with the speakers’ input, I will identify 5 Key Learning Objectives or “takeaway” bullet points that each video presentation provides to participants.

Today we are spotlighting the individual presentation “Greening Rooftops in Alberta: People, Place + Projects” by the lovely Kerry Ross, GRP, the most wholesome and genuine person you’ll ever meet, whose design/build company company specializes in vegetated roofs and sustainable building design.

We’ve known her for many years now, maybe just two or three years after starting Greenroofs.com in 1999 when she was a design architect and project manager.  I believe we first met her at the first CitiesAlive conference (2003) back when it was called “Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities” and she struck me as a wonderful person.  We met her husband Bob (also an architect) shortly thereafter and have spent some great time together at conferences in London, Canada, and throughout the U.S. – awesome people!  Kerry is quite the excellent photographer, too – actually, both of them.

She has traveled extensively and is extremely active in the Alberta greenroof scene.  In fact, she received the 2009 Civic Award of Excellence: Individual from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities – read about it here.

While some myths about the suitability of green roofs in Alberta persist given the challenging and extreme climate, Kerry’s video includes a range of very in-depth case study projects in which she was involved in four of the province’s six main ecoregions.

Alberta, Canada. “As one of the first Green Roof Professionals, Kerry Ross operates Green T Design, Inc. a design-build company focused on lessening impacts of buildings on the environment through the continuum of landscape and architecture – green roofs and living walls.

In her efforts to bring greater awareness of the benefits and viability of green roof technology in the region, she co-founded the Alberta Ecoroof Initiative in 2004 and spearheaded the Alberta Prairie Green Roof Symposium in 2009. With the support of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and a subsequent Canada Council Award, Kerry traveled extensively to Iceland, Scandinavia and Northern Europe to study and document cold-climate green roofs and living walls. Kerry currently leads the Vegetated Roof Replacement & Research Project on Calgary’s Municipal Hall and in addition to contributing a number of articles on green roofing is engaged in the development of guidelines for green roofs for stormwater management for the City of Calgary.” ~ Read her complete bio here from the VS2015.

You will benefit from these 5 Key Learning Objectives as Kerry Ross shares on the subject:

1) Alberta’s very challenging climate conditions of its 4 ecoregions (Banff, Calgary, Edmonton, Stettler) resulting in the need to be irrigating with harvested rainwater.  Some of the natural ecosystems are studied (rough fescue grasslands) which could be suitable greenroof candidates evolved to suit the environment to be regionally appropriate; discussions of recent floods; importance of research; her vision;

2) Banff: Case study and lessons learned of: Bison Courtyard at Bear Street – owner wanted an eco-model for the town; McDonough + Partners was the lead and they used their guiding principles, resulting in Alberta’s first sustainable mixed-use complex with both extensive and intensive greenroofs in 2004; 

3) Calgary: Alberta Ecoroof Initiative, a hands-on research site with 4 different demonstration plots (2004) on the Alastair Ross Technology Centre in the University of Calgary Research Park.  The continued collaboration improves understanding of greenroofs in the region, in addition to expanding the plant palette; thermocouple sensors and a climate monitoring station allow studies of the micro-climate impacts and heat flow through the roof. Vegetated Roof Replacement at Calgary Municipal Hall (2014 & 2015) – a highly visible r & d site whose purpose was to draw attention and spark interest in greenroof retrofit projects; organized an education and outreach center; for scientific monitoring, she partnered with Dr. Maureen Connelly’s lab at BCIT;

4) Edmonton: Royal Alexandra Hospital, Robbins Pavilion (2011), one of the most northern major cities in North America to incorporate greenroofs. The Ted & Lois Hole Healing Garden is a combination of extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive greenroof gardens, enjoyed by many patient rooms and common areas with diverse vegetation;

5) Stettler: ATCO Electric Service Center’s new energy efficient operations center located in an office and industrial complex was designed to enhance customer service (2013).  Rainwater is captured on roofs for reuse; numerous challenges are discussed including climate, a broken irrigation system, and plant issues.

Watch the 38:31 video presentation “Greening Rooftops in Alberta: People, Place + Projects” now playing at the Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2015.  If you have not yet registered (only $49 or 25), please do:

Registration fee:

$49 – special discounted pricing;

$25 for students/faculty and government professionals

All Video Presentations, Q & A Transcripts, & Exhibitor Booths are On Demand +
Networking Live 24/7 through May 31, 2015

Earn CEUs including 10 GRP CEUs.  Register here.

Registration Open through May 31st for the Greenroofs.com Virtual Summit 2015

We hope you will support our work!  Please remember that these video presentations will not be made public for at least one year.

Happy watching and participating,

~ Linda V.

Learn more about these awesome video presentations and their 5 Key Learning Objectives at the Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2015:

“A Green Building Should Look Green, Which Means Hairy!” by Dr. Ken Yeang.

“Biodiversity in the Sky – How Green Roofs Can Be Designed as Wild Life Refuges” by Dr. Stephan Brenneisen.

“Green Roofs to New Cities” by Dr. Diana Balmori.

“A Higher Purpose – Benefits to Human Health and Education through Green Roofing” by Elizabeth Hart.

“Beyond Extensive and Intensive: Defining the Comprehensive Green Roof” by Molly Meyer.

“Biosolar Roofs” by Nathalie Baumann and Dusty Gedge.

“From Passive House to the Cold North—How Vegetative Envelope Components Impact Buildings” Panel with Dr. Bob Cameron, Dr. Allen Lee, Dr. Karen Liu, and Chris Wark.