Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 4/03/17

Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
Atlanta, GA, USA
68,000 sf. Greenroofs

Project of the Week Mini Description & Details

The former site of the iconic Rich’s Department Store (Atlanta’s most popular retailer throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries), the present Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center serves as the home of several federal agencies, including the GSA and EPA Region 4, and is one of Atlanta’s most environmentally friendly facilities. The center encompasses the six-story Rich’s Building and its beloved clock as the cornerstone of the facade (from 1924), the 10-story Midrise, the eight-story Bridge Building, and the 24-story high-rise Tower. Utilizing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, the $2.6 million project renovation’s goals, consistent with the General Services Administration’s roofing program, were to provide thermal and moisture protection; conserve energy and the environment; reduce utility costs; and help attain energy security by meeting Energy Independence and Security Act requirements.

In testing the roofs’ structural integrity, it was determined that part of the Rich’s portion could not support a vegetated roof; it was changed to a white, 60 mil Tremco “Cool Roof.” But the two Tremco vegetated roofs are highlights of the buildings with planting plans designed by Tremco Roofing’s Mary Ann Uhlmann. Installed by Greenrise Technologies, more than 198,000 colorful sedums, delospermas, native cacti, alliums and more were planted 3 per sf and are set in 4″ of growing media from ItSaul Natural. The combination of roofing systems is meeting the project goals, providing such benefits as a lower installed cost than planned, cutting heating and cooling costs, reducing stormwater runoff by more than 600,000 gallons, and reducing the strain on rooftop HVAC equipment. The collaborative efforts of the National Building Contractors team and the GSA designed a vegetated roof system that not only reduced greenhouse gas emissions but also recycled 80% of the existing roof material including the pavers, waterproofing membrane, and rigid insulation.

Year: 2010
Owner: GSA
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Building Type: Municipal/Government
Type: Extensive
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 68,000 sq.ft.
Slope: 2%
Access: Accessible, Private

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:

Original Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
GSA Architects: Roland Royster and Steven Moore
General Contractor: National Building Contractors
Engineer and Roof Consultant: Michael E. Clark, MEC&A
Waterproofing: Tremco
Greenroof System: Tremco
Senior Field Advisor: Jim Lohmann, Tremco
Horticulturalist and Greenroof Designer: Mary Ann Uhlmann, Tremco
Vegetative Roof Project Manager: Scott McGaughey, Greenrise Technologies
Growing Media, Plant Installation, & Maintenance: Greenrise Technologies
Growing Media: ItSaulNatural
Plant Supplier: Saul Nurseries

View the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center PROJECT PROFILE to see ALL of the Photos and Additional Information about this particular project in The International Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.

Project of the Week Video Feature

Watch the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center Project of the Week Video below or see it on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

Greenroofs.com Project of the Week 4/03/17 video photos courtesy of Mary Ann Uhlmann, formerly of Tremco, Linda S. Velazquez, EPA Region 4, and Wikipedia, Public Domain.

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Greenroofs.com Publisher & Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit Host

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