Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 10/10/11
Glendale Country Club
Bellevue, WA, USA
4,000 sf.  Greenroof

Year: 2010
Owner: Glendale Country Club
Location: Bellevue, WA, USA
Building Type: Commercial
Type: Extensive
System: Custom
Size: 4,000 sq. ft.
Slope: 2%
Access: Inaccessible, Open to Public

Project Description & Details

Located east of Lake Washington near the center of Bellevue, the Glendale Country Club has a spectacular 18-hole championship golf course with swimming pool and clubhouse. In keeping with Glendale’s long-standing eco-friendly reputation, it was one of the first Washington courses to complete the rigorous Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses in 1998 and has maintained certification ever since.

In 2009 the Glendale Country Club required substantial repairs due to water damage. The parking lot is at a higher elevation than the clubhouse and upon arrival members have a bird’s eye view of the rooftops for the clubhouse and pro shop/club storage building. With a desire for greater energy efficiency and the roof’s highly visible location, a green roof was the perfect solution. Etera ® SEDUM TILES ® were chosen for their easy installation and instant results. The design included two standard mixes as well as the inclusion of Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ as an accent. The two SEDUM TILE ® mixes used were Color Max, chosen for maximum color in the form of brightly colored foliage and flowers in abundance, and Tuff Stuff which holds up well to wind, cold, heat and drought.

Designers/Manufacturers of Record

Plant Supplier: Etera ® Green Roof Plants
Landscape Architect: Triad Associates
Installer: Green Effects Inc.
General Contractor: Charter Construction
Project Management: Bristal Design Group of Bellevue
Architect: Wattenbarger Architects
Pre-vegetated Mat: Etera ® SEDUM TILES ®

Google maps link

Additional Info

When the Glendale Country Club required some much needed  renovations, to the tune of $2 million, members were initially hesitant due to the downturn in the economy, yet agreed to a special assessment for repairs.  Many of the improvements are not visible to members and guests, but two obvious enhancements are the new roofs.

The new grand entry now boasts a colorful 4,000-square-foot green roof over the pro shop and a high-performing metal roof stands sentry over the clubhouse.

A new concrete stairway with wood arbor and fresh plantings above add to the eye-catching improvements.

Although members were inconvenienced during construction, the Glendale Country Club was able to remain fully operational.  The result is everyone loves the refurbished facility and the country club has received much praise from expected paybacks and for being completed under budget and ahead of schedule.

“The HVAC and water system improvements alone should yield $30,000 in annual energy savings, resulting in a three-year payback on the investment for club members. The updated gas system is expected to save more than $30,000 in natural gas expenses.” ~ Greener Golf, By Design by Denny Fleenor in Connections Magazine 2010

Both roofs are low maintenance with additional benefits of energy savings for heating and cooling.  Etera ® SEDUM TILES ® were chosen for the extensive greenroof and it has flourished since its installation of March 2010.  The flowers of significance are from Sedum rupestre, a major sedum in the Tuff Stuff SEDUM TILE, and are quite fragrant and supportive of bees.  Etera ® greenroof specialist  David Gilmore says a regular scheduled maintenance regime is maintained, consisting mainly of pulling occasional  weeds – mostly clover – and fall trimming with a weed eater.

Members and visitors enjoy the ever changing roofscape of flowering plants.  In winter, the sedums turn red punctuated by the dormant wheat-colored blue festuca, creating a striking living roof.

Sustainability has always been important at the Glendale Country Club.  Course superintendent Steve Kealy received the 2005 Golf Course Superintendents of America’s President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship for a rehabilitation project on site.  Channel, bank stabilization and riparian corridor improvements enhanced Kelsey Creek which runs through the entire course.

And in addition to maintaining the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, the golf course is also a leader in The First Green, an educational outreach program that uses golf courses as environmental learning labs.  Glendale hosts student field trips to test water quality, collect soil samples and design plantings.

“We work with two high schools, providing classroom materials and funding the bus rides and field trips.  We encourage students to consider a career in turfgrass science.” ~ General Manager Tom Frets, 2010

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Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!

~ Linda V.