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newslinks 2008 Archives of previous years News is posted as it comes across the newswire from a variety of sources including online and print newspaper and magazine articles, blog postings, radio shows and videos. Content from the Home Page is rotated by most recent date and lands here. Effective January 1, 2007, excerpts referencing green roofs will be included, making it easier to do searches for particular keywords. Article excerpts start on the Home Page and then end up here - search Archives above for previous years' postings. Some links change soon after publication when postings are moved to newspaper and magazine archives. Direct source hotlinks are provided, although you may first have to register or create an online account with a particular news service before accessing the article. In most cases registering is free of charge, but each service is unique and you will have to abide by those external website rules. Many newspapers require subscription services for archive retrieval, or may offer free searches of their archives. So visit the Home Page often to stay up to date for free! In order to reduce redundancy, Publisher reserves the right to post original sources only on the Home Page, and will offer subsequent follow up articles here on NewsLinks, at our discretion, for your review. And if the article/ posting only briefly mentions greenroofs without being a major focus, it will only be listed here on NewsLinks as a reference. Greenroofs.com is not responsible for the accuracy of external links. Museum rift is about Daley getting his way
Chicago Tribune Blog, by Eric Zorn
May 15, 2008
Chicago, IL. "...the museum will not rob Grant Park of any green space or intrude on its vistas. The building's grassy, land-scaped roofs will terrace gracefully down from Randolph to the park's Bicentennial Plaza. Its highest point will be its glass entrance pavilion, rising above Randolph to accommodate an elevator to its lower levels ...The museum proposal has been labeled, bizarrely, a "land grab." On the contrary, Chicago Children's Museum is a non-profit institution that is raising $100 million to build its new home, plus a new, green-roofed fieldhouse for public use..." Haworth Inc. officials believe their new headquarters will inspire change
MLive.com, by Shandra Martinez
May 11, 2008
Holland, MI. "This is an office building? Step into the three-story atrium at the new Haworth Inc. headquarters, and you might think you're in a modern museum or upscale mall...Crowned by one of the largest sedum-planted roofs in the state, the building is 50,000 square feet larger and one-third more energy efficient than its predecessor..." Saving energy by going green
Chambersburg Public Opinion, by Robert Kessler
May 11, 2008
University Park, PA. "This past week a vanload of Extension educators traveled to Penn State to learn a little more about energy and ways to help with energy issues. We visited a "green" roof on the new forestry building that reduces a lot of stormwater runoff from the building. Green roofing is being used more and more by companies building new..." There's No Place Like (the smart, green) Home
Lower Hudson Journal news, by Barbara Hines
May 10, 2008
West Harrison, NY. "...Green roofs, that is, a roof of a building that is partially or com-pletely covered with vegetation and soil, have proven over the long term to be part of a Best Management Practice (BMP) in the fight against global warming. A green roof retains or slows down storm..." Council debates whether new sewer plan is green enough
Kansas City Star, by Karen Dillon
May 9, 2008
Kansas City, MO. "Can the public trust Kansas City leaders to implement green solutions such as green roofs and rain gardens into the overhaul of the city’s massive sewer system? Or should green solutions be part of a federally mandated plan to fix the sewers?..." Green proposals for downtown Columbia
Baltimore Sun, by June Arney
May 9, 2008
Columbia, MD. "Solar arrays, "green" roofs and storm-water management that doubles as civic art and takes place only when it's raining are among the ideas for improving the environment in the redevelopment of downtown Columbia, a consultant told residents this week..." ‘Green’ Neabsco development gains steam
Inside NoVA, by Elisa Glushefski
May 8, 2008
Prince William, VA. "A Merrifield-based developer plans to bring green roofs—an environmentally friendly trend largely seen in European and urban design—to a mixed-use project in the U.S. 1 corridor...the rooftops for two mixed-used buildings would have courtyards filled with greenery and trees, one featuring a pool and deck that would not only absorb stormwater runoff and reduce air pollutants but would also offer a place for residents to go in their leisure time..." £100m public square to create 500 jobs
Argus Lite - Brighton, by Lawrence Marzouk
May 8, 2008
Brighton and Hove, England. "...Developers want to transform the Sackville Trading Estate in Hove into a public square surrounded by 170 homes, shops, restaurants, offices and a supermarket. The new flats will be large, in response to Brighton and Hove City Council's request for family-sized homes, and all will have access to roof terraces...The plans also aim to be sustainable with extensive roof gardens, improved bus facilities, car clubs and car share schemes..." Ajman firm unveils $408m Boulevard project
Trade Arabia, by Staff
May 8, 2008
Ajman, UAE. "...The Boulevard, Ajman; a $408 million mixed use master development...The 170,000 sq ft, 3-level shopping mall will join the hotel to offer a central leisure and shopping zone offering a spa, roof gardens, and a vast food court. The project also features fine dining; fully equipped health clubs and rooftop swimming pools..." City's first green roof won't be last
Lancaster Newspapers, by Jennifer Todd
May 8, 2008
Lancaster, PA. "...Though Seavey said the energy-saving benefits are key, he said storm-water runoff is probably where the firm will see the largest difference...Seavey received some help with the cost in the form of a grant from Gov. Ed Rendell's Energy Harvest program. National Novelty Brush Co. shared nearly $500,000 in state funds with five other local businesses. As part of the initiative, green roofs are planned at the Bare Building at 39 E. Chestnut St., Box Company Flats at 225 E. Grant St., Penn Stone at 190 W. Ross St., Two Dudes Painting at 750 Poplar St. and the new YMCA at 265 Harrisburg..." Smith + Gill Tapped for Ultra-Green Abu Dhabi Project
Architectural Record, by Tim McKeough
May 7, 2008
Abu Dhabi, UAE. "Desert buildings that produce more energy than they consume may no longer be the stuff of mirages. Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture recently won a competition to design Masdar Headquarters, a 1.6-million-square-foot, zero-waste, zero-carbon facility that it predicts will generate not only enough power to run itself, but also surplus energy to help fuel buildings surrounding it...Underneath the canopy, a series of interconnected volumes, topped by green roofs, provide space for offices, retail stores, and residences..." Green Roof & Wall Design Awards Announced
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
May 7, 2008 Toronto, Canada. "Stunning green roof on the new California Academy of Sciences building and Vancouver Aquarium green wall among this year’s winners of GRHC’s Awards of Excellence design awards. GRHC is pleased to announce the seven project design winners of its annual Awards of Excellence - a program showcasing the extraordinary vision and leadership of forward-thinking green roof and wall project design teams..." New Natomas school roof is green - and growing
Sacramento Bee, by Laurel Rosenhall
May 6, 2008
Natomas, CA. "...With a few sprinkles of water, plants will spring from its top, forming a cover of vegetation across the roof of the H. Allen Hight Learning Center. The school's "green roof" is one of many construction features designed to save energy when the campus opens in August with 500 students. It's also likely the first local example of a building trend sweeping across rooftops worldwide..." GDL08: Living Roofs - Joe Swift
Kits and Mortar, by Suw
May 6, 2008
UK. "Max Fraser: Living roofs are green houses, important for biodiversity, good for the environment, and facilitating better rain runoff. Old Mayor of London introduced a scheme to promote them, important in cities. Introducing Joe Swift, presenter of Gardeners’ World, here to talk about living roofs and green walls. Joe: Ken Livingstone was into living roofs, so interesting to see how this develops with the new Mayor. As our cities become harsher and harsher, green roofs become more and more important..." New Research To Highlight Decentralized Stormwater Management Techniques
Water Online, Press Release
May 5, 2008
U.S. "The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) is requesting proposals for research that will provide education, outreach, and training on decentralized stormwater management techniques to critical target audiences in order to...WERF will provide $112,000 for the development of innovative tools and training that lead to greater awareness, understanding, and use of decentralized stormwater management techniques; appropriate implementation for stormwater management; improved water quality; energy savings; and other benefits (e.g. aesthetics)...Decentralized approaches manage stormwater at the source (site level) using multiple techniques to control the quality and quantity of stormwater runoff. These methods include rain gardens, porous pavement, cisterns, vegetated roofs, and many other practices..." Women's Giving Circle Awards $60000 to Campus Projects
University of Arkansas Daily Headlines, Press Release
May 5, 2008
Fayetteville, AR. "...Mark Boyer, associate professor in the department of landscape architecture, was awarded $10,000 for a project titled “Green Roof Demonstration Plot Trials.” The purpose of this project is to measure the benefits of green roofs in Arkansas through the construction of 12 mock roofs on the university’s new Watershed Research Education Center. The mock roofs..." Energy conservation hits the roof
Chicago Daily Herald, by Gwen H. Jader
May 5, 2008
Chicago, IL. "...At Lakeside Lofts, a 96-unit environmentally friendly new-construction loft development at 2025-2035 S. Indiana in the South Loop, two large botanic gardens on top of the parking garage contain four-season plantings along with seasonal flowers...The 93-unit eco18, a condominium development at 1818 S. Wabash Ave., boasts a green roof. X/O Condominiums, a 496-unit high-rise and townhouse enclave at 18th and Prairie Avenues, is planning three green roofs. Plans for The Catalyst, a 217-unit building at 123 N. Des Plaines, call for a green roof on the fifth floor...Bartlett Town Center, a mixed-use development of condominiums and lofts in downtown Bartlett, is bringing the green roof concept to the West suburbs ...In the Northwest suburbs, Parkview condominiums in Arlington Heights on the corner of Dunton Avenue and Eastman Street has a terrace/green roof...The Crossings at Morton Grove by Toll Brothers offers roof top decks..." SUNY Ulster Campus-Wide Energy
Hudson Valley Press, by Staff
May 5, 2008
Stone Ridge, NY. "...Through its office of Continuing and Professional Education, SUNY Ulster recently brought on-line a host of new courses in the area of environmental sustainability. These include courses in green home design and renovation, alter-nate energy systems for the homeowner, green roofing, and a sustainable building advisor certification class..." Rain or shine, the answer to climate change can be found on your roof
Times Online, by Hannah Fletcher
May 3, 2008
UK. "...The number of green roof companies has increased fivefold in as many years. Where fewer than 10,000 square metres of sedum blanket were laid annually, that figure is now approaching 100,000...Green roofs might not reduce your water bills but, according to Dusty Gedge, the founder of Livingroofs.org and president of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations, they can cut your air-conditioning bills. As well as absorbing up to 60 per cent of rainwater, green roofs can lower the surrounding air temperature by up to 11C. “2005 and 2006...if we all had green roofs, we wouldn’t need air-conditioning." Just last month, Britain’s first policy on green roofs was produced by the Mayor of London. Sheffield, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham are all soon to follow..." Chattanooga: Green roofing makes a comeback
Chattanooga Times Free Press, by Amy Williams
May 3, 2008
Chattanooga, TN. "...In the next few months, Mr. McGauley’s company, Fidelity Trust Co., will install a green roof on its building at 714 Cherry St. The company completed renovations on the building in February and ordered the plants that will occupy about 2,300 square feet on the roof...The GPS roof, also close to 2,300 square feet, will have iris, phlox and even apple trees. The school’s green roof, funded by area businessman Greg Vital, will be part of Bowman Terrace, supported by the families and friends of Nickey and Peggy Bowman..." Fort Worth looks for ways to go green
TCU Daily Skiff, by Ashleigh Whaley
May 2, 2008
Fort Worth, TX. "On April 11, the University of Texas at Arlington installed 1,000 square feet of soil and plants to the roof of the Life Science Building. This summer, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas will continue making plans to install what its director of development, Cleve Lancaster, says will be "one of the largest examples of green roof in North Texas" at BRIT's future headquarters next to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden...The team is testing five different types of green roofs, Kinder said. The testing platforms are 15 wooden-box roof modules, each 16 square feet, filled with current commercial products, transplanted native soil and experimental mulch designs..." Greensburg showing way for Wichita
The Wichita Eagle, by Randy Scholfield
May 2, 2008
Wichita, KS. "...The new master plan, approved in January, calls for every public building to be constructed to LEED platinum standards (LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and platinum is the highest rating). There are also plans to build a dozen model "eco-homes" that would be testing grounds for a variety of environmental building materials and techniques from "green roofs" and double-paned windows to..." Guest column: Tikkun olam
Diamondback Online, by Miriam Boer
May 1, 2008
College Park, MD. "...While we're at it, why not install green roofs? As the name suggests, green roofs are roofs with plants growing on top. Think breezy, green, shady park - on a roof. Not only do green roofs compensate for the footprint of the building, they insulate better than traditional roofs. In this case, the buildings would actually increase the amount of verdure in the area, taking Lots 9 and 11 from..." Take the long view, say fans of green buildings
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, by Diana Louise Carter
April 30, 2008
Rochester, NY. "Building "green" not only is the right thing to do, it can improve your bottom line...wasting water or failing to use rainwater resources can cost companies down the road, or cost the community. Jendryaszek said a 14,000-square-foot roof planted with sedum and connected to a rainwater catching and recycling system can save about 200,000 gallons of water a year from going into storm drains...Broccolo Tree and Lawn Care booth demonstrated those sedum-planted roofs and walls built by Brighton's Green Living Technologies. Only three of the roofs have been installed locally - including the..." Grant money and volunteers move ‘Tabor Commons’ project forward
The Bee, by David F. Ashton
April 30, 2008
Portland, OR. “With more work to do, still leading the transformational process is neighbor Paul Leistner, Chair of Southeast Uplift neighborhood coalition...We just found out that we needed a new roof on the building,” Leistner revealed. “The metal roof is 50 years old; the project is going to be challenging. We wanted to do an eco-roof; this is our opportunity...” Green-Collar Blues
The Plank on TNR.com, by Dayo Olopade
April 30, 2008
U.S. "Over at Grist, Anna Fahey posts a persuasive set of facts and counterclaims geared at convincing those who are skeptical about the existence of so-called "green collar jobs."...But the work is being done: Fahey mentions no less than two dozen private organizations that traffic in preservation, efficiency retrofitting, renewables and construction. I'll add to the list...Sustainable South Bronx, which provides environmental stewardship training (green roofs, brownfield cleanup) to low-income minorities..." Rooftop gardens soar as high-level green space
Oak Brook Business Ledger, by Adam Terese
April 30, 2008
IL. "...Aside from natural beauty to otherwise unused spaces, green roofs provide habitat benefits for wildlife. A green roof on a parking lot at Chicago’s McCormick Place has become a major stop for food and water for birds migrating across Lake Michigan, Andrea Cooper said...“There’s a green eco-conscious; it’s becoming almost pop,” she said. “People are wanting to do their own part, and this is one small way to do that.” Sewage pump station plan raises stink in Sellwood
The Bee, by David F. Ashton
April 30, 2008
Portland, OR. "...On the west side, Fanno Creek’s pump station is a red brick building with fake chimneys. It is a very attractive building. The City Council mandates that we use eco-roofs. We could blend the roof into the slope [at certain sites]...” Urban planning needs green rethink: Viewpoint
BBC News, by Martha Schwartz
April 29, 2008
U.S. "...Unfortunately, I have found that we lag behind architects when it comes to participating in the conversation around sustainability; in fact, we are often relegated to presiding over green roof technology...I am not simply referring to gardens and majestic wildernesses; in fact, the most sustainable form of human habitation is the city..." Green walls of China
Plenty Magazine, by Violet Law
April, 2008
Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo. "As green roofs continue to top off buildings in the U.S., other visible but equally verdant structures are sprouting in many Asian cities...Vision City in the Tsuen Wan district, is aimed to be developer Sino Land Company’s latest major environmentally friendly project. The complex’s signature green element is the 7,500 square foot curved green wall facing the inner courtyard of the shopping mall..." First Place On Green List Boosts Chicago 2016
GamesBids.com, by Staff
April 26, 2008
Chicago, IL. "Chicago’s bid may get a boost following the announcement that it is once again in first place on this year’s top 10 list of Best U.S. Green Roof Cities...Patrick Sandusky, a spokesman for Chicago 2016, told GamesBids.com, “we are proud of our Mayor’s strong commitment to the environment. Our Olympic bid hopes to build on and strengthen the Mayor’s vision of making Chicago one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world..." Sri Lanka an important hub port for M&S; Thurulie the world’s first lean and green manufacturing factory
Daily Mirror, by Damayanthi Hewamanna
April 26, 2008
Thulhiriya, Sri Lanka. "...MAS Intimates Thurulie is in Thulhiriya the world’s first ever eco-factory for lingerie manufacturing goods...The plant has an investment of $7 million and it includes the use of extensive daylight to help light the premises, cooling measures taken such as green roofs that have vegetation on top, cool roofs and courtyards with wide arrays of greenbelts to cool the microclimate. These combined features will enable the facility to save around 40% on electricity and reduce the water usage by approximately..." Subtle nuances may distinguish new sustainable roofing systems
Daily Commercial News, by Peter Kenter
April 26, 2008
North America. "New sustainable roofing systems and concepts are providing builders with more choices than ever, but a glut of information has blurred the distinction between different types of roofing. “When people hear the term ‘green roof,’ some of them think of a rooftop garden, while others think of roofing that is environment-friendly,” says Dr. Ralph M. Paroli, director of the building envelope and structure program for the National Research Council Institute for research in construction..." Change of plans by developer Devimco
The Gazette, by Michelle Lalonde
April 25, 2008
Griffintown, Canada. "...some of the key changes to the Griffintown project that the developer, Devimco Inc., hopes will answer public concerns and get the project passed by city council Monday. The plan now includes: More affordable and subsidized housing units. Green roofs" on some of the commercial buildings..." Chicago Ranks No. 1 For Green Roofs
CBS2 Chicago, by Staff
April 24, 2008
Chicago, IL. "For the fourth year in a row, Chicago is topping the list of cities with the greatest amount of space devoted to green roofs. The city installed about 517,633 new square feet of green roof space in 2007 alone..."I'm proud that Chicago is the national leader in green roofs. We built our first on City Hall in 2000. Since then, more than 400 of them, covering more than 4 million square feet, have been constructed, or are planned, on public and private buildings – including new buildings planned at O'Hare Airport," Mayor Daley..." Editor's Picks: Go Green or Go Solar?
The Green Guide, by David Wortman
April 24, 2008 (From the May/June 2007 issue)
The World. "Green roofs are all the rage..."From the perspective of increasing biodiversity, green roofs are a success," says Amy Lesen, assistant professor of biology at New York's Pratt Institute. But if it's measurable energy savings you're after, you might consider solar panels...But if you do have the resources, consider combining PV panels with a green roof. According to the Scandinavian Green Roof Institute, shade provided by the panels can even encourage more biodiversity. You and the environment just may find yourselves in a win-win situation..." Lawrence Tech building earns silver LEED certification
metromode, by Jon Zemke
April 24, 2008
Southfield, MI. "...Lawrence Tech's Student Services Center received silver certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building's green features include a geothermal heating and cooling system, low-e glass skin, a 10,000-square-foot green roof and sensor-controlled lighting..." Mayor Bloomberg Celebrates Completion of Largest 'Green' Affordable Housing in Harlem
Media Newswire, Press Release
April 24, 2008
Harlem, NY. "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the completion of the Kalahari, a 249-unit mixed-income development on 116th Street in Harlem designed and built to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Certification...As an eco-friendly residence, the Kalahari includes green features such as a fresh-filtered air delivery system that purifies air quality at a constant rate, Energy Star appliances that will help to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent below the New York State Energy Code, green roofs, and landscaped public courtyards featuring native plants..." Griffintown developers go green with plans
The Gazette, by Michelle Lalonde
April 24, 2008
Griffintown, Canada. "...The developer has agreed to add green space wherever possible, including on rooftops, although no clear commitment regarding how much green space or how many green roofs will be created has been made..." Green, green grass of home
Chicago Tribune, by Russell Working
April 23, 2008
Oswego, IL. "An environmentalist's devotion to nurturing nature even inadvertently camouflages his house on the Fox River...He built his sod-topped home in 1954, and the home reflects a lifelong devotion to the plants and woodlands of the region...His passion for native plants and trees is evident. On a recent tour of his roof, he snatches up and crushes a few sprigs in his hands. "You know what that is? Smell it. Wild onion," he said...Young gestured at a neighbor's house. "Our two houses were built at about the same time, and he's put his third roof on over there," he said. "And this is my first..." WP Hickman Systems Partners with Celebrity Cruises for First Open-Ocean Green Roof
PR-Inside.com, Press Release
April 23, 2008
The World. "Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Solstice(sm), whose inaugural voyage is scheduled for Fall 2008, will be the first of four 122,000-ton cruise ships to offer guests a genuine, living lawn for recreational activities. W.P. Hickman Systems, a leading provider of quality roofing and water-proofing systems and solutions, is proud to announce that it has been selected to provide the green roofing system for The Lawn Club to be featured on these unique, 2,850-guest vessels..." A river runs through it
Guardian, by Saba Salman
April 23, 2008
South Bronx, NY. "...Carter speaks of "broken branches". "If you have more trees on the streets, urban landscaping, green roofs: that does so much to raise the community's perception of itself. Increased levels of community pride will mean increasing self-esteem, and could even lower crime rates," she insists..." The American Institute of Architects Announces the 2008 COTE Top Ten Green Projects
AIA, Press Release
April 22, 2008
Washington, D.C. "The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The projects will be honored at the AIA 2008 National Convention and Design Exposition in Boston..." Publisher's Note: Half of the 2008 Top Ten Green Projects plus the Honorable Mention include living roofs. Ten Ways to Celebrate Earth Day 2008
Hotel Interactive, Inc., by Ray Burger
April 22, 2008
Lake Placid, NY. "...Golden Arrow’s environmental commitment will continue throughout the year, as the resort strives to achieve by 2009 5 Green Leafs in the Audubon Green LeafTM Eco-Rating Program for Hotels. (The hotel currently is one of a few dozen properties across North America that holds a 4-leaf rating.)...Also in June, the resort will install a new 3,000-square-foot Green Roof..." Verrazano Gets a ‘Green’ Necklace for Earth Day
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, by Staff
April 22, 2008
Brooklyn, NY. "...The report, released on April 14, called for greater energy efficiency, expansion of the MTA’s use of renewable solar, wind and tidal power, improved building practices such as installation of vegetated green roofs on MTA facilities, and reuse of groundwater pumped daily by the MTA..." Building for the future
National Post, by Paul Brent
April 22, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "...Toronto's Regent Park is probably the last place to expect LEED Gold residential towers, but the inner city neighbourhood will soon boast three...The buildings will be an estimated 45% more efficient than comparable towers, says Martin Blake, Daniels' vice-president of project implementation. The tower that will be offered to the public, the 10-storey building called One Cole, will feature 84 units. Like the other buildings, it will boast a green roof, heat exchange ventilation and a central energy plant..." Hope builds for 'greener' skyline
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, by Chris Togneri
April 22, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA. "...In the South Side, Conservation Consultants Inc., which is housed in a green building, soon will become even greener, officials there said. CCI will use $54,128 from the state Department of Environmental Protection to install a "green roof." The four-inch layer of vegetation will help capture and recycle at least 5,000 gallons of runoff water each year, and reduce energy bills and building emissions by as much as 15 percent..." Green Roof News Spring 2008
The International Green Roof Association Newsletter
April 22, 2008
The World. "The international Green Roof community maintains vibrant activity. Within the next months some major events will bring together experts from all over the world to exchange ideas and share experiences. At the same time the number of prime examples for ‘Green Building Constructions’ is also increasing all over the world...Content: Showcase for a new generation of shopping centres: The 'Meydan' Project in Istanbul, FiftyTwoDegress Nijmegen: Sustainable stormwater management with Green Roofs, Set a good example: Waitakere City Council Green Roof in New Zealand; Practical considerations for rubble/brown/biodiverse living roofs; About to go: Green Roof Policies in the UK; A free international community resource: The Greenroof Projects Database; Reminder: World Green Roof Congress 2008 in London; and a Preview of the next IGRA-newsletter..." 10 Tips to Go Green
Affordable Housing Finance, by Staff
April, 2008
U.S. "Based on dozens of interviews with developers, engineers, and investors, here are AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE's top 10 practical green building tips. They might not seem flashy, but these ideas will save new construction and rehabilitation projects energy, money, and time...10 - Find grants for flashy technology. Solar panels, green roofs, wind power turbines: The first green building ideas many people think of are often the last items to consider for affordable housing communities..." L.A. and San Francisco vie for title of 'greenest city'
Los Angeles Times, by Margot Roosevelt
April 22, 2008
CA. "...buildings' environmental footprints can be dramatically reduced by using low-irrigation landscaping; efficient heating, air-conditioning and lighting; solar panels; roof gardens...Seventeen states, including California, and 80 localities require public buildings to meet green standards. But so far, only one state and 14 cities are applying those rules to private construction. Los Angeles would be the biggest city to join the list. Still, San Francisco's proposed standards "would far surpass those of any other large city..." Earth to Blazers: go green-Blair can and should be more energy efficient
silverchips.online, by Gus Woods
April 22, 2008
Silver Spring, MD. "...Blair could install a Green Roof - a layer of soil planted with grass or another form of vegetation that covers the roof. Such a roof would reduce heat lost through the ceiling and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The amount of money required for a green roof varies according to what sort of roof the schools chooses to adopt..." Green Roof Market Grows by Over 30% in 2007
Earthtimes, Press Release
April 22, 2008
North America. "...Last year, 30 percent more green roofs were installed in North America...This good news comes from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities' 3rd Annual Green Roof Market Industry Survey of its corporate members and represents a five percent increase over last year's annual market growth rate of 25 percent. The survey is based on square footage of green roof projects installed by GRHC's corporate members in 2007..." Green Roof Market Grows by 30% in 2007
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
April 21, 2008 Toronto, Canada. "Call it a gift for the earth: just in time for Earth Day. Last year, 30 percent more green roofs were installed in North America – and that means more beautiful rooftops, cleaner air, cooler cities, reduced energy consumption, less untreated stormwater running into our rivers and streams, and more green spaces for people, plants and animals..."
Toronto Makes No. 1 on Top 10 list of Best Canadian Cities for Green Roofs
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
April 21, 2008 Toronto, Canada. "With nearly 83,000 new square-feet of green roofs installed in 2007, Toronto has hit the No. 1 spot in this year’s Top 10 List of Canadian Green Roof Cities in Green Roofs for Healthy Cities’ 3rd Annual Green Roof Market Industry Survey of its’ corporate members. Toronto is currently in the number seven spot in North America, with the City of Chicago boasting more than half a million square feet installed in 2007, again the number one City..." Roofing companies offer eco-alternatives
MiamiHerald.com, by Robin Shear
April 21, 2008
South Florida. "...Green, or vegetated, roofs improve building aesthetics, increase energy efficiently and even gather storm-water runoff. But these highly specialized, irrigated rooftop gardens haven't quite taken root in South Florida...He maintains that green roofs are not so different from some of the condo plaza decks Murton has been installing down here for years..." Dockside Green strives for LEED Platinum certification
Journal of Commerce, by Bradley Fehr
April 21, 2008
Victoria, Canada. "A development along Victoria’s waterfront is aiming to become North America’s first LEED Platinum certified community...The development will incorporate a number of green features including its own on-site sewage and wastewater treatment, a naturalized creek and pond system for storm water, a biomass gasification plant for heat and hot water, water-efficient fixtures and green roofs..." A Truly “Green” Building Technology
Reuters UK, by Stuart Gaffin
April 21, 2008
The World. "...The vast bulk of green building design focuses on efficient heating, cooling, lighting, insulation and window technologies. All of these are great things of course, but what’s not mentioned in the Nature article is a truly ‘green’ building technology - living green roofs and living walls. These are technologies that introduce plants into building facades, especially rooftops..." Fair, Green, Smart ®-Housing in the 21st Century
OpEdNews, by Nandinee Kutty
April 21, 2008
U.S. "...A host of green building technologies are now available that homebuyers can demand and planning authorities should require...Traditional landscaping that helps keep the air clean, regulates temperatures, and helps prevent soil erosion and flooding may also be used. All housing development plans should include a designated space that will serve as the "lungs" of the community. This might be a park, a forest, or significant plantings throughout the development. Green roofs are now being used on buildings of all heights..." Up high and down to earth-A beauty of a green roof comes with benefits
Boston Globe, by Robert Campbell
April 20, 2008
Washington, D.C. and Boston, MA. "In a small space, with a modest budget, a new kind of green roof here is so inventive it changes the way you think about what a roof can be. Green roofs are a hot item in architecture. Mayor Menino, for one, advocates them for all new buildings in Boston. But they're often uninteresting as architecture. The usual version is a flat surface planted with sedum, looking like a big rug or maybe a stretch of semi-desert landscape. This one is different because it's three-dimensional...The Boston Architectural College, which owns a big flat roof on Newbury Street, has decided to green it...At Harvard, Behnisch plans both planted roofs and solar panels..." Grand Designs: Kevin McCloud's trade secrets
Telegraph.co.uk, by Anne Cuthbertson
April 19, 2008
Kent, England. "...Kneeling down, he examines tray upon tray of tiny plug plants that will one day make up the "green roof" of Mimi and Andre d'Costa's new house. Mimi, a mother of two, took sedums and flowers from their plot of land near Headcorn in Kent and planted all four and half thousand specimens by hand..." Environmental consciousness rises to the top
Chester DailyLocal.com, by Staff
April 19, 2008
U.S. "It used to be that if you said a building had a green roof, you were referring to the color of the shingles on top of it, or the hue it had been painted. But that was then. Nowadays, green roofs are one of the latest trends in environmental-friendly architecture and development. And a West Whiteland company is right at the forefront of the revolution. Weston Solutions, based in West Whiteland, is the exclusive U.S. licensee of GreenGrid Green Roof Systems, a modular green roof system. The company has installed green roofs across the U.S., and it..." Tall Poppy Interview: Chris Turner
Torontoist, by Andrew Chin
April 19, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "...You don't really talk too much about Toronto in the book, but you do mention the rooftop gardens of the Royal York Hotel. Is this something that can be replicated across the city? There's no reason not to. There's absolutely no reason why any rooftop surface couldn't do it. For example, in the late 80's and early 90's in Germany, they decided that this was the thing that they were going to really, really strongly encourage. And there are now like hundreds of thousands of green roofs in Germany. It's one of those techniques that there is no downside..." Cities can fight global warming from the rooftops
Kentucky.com, by Craig Rothstein
April 19, 2008
Bronx, NY. "...Gaffin, an atmospheric researcher at Columbia University's Center for Climate Systems Research, has studied how green roofs affect the environment since January, when he began gathering data from his rooftop laboratory on the recently constructed buildings of the campus of the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, a private school in the Bronx. Gaffin is one of a growing number of climatologists who think green roofs are a powerful technology to help cities confront the threats of global climate change..." Life of luxury
Calgary Herald, by Kathy McCormick
April 19, 2008
Eau Claire, Canada. "...Besides luxurious, high-end standards, plans for Solaire include such eco-friendly aspects as green roofs on the lower roofs of the building, says Gary Mundy, an associate with GEC Architecture. The roofs will have soil planted with natural grasses, he says. Two points on the east facing wall will also be "living walls..." Winds shift in Hoag Hospital plume debate
OCRegister, by Jeff Overly
April 18, 2008
Newport Beach, CA. "Hoag Hospital must tailor the operations of its power plant to curtail plumes of water vapor clouding the ocean views of neighboring residents, the Newport Beach City Council decided this week...Any new parking garages on the hospital’s lower campus must have landscaped roofs as well." SA debates green roofs and funds magazine
The Flat Hat, by Mary Bellini and Narissa Dalla
April 18, 2008
Williamsburg, VA. "The suggestion to spend $10,000 from the Consolidated Reserves Fund on a “green roof” garden area for the Sentara Hospital in Yorktown sparked debate among senators at this week’s Student Assembly meeting. The bill in question was the Sentara Hospital Health Act, sponsored by Sens. Michael Douglass ’11 and Steven Nelson ’10. Sentara Green-roof Steering Committee member Scott Morris ’10 cited the benefits of the project, including fostering a positive relationship between students and the..." Brown is the new green
Bizjournals.com, by Peter Lewis
April 18, 2008
Seattle, WA. "Sedums do better than other species of rooftop vegetation at weathering the drought conditions that characterize Pacific Northwest summers, according to a recent green roof study. The study, by Seattle's Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA), found that sedums, a humble succulent, survived quite well in test plots without watering -- unlike some of their lusher cousins that died off in summer..." Testing Seattle's green-roofed structures
Bizjournals.com, by Peter Lewis
April 18, 2008
Seattle, WA. "In winter, stormwater typically overwhelms Seattle's sewer systems, carrying contaminants and sewage into area waterways, which is why Seattle Public Utilities -- essentially, the water department -- serves as the city's chief monitor of green roof policies. In the next couple of months, the utility expects to receive additional information from a consultant it has hired to help measure how well some of the city's green-roofed structures do at controlling..." Eco schools are flourishing
Green Building Press, by Staff
April 18, 2008
Sheffield, England. "All Sheffield's 31 secondary schools will receive attention under the £400m scheme, and 21 will either be demolished and rebuilt or substantially refurbished as part of the project...pupils and staff at Red Hill Primary School in Worcester, are celebrating a year in their new green school. The new building had a climate change impact assessment carried out from the start of the design process. Its green features include...The roof of the school is vegetated to provide insulation and a habitat for wildlife, and it also features solar-powered ventilation..." Heavy snow forecast for Hemel Hempstead
Easier, by Staff
April 17, 2008
Hemel Hempstead, England. "...backed by NatWest bank has taken two years to plan in consultation with builders Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, and the meticulous design will feature one of Britain’s biggest living roofs covering the entire length of the slope, making it visually unobtrusive and environmentally friendly..." Bulgaria Capital Requires Green Roofs, Extends Green Areas
Sofia News Agency, by Staff
April 17, 2008
Sofia, Bulgaria. "The extending of the green areas in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, and the introduction of green building roofs will become a priority for its administration ...Dikov declared that the planting of grass and trees on building roofs must become a necessary condition for allowing the construction of new buildings. With such measures the Sofia Municipality hopes to combat the greenhouse effect...The Chief Architect pointed to the Japanese capital Tokyo and cities in the West as examples of widespread and successful roof grassing..." Local leaders take green message to Capitol Hill
Bizjournals.com, by Staff
April 17, 2008
Washington, D.C. "Norton, chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, said she wants to study practices such as reusing water and energy, installing green roofs, deploying new energy-saving technology and developing and constructing new facilities near waterways before coming up with any new federal energy legislative proposals..." Thursday briefs: SIUE to host Earth Day festivities
Belleville News Democrat, by Staff
April 17, 2008
Edwardsville, IL. "Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will host a celebration of Earth Day through Tuesday with the theme, "Celebrate the Earth!" Events are: ...Friday • Bill Retzlaff, 1:30 p.m., "There are green roofs and green walls at SIUE?," Engineering Building room 1011. A tour of green roofs follows the lecture..." College aims for green title
The Star, by Staff
April 17, 2008
Sheffield, England. "Sheffield College is drawing up plans to become one of the greenest organisations in the city – with the help of a £36 million government grant... Plans included roof-mounted wind turbines, solar panels, a rainwater recycling scheme, green roofs and extended connections to the refuse-fuelled combined heat and power system...The national strategy is seeking to ensure that all new colleges are environmentally sustainable and zero carbon by 2016, ahead of the Government's target for public sector buildings..." Education centre plans revealed
Essex Echo, by Staff
April 17, 2008
Wickford, England. "Plans for a new state of the art £3.5million community education centre in Wickford have been unveiled. The Collaborative Learning Centre, which will be based at Bromfords Secondary School, in Grange Avenue, will include space for music, art, technology and science...The eco-friendly building will be built using a timber frame and timber cladding, and will have green roofs." Around the towns
The Suburban, by Joel Goldenberg and Dan Delmar
April 16, 2008
Montreal, Canada. "...GREEN ROOF AWARD: Earlier this month, the borough of Côte des Neiges-NDG was praised for the “green roof” installed on the Maison de la Culture (5290 Côte des Neiges Rd.). They won the award at the 2nd annual Montreal environmental excellence and sustainable development gala. “We are determined to pursue our greening strategy to improve our residents’ quality of life and that of future generations,” said borough mayor Michael Applebaum. The roof features landscaping to cool the building during the summer and irrigation to reduce water run off..." Council takes 'field trip' through Town Center sites
Sammamish Reporter, by Wendy Giroux
April 16, 2008
Sammamish, WA. "Packed shoulder to shoulder in a 15-person van with city officials and two reporters, members of the Sammamish City Council last week toured portions of the Town Center planning area...Buildings would hopefully be built green and have green, planted roofs as well..." A new approach to Portland watersheds
OregonLive.com, by Bob Sallinger and Mike Houck
April 16, 2008
Portland, OR. "Today, Portland Commissioner Sam Adams formally launches his "Grey to Green" initiative, which will allocate $50 million over the next five years to fund protection and restoration of Portland's green infrastructure. Measurable targets of the initiative include planting more than 80,000 trees, creating 43 acres of ecoroofs, acquiring and restoring key habitat areas, and launching 950 "green street" projects..." A Changing Job Climate: Green Jobs Grow in DC
Express from The Washington Post, by Rachel Kaufman
April 16, 2008
Washington, D.C. "...Other carbon-cutting industries that are gaining critical mass: green roofing, or planting living vegetation on rooftops to cool buildings and slow water runoff...Green roofer/horticulturist Sarah Murphy, 24, agrees that market forces are shifting...Now Murphy owns a green roofing firm, Canopy, and works at D.C. Greenworks, a nonprofit that trains at-risk youth in horticulture. "It's growing tremendously," she says of her industry. "Developers are not thinking twice about getting green roofs..." The Eco Home Depots: Where to Shop Sustainably
Express from The Washington Post, by Jennifer Barger
April 16, 2008
Washington, D.C. "...Greater Goods-Mini green roofs top the bay windows outside U Street's five-month-old enviro depot. In a space bedecked with pastel-hued shelves of oriented strand board (made of recycled scraps), owner Daniel Velez aims to "help condo dwellers and even renters find simple things that'll help them live..." Hilton hotel to sport area’s largest green roof
Baltimore Examiner, by Andrew Cannarsa
April 15, 2008
Baltimore, MD. "The Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel is taking green building to another level — the roof level. The $301 million, 750-room hotel next to the Baltimore Convention Center will include the Baltimore area’s largest green roof when construction is completed in August. The 32,000-square-foot green roof is located on the hotel’s east and west buildings. Dan Freed, principal of RTKL Associates, the architectural firm with offices in Baltimore that designed the hotel, said he didn’t know of another hotel in Maryland with a green roof the size of the Hilton’s..." New York transit going green
Cleantech, by David Ehrlich
April 15, 2008
New York, NY. "New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority has unveiled preliminary plans for a wide range of cleantech initiatives in its system, including solar and wind power, green roofs, water management, and some regenerative braking magic...Other initiatives include vegetated green roofs at three facilities..." Green roofs popping up in big cities
MSNBC, by Bryn Nelson
April 15, 2008
North America. "The Washington Nationals’ new baseball stadium opened the 2008 season with one. Vancouver’s 2010 Winter Olympics will feature many more. And earlier this year Minneapolis decreed that the city’s voluminous Target Center arena will have one too. Suddenly, green roofs are sprouting across North America. Designed to curb air pollution, decrease energy expenses and reduce storm runoff, the environmentally friendly assemblies are adding a decidedly earthy element to urban skylines — a sign that the green roof industry is rapidly..." Saving the planet - but which way is best?
Peterborough Today, by Hannah Gray
April 15, 2008
Peterborough, England. "...If we are to teach future generations how to be green, then a good way to start is at school, and not just in terms of what is taught in the classroom, but the buildings themselves. Newborough Primary School is certainly leading by example with a range of green measures. Most striking of these is a "green roof" on the building, which is made of a grass-like plant called sedum...The green roof is in fact currently a shade of red and should hopefully flower in May or June..."
Stop them in their tracks
The Star, by Sylvia Sellars
April 15, 2008
Sheffield, England. "...We will not be 'Fobbed Off' by talk of 'Green Roofs' as even if one was integrated into this development, what use would it be to the local residents? We have been told that if incorporated into the building, a 'Green Roof' would become a 'Nature Reserve' in its own right. Does this mean they are going to add slipways and runs for the foxes and rabbits? Will the birds be happy to nest amongst the thirty three whirling ventilation fans?..." Living Architecture Monitor - The Policy & Planning Issue
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Staff, Members, and Various Writers
Spring, 2008
North America. "Features include: Remembering David Beattie; New GRHC Book Showcases Award-Winning Projects; Projects: A Cathedral to Green Roof Design, Major green wall project for METRO light rail system in Phoenix; a scalloped green roof in California, the CIA’s smart move in Northern Virginia; and Holmes on Homes, plus about the conference and much more."
Governor Paterson and MTA Announce Sustainability Initiatives
State of New York MTA, Press Release
April 14, 2008
NY. "Governor David A. Paterson today joined MTA Executive Director and CEO Elliot G. Sander and Chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger to announce a series of sustainability initiatives that the authority will pursue to further reduce its impact on the environment, including its carbon footprint. The initiatives were part of the interim recommendations released today by the Commission on Sustainability and the MTA. The Commission, chaired by Jonathan F.P. Rose, was created in September 2007 by the MTA to help the authority – which already plays a vital role in reducing the region’s environmental impact – take a leadership role in promoting sustainability...Among the more than 20 recommendations and projects identified in the interim report, the MTA has made the following commitments:...Develop green design standards for transit facilities based on the LEED ratings, using the rigor and experience of the U.S. Green Building Council. The MTA is planning high-performance roofs at many facilities, including vegetated green roofs at the Metro-North Railroad’s Harmon Yard Support Shop, the MTA Bus Far Rockaway Depot, and the B&T Queens Midtown Tunnel Service Building Annex..."
Innovation for a greener future
Easier, by Staff
April 14, 2008
Chippenham, England. "Nature is taking over at Market Quarter in Chippenham. Not only do these eco-excellent rated homes development by award-winning homebuilder Linden Homes Western have green roofs and a nature corridor, but they now have innovative Living Walls! Living Walls are new technology, which although rare in the UK, are growing in popularity as homebuilders realise the benefits that they bring, both aesthetically and for the environment..." DEC Accepting Applications for Urban Forestry Projects
Media Newswire, Press Release
April 14, 2008
New York State. "Applications are now being accepted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for approximately $900,000 to support urban forestry projects across the state, Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today. DEC is seeking proposals for Urban and Community Forestry projects that will enhance New York's urban landscapes with healthy trees and provide environmental, health, and economic benefits. Grants will be available to municipalities, public benefit corporations, public authorities, school districts and not-for-profit organizations that have a public ownership interest in the property or are acting on behalf of a public property owner. Grants will range from $2,500 to $75,000, depending on municipal population, with a 50/50 match requirement. Eligible projects include tree inventories and management plans, tree and shrub planting and maintenance, and green infrastructure projects including green roofs and rain gardens..."
Sence Valley - A wildlife haven in the National Forest
Easier, by Staff
April 14, 2008
Ibstock, England. "Visitors to Sence Valley Forest Park in The National Forest are now able to identify the abundant wildlife in the park thanks to new innovative information points just installed...Also new to the park are shelters with living roofs and information boards that show the flora and fauna that can be spotted here and across the wider National Forest..." Expert warns of ‘urban heat islands’ as towers mushroom in Doha
Gulf Times, by Arvind Nair
April 13, 2008
Doha, Qatar. "...These two options can be combined with the implementation of “green roofs”, he suggested. A green roof does not point to its colour but refers to a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and soil, or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. Rooftop ponds are another form of green roofs which are used to treat grey water. The term “green roof” might also be used to indicate roofs that use some form of “green” technology, such as solar panels or a photovoltaic module..." A new garden at UTA -- on a building's roof
Fort Worth Star Telegram, by John Austin
April 12, 2008
Arlington, TX. "...the University of Texas at Arlington is trying to take sustainability to a new level with the experimental green-roof project installed atop its six-story Life Science Building on Friday. "This is the first intensive green-roof project in the D-FW area," said David Hopman, the UT-Arlington landscape architecture professor who's heading the rooftop project. "Everybody wants to do one, but nobody's done one..." Note: See the UT at Arlington Life Science Center Green Roof in The Greenroof Projects Database. Back Garden of the Year competition
Times Online, by Stephen Anderton
April 12, 2008
UK. "...Then there’s the Urban Garden category, the place to enter more sophisticated, inward-looking gardens, which use more modern materials and paving; gardens to see more than to do. They might be tiny or even just roof gardens...Again, there will be the Green Space category, somewhere to show off a garden – or just part of a garden – which is both attractive and sustainable..." Publisher's Note: The competition is open only to residents of the UK. Bank group stumped by rising IT power consumption
ZDNet.co.uk, by Andrew Donoghue
April 11, 2008
Europe. "...The Frankfurt facility is a 100,000 square foot, 1,000W-per-square-metre datacentre, which has been designed to make the most of sustainable building practices, according to Killey, who said the site had capital costs of eight percent less than a conventional site...Design features of the Frankfurt facility include wooden cladding on the outside of the facility and a so-called "green roof"...Killey said: "The green roof makes sense. The design gives us better performance in terms of life - burying [the roof] under a great wodge of earth increases roof life. It is insured for 40 years and there are benefits to ecology through rainwater attenuation and reuse..." How green can you go?
Green Building Elements, by Jake Kulju
April 11, 2008
U.S. "...Jeff Stillman of ZinCo USA, Newton, Mass., says one of the keys to his company’s sustainable green roofing products is the use of non-rotting, recycled polypropylene. The substance’s long lasting capabilities and recycled nature make it a shoe-in for sustainable building material... Ed Snodgrass of Emory Knoll Farms, Maryland has provided plants for 268 roof projects, providing more than 2 million square feet of green roofing in the U.S. Snodgrass’s farm is in collaboration with several university research programs. The effort is producing a fund of knowledge about soil depths and plant types that create healthy, lasting and sustainable green roofing projects..." Award Winning Green Roofs Book Launch
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
April 11, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "Five years of extraordinary green roof projects celebrated in the new Award Wining Green Roof Designs to be celebrated during GRHC’s annual conference in Baltimore April 30 to May 2, 2008. Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) is pleased to announce the launch of its first book, Award Winning Green Roof Designs published by Schiffer Publishing. The book celebrates the winners of GRHC’s annual Awards of Excellence program since its inception in 2002..." Epic Change
Vancouver Sun, by John Mackie
April 11, 2008
Vancouver, Canada. "Mike Holmes on going green...He could probably do a whole hour on green roofs alone...the whole purpose of it is to keep [heat] in. It creates a thermal barrier. If you put in six inches of earth on top of a flat roof, it helps hold in the heat value 60 per cent better than six inches of rigid foam. "That's pretty impressive, 'cause six inches of rigid foam is considered a thermal break, much like a cooler. If you were to add six inches of earth on top of [a roof], it will hold 60 per cent more in. Now we're talkin' environmental..." garden clippings Butterflies, bats and water rats
Kent Online, by Staff
April 11, 2008
UK. "People fearful for the future of plants and wildlife across the county have a vital role to play, says the Kent Wildlife Trust which is celebrating its golden anniversary this year..."We can work with people to get them to include mitigating measures into things like housing developments. They can encourage the use of living roofs, put up bat boxes or kestrel and owl boxes on new houses..." The sexiest rooftop bars in the world
MSNBC, by Jennifer Murphy
April 11, 2008
The World. "Pink flamingos wander through the grass and ducks float on a nearby pond as you sip champagne beneath a starry sky. No, you’re not on a Caribbean island. You’re on the roof of an Art Deco building in one of west London’s most well-known shopping districts. Welcome to The Roof Gardens at Kensington High Street..." Monitors take school's pulse
San Jose Mercury News, by Matt Nauman
April 10, 2008
Hillsborough, CA. "The expansion of Nueva School in 2007 came with lots of green expectations. The private K-8 school in Hillsborough wanted its three new buildings to feature state-of-the-art green design...A good example of what will be possible is the two living roofs - 2,575 square feet of native grasses above the cafeteria and a 7,500-square-foot plot of six native species atop the library, where California poppies were blooming this week. Monitors will track soil moisture, temperature and humidity, said David Brock, Agilewaves' chief technology officer..." HSBC Plants Shrubs in Advertising For First Time
Asia Media Journal, Press Release
April 10, 2008
Hong Kong, China. "HSBC is planting green spots at some unexpected but busy places around Hong Kong to bring to life the appeal of its green credit card for environmentally conscious consumers. For the first time, plants are featuring in outdoor advertising...With the Bank’s first green credit card, which is now open for applications, customers will also be contributing to the setting up of green roofs in a number of schools in Hong Kong, as HSBC will donate an equivalent sum of 0.1% of cardholder spending to the HSBC Green Roof for Schools programme..." Green scene
Fort Worth Star Telegram, by Staff
April 10, 2008
Arlington, TX. "...Green roofs probably would sprout around the Metroplex if more role models were available to show documented benefits. Enter the University of Texas at Arlington. On Friday, volunteers from UTA will install an experimental green roof on a 1,000-square-foot section of the Life Science Building...The project includes the installation of the enhanced roofing system, irrigation, plants and about 30,000 pounds of soil. Although this will be the first green roof on the campus, university officials say that future buildings will include structures designed and built with green roofs..." Note: See the UT at Arlington Life Science Center Green Roof in The Greenroof Projects Database. Living roofs produce food, clean the air and conserve energy
Ottawa Citizen, by Karen Secord
April 10, 2008
Ottawa, Canada. "..."Rooftops are a city's greatest untapped resource," says architect Monica Kuhn. "Sloped or flat, large or small, industrial or residential, the possibilities for urban greening, air cleaning, community building, and food production are limitless."..."Typically R-30 is considered to be good," says Mr. Polley. "But a living roof can provide an R-50 value or better. It is an insulating blanket against the winter cold."...Karen Moyer, Environmental Coordinator with the environmental services department at the City of Waterloo won the Green Roof Civic Award of Excellence in 2004 for the development of the green roof industry..." City officials move to make guidelines more ‘green’
KC Community News, by Mark Johnson
April 10, 2008
Raytown, KS. "...At another level of the measures are the use of solar panels (to generate electricity and heat water), green roofs and an energy efficient code for the city..." Plaid pledges local 'revolution'
BBC News, by Staff
April 9, 2008
Cardiff Bay, Wales. "...The "innov8 policies," as Plaid described them, include encouraging local renewable energy projects and investigating local energy service companies. Underground bins for new homes and business properties would be encouraged along with the installation of "intensive green roofs" on all new flat-roofed council properties..." Museums sprout 'green' architecture
Christian Science Monitor, by Yvonne Zipp
April 9, 2008
Chicago, IL. "...Forget Corinthian columns: Today's museums have features like green roofs – such as on the new wing at the Institute of Fine Arts in Chicago..." It’s My Turn - April 9
Villager, by Andy Bergman
April 9, 2008
Houston, TX. "...Intensifying public attitude towards reducing global climate change will be a significant factor in the upcoming political elections. Commercial brokers and real estate portfolio managers that fail to see this emerging trend will risk their clients asking them five years from now why they didn’t see this coming. How can building owners prepare? The good news is that new technologies exist for retro-fitting buildings of all types to reduce energy consumption. Reflective and green roofs, photo-voltaic (solar) panels..." Post-Standard Letter: Thanks to Mahoney for supporting green cleaning
Syracuse.com, by Sarah Eckel
April 8, 2008
Onondaga County, NY. "...Replacing our sidewalks with pervious pavements, installing rain barrels, planting rain gardens and providing incentives for green roofs all help slow stormwater run-off and reduce pollution while beautifying our neighborhoods, city, towns, villages, and county...Green infrastructure does not mean that stormwater goes away, it means that our community is reducing the problem of sewer overflows..." New roofs on horizon for Faner and Ag building
SIU - Daily Egyptian, by Luke McCormick
April 8, 2008
Carbondale, IL. "...Students could spend the coming years learning under freshly cut grass. Plans are in motion to replace the roofs on Faner Hall and the Agriculture Building. Phil Gatton, director of the Physical Plant, said campus administrators are considering an energy efficient alternative to roof building, known as Green Roofs..." Meeting to Address Nanotechnology, BioFuels, Drug Discovery, Green Building and More
AZoNano.com, by Staff
April 8, 2008
Albuquerque, NM. "Can biofuels be made cheaply enough to lower the cost of driving a car? Are green roofs worth the cost?...These are a few of the topics researchers will address April 10-12 in Albuquerque during the 83rd annual meeting of the Southwestern and Rocky Mountain (SWARM) region of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), hosted by the University of New Mexico..." Water-saving toilets added to dorms
The Daily Princetonian, by Jack Ackerman
April 7, 2008
Princeton, NJ. "...Besides having extremely efficient heating and cooling systems and windows, three of the five Butler buildings will have green roofs. These roofs will filter and retain rainwater, allow rooftop gardens and prevent large fluctuations in building temperature, which can overwork climate-control systems. Two of the buildings will not have green roofs so that students can compare them to the three more efficient ones in experiments for their environmental studies and engineering courses..." Diaz wants Green Roofs?
Gotham Gazette, by Amanda Hickman
April 7, 2008
New York, NY. "...No fan of the proposal, Bronx Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr. argues in his release that … If the Mayor really wants to protect the environment and the air that we all breathe then he should have proposed that a Green Roof is required on every new commercial development in our city..." Go Green East Harlem
Daily Green, by Annie Bell Muzaurieta
April 7, 2008
East Harlem, NY. "...A community initiative - Go Green East Harlem - hopes to draw attention to these issues and promote a healthier lifestyle for its citizens. The initiative has ongoing projects, such as planting trees, adding access to farmer's markets, building green roofs on schools near high-congestion areas, and constructing a $3.5-million asthma center..." Leonardo DiCaprio Buys New Green NYC Digs
Inhabitat, by Ali Kriscenski
April 7, 2008
New York, NY. "...Riverhouse is definitive luxury eco-living. Built on the last patch of land in Rockefeller Park, the structure integrates ambitious green principles with sought after real estate. On the outside, a high-tech solar photovoltaic grid traces the sun’s daily trajectory for maximum solar energy efficiency. Open roof areas will be a complex of green roofs that are 75% covered in vegetation..." Planners' infill designs don't always reflect reality in Portland
OregonLive.com, by Eric Mortenson
April 6, 2008
Portland, OR. "...Chasse studies a stylized diagram of life as Metro and urban planners and designers envision it: Graceful, human-scale infill that doubles density but leaves trees, streams and wildlife habitat intact. Shared open spaces. Storm water captured and directed to the aquifer. Eco-roofs. Space to park shared vehicles...Metro's contest attracted entries from more than 100 teams of architects, designers and planners in half a dozen nations. Architects teamed with landscapers and watershed experts. Eco-roofs, bio-swales and solar collectors blossomed from design boards..." Aiming higher with green technology
News & Observer, by Mackenzie McBride
April 5, 2008
Raleigh, NC. "...I would also like to urge the state to aim higher with green goals. Rather than limit the designs to those including green roofs and light-enhancing windows, why not add solar panels, geothermal or solar heating and cooling, and recycled insulation?...A wonderful example of this is the California Academy of Sciences. A new museum set to open Sept. 27, it uses the latest green technology available and is on track to become LEED-certified at the platinum level..." Group builds green roof
Corvallis Gazette Times, by Michael Booth
April 5, 2008
Corvallis, OR. "People interested in learning more about “green” roofing will have a public display at their disposal after the Corvallis Green Building Task Group completes a small, functional roof at Starker Arts Park in Corvallis...Eckert said the amount of interest in classes about green roofs at the First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op has been overwhelming, and he believes the Starker Arts Park project will collect the same amount of interest, along with hundreds of gallons of rainwater per year..." Honolulu Mayor Expands Curbside Recycling
Hawaii Reporter, by Bill Brennan
April 5, 2008
Honolulu, HI. "...The plan, at http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/mayor /ahupuaa/mayorenergysustain_v11.pdf features several exciting new projects, including a Makiki Sustainability Center, where environmentally friendly building strategies such as green roofing and photovoltaic energy generation will be showcased at the recently renovated Makiki District Park Library building..." Roof gardens greenlighted by commission
Daily Pilot, by Michael Miller
April 5, 2008
Costa Mesa, CA. "...Costa Mesa Principal Planner Claire Flynn said the green-roof projects, which put oxygen in the air and reduce storm water runoff, could soon become a common sight around Costa Mesa...In-Habitation Design, a Costa Mesa-based firm, got the green light last month from the Planning Commission to build a seven-condominium complex with a garden on the roof of each unit. Another developer, OC Hot New Listings in Lake Forest, successfully applied in 2007 to build a series of town houses with a green roof over the carport..." Some gardening strategies to protect the bay
Daily Press - Newport News, by Matuszeski
April 5, 2008
VA. "...There has been a lot of attention recently on roof gardens, areas where sedums and other plants are grown to absorb water and cool the building below. Before considering a roof garden for part of your existing house, be sure to have an engineering analysis done to assure the roof can bear the load of the soil and the water it will hold..." Prokos plans rooftop gardens as possible alternative to strip club
The Post Online, by Brigitta Burks
April 4, 2008
Athens, OH. "If plans for a strip club fall through, Stimson Avenue could see several buildings with rooftop gardens instead, a local landlord said yesterday...Prokos and Columbus architect Michael Noel presented a possible solution to building density in the form of “green roofs,” which are plant life on top of some of the project. Green roofs will give students more space and a place to sunbathe and picnic, in addition to decreasing the project’s carbon..." Gleeds to cost Derby scheme
QS Week, by Staff
April 4, 2008
Derby, England. "Gleeds has bagged the cost manager role on a £12 million mixed-use scheme in Derby. The firm will provide cost management and CDM co-ordinator services on the project at Bold Lane regeneration developer blueprint. The 90,000 sq ft development will take place over a two stage design and build process and see 25 luxury apartments constructed complete with eco-friendly roof gardens to achieve level four of the Code for Sustainable Homes..."
District of Columbia Government Wins Green Roof Award
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
April 4, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "For the first time, a group of government departments – not a
person – is this year’s recipient of a Civic Leader Award of Excellence from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. The not-for-profit association for the living architecture industry in North America is recognizing the Government of the District of Columbia for implementing and advancing a number of policies and initiatives to promote green roofs in Washington, D.C. The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) will receive the award on the behalf of its agency partners at the Office of Property Management, Dept. of Transportation, Dept. of Public Works, and the DC Water and Sewer Authority..." 2008 Green Roof Award Winners Announced
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
April 3, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "A visionary leader in the landscape architecture industry, a
dedicated and passionate green roof researcher and an entire government department are among of this year’s Green Roofs for Healthy Cities’ (GRHC) Awards of Excellence winners announced today..."
Landscape Architect Leader Wins Green Roof Award
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
April 3, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "Nancy C. Somerville, Executive Vice President & CEO of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is this year’s recipient of the Civic Leader (Non-Government) Award of Excellence from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. This not-for-profit association for the living architecture industry in North America is honoring the CEO for her significant role and personal dedication to developing the green roof industry..."
University of Michigan Researcher Wins Green Roof Award
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
April 3, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "Dr. Bradley Rowe, Associate Professor with the Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University (MSU) is this year’s recipient of the Green Roof Research Award of Excellence from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. The not-for-profit association for the living architecture industry in North America is honoring Dr. Rowe for his extraordinary and significant contribution to the growing body of scientific research related to green roofs..." Groups ask for green roof
GW Hatchet, by Eric Thibault
April 3, 2008
Washington, DC. "Two student organizations are working with administrators to raise $18,000 for the installation of a structure that could save the University money in electric bills. Green GW and Net Impact have raised $7,000 of a needed $25,000 to place a green roof atop the Elliott School of International Affairs... GreenGW received a $5,000 Socially Responsible Initiative grant for the project, and received $2,000 more from the 2007 Green Campus Fund..." Roof landscaping could be a growing trend
Portsmouth Herald News, by RJ Mere
April 3, 2008
Portsmouth, NH. "...Towns should adopt new building codes that make green roofs available. Furthermore, building codes should contain language which would require new business buildings to create a green space equal to the footprint of new construction. This would include schools, hospitals, parking garages, and municipal buildings. Existing public buildings like those listed above should be retrofitted for green roofs by 20 percent of their foot print by 2020. Those structures that are not up to the building standards necessary for green roofs can still do their part to slow sheet flow and reduce the direct charge of polluted water to our rivers with a green wall..." Green roof benefits explored
Environmental Data Interactive, by Kate Martin
April 2, 2008
London, England. "Installing a green roof can dramatically reduce energy use and costs - as well as supporting biodiversity, reducing flooding and combating climate change. Roofs offer an opportunity for more green spaces in the heart of the city. That was the message for delegates at an afternoon seminar organised by CIRIA, the Construction Industry Research and Information Association...Dusty Gedge, co-founder of livingroofs.org, told delegates that City Hall in Chicago is one of many buildings that has found air conditioning is now largely unnecessary..." Oulu: Raising The Bar To Greener Standards
Inhabitat, by Mike Chino
April 2, 2008
Williamsburg, NY. "Sure, you’ve heard of the insular and aesthetic merits of green roofs. How about green walls? Enter Oulu, an eco-chic bar and lounge situated in southern Williamsburg. Designed by architect, sustainability expert, and Inhabitat contributor Evangeline Dennie, Oulu takes a literal approach to fresh design. Wrapped in a herbaceous façade, the LEED gold certified building bears its green cred for all to see..." Green Thoughts: Green on the roof
Hillsdale Independent, by David Chinery
April 1, 2008
Hillsdale, NY. "The picture books my Norwegian grandmother gave us kids showed rocky fjords, happy skiers and timber buildings with grass roofs. Green grass, golden grass, wildflowers and sometimes small trees grew on the rooftops, quite a contrast to the black and white asphalt shingles found in suburban New Jersey...I was intrigued to see examples of prototypical green roofs at Michigan State University this summer. There, researchers are testing what plant species work in their vigorous climate. It seems the Vikings, with their torvtaks (literally, turf roofs) have had this figured out for hundreds of years..." Green Roofs
HGTV.ca, by Robyn Burnett
April 1, 2008
Canada. "With environmental concerns being foremost in many people’s minds, it’s no wonder that the notion of green roofs is being embraced by many. From commercial buildings to private homes, green roofs provide an opportunity to not only support the environment, but also come with other benefits for those who choose to get in on the trend..." Wildflowers' seed of hope
Farming UK, by Staff
April 1, 2008
UK. "...implemented in the UK by project partner Land-life, a pioneer in creative conservation, working with the Woodland Trust on sites across the country. Wild-flower seeds harvested from Landlife's National Wildlife Centre near Liverpool are sold online, helping to halt the decline of UK wildflowers by encouraging wider growth from gardens to meadows and even roof gardens..." A green roofing resource
Professional Roofing, by James R. Kirby, AIA
April, 2008
U.S. "With the proliferation of the sustainability movement within the construction industry, green roofing is touted as one of the ways to make roof systems more environmentally friendly. Recognizing this trend, NRCA began developing a green roofing manual in 2004. And in 2007, NRCA published The NRCA Green Roof Systems Manual—2007 Edition. The manual provides in-depth information about green roof system projects. The information contained in the manual was developed by NRCA member contractors and applies to roofing contractors, designers, manufacturers, and third-party individuals involved with green roof system design and installation..." Mada’in Properties to invest Dh3bn in UAE real estate
Emirates Business 24/7, by Parag Deulgaonkar
March 31, 2008
Dubai, UAE. "...Marina Arcade will cover an area of more than 950,000 square feet, encompassing freehold residential units and a podium building that will include retail space and recreational facilities...There will be seven exclusive townhouses on the rooftop, with each property with private gardens, roof gardens with Jacuzzis and sauna rooms..." Green expo to offer array of activities
The Tennessean, by Pam Sherborne
March 30, 2008
Nashville, TN. "The event will be Thursday through Saturday on the campus of Lipscomb University. The expo is free; the business summit requires an admission fee. The business summit will offer two days of seminars, with discussions on green business trends from the hottest selling green products in Tennessee to the state government's perspective on future green economic development. Workshops will focus on specific business functions such as printing, food service, housekeeping, biofuels, green roofs, hybrid cars..." Washington Nationals Open First Green U.S. Ballpark
Environment News Service, by Staff
March 29, 2008
Washington, D.C. "When the Washington Nationals host the Atlanta Braves in Sunday's nationally televised baseball season opener, they will play at the first green-built ballpark in the United States. Completed just in time for Opening Day, the new 41,000-plus seat Nationals Park is the first U.S. stadium to achieve environmental certification by the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED, rating system...A 6,300 square foot green roof covered with plants is located above a concession area beyond left field to help absorb rainwater and reduce runoff to the nearby Anacostia River..." Lights dim, but photosynthesis thrives on Chicago skyline
The Age, by Ian Munro
March 29, 2008 (posted March 28, 2008)
Chicago, IL. "Of all the cities in the United States, |
