The Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati (CGC) is a non-profit horticultural resource and botanic garden located 2.5 miles from downtown Cincinnati. The longstanding mission is to be a resource dedicated to enriching the lives of all people through education, community beautification and environmental stewardship. We must take action to slow the deterioration of the environment.? Cincinnati is ranked as one of the top 5 cities in the nation for poor air quality.? Nonpoint source pollution from urban runoff, agricultural activities, and abandoned mines is a major cause of water pollution in the Ohio River, according to ORSANCO (Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission).? The Ohio River receives 12% of the nation?s combined sewer overflow.? 7 million Ohioans live in 29,570 sq.ft. of the Ohio River Basin. ? 3 of the 4 Hamilton County watersheds have received a rating of ?more serious water quality problems, with high vulnerability?.The Civic Garden Center, with a rich 65 year history of being the horticultural resource for the area, is in a unique position to lead the effort of teaching good stewardship of the environment. The project known as Green Roof to Off the Grid will be a highly visible development. Currently a parking lot and storage building, these changes are planned:? The building, housing educational programming, will be LEED certified (platinum level). ? A demonstration green roof, sectioned into differing applications will be accessible.? Asphalt will be replaced with different types of porous paving.? Water will be collected in rain barrels and cisterns and re-used. ? Rain gardens and bioswales will collect and filter rain and runoff. Grey water will be routed through a digester, a constructed wetland and filters and the cleansed water reused.? Solar energy and geothermal energy will be harvested. A net zero approach to energy consumption will be achieved.

The project team continues its fundraising efforts while the design team refines design and construction drawings. 1. The site, originally a one-story gas station building and service area, will be transformed into a sustainable environment. Construction is anticipated to start in the spring 2008.2. The Ohio governor’s wife, Frances Strickland, is our Honorary Chair. 3. The University of Cincinnati as well as Cincinnati State Technical College & other educators are collaborating to develop curriculum for students from middle school through graduate students working on their thesis. 4. The Metropolitan Sewer District and other environmental agencies support this effort financially to ensure the education of the local community and beyond.5. American Hydrotech is donating the green roof system and local installers are donating installation labor. Four different green roof systems will be monitored and compared against typical black and white roofing membranes.6. UrbanAlta with offices in Texas and Shanghai, is donating very high tech instrumentation so that students citywide, statewide and even worldwide will benefit from this unique project utilizing a series of web cameras and the internet.Included instrumentation with internet protocol interfaces:a) Intelligent irrigation: soil moisture sensors, rain gauge, holding tank water gauge, air humidity, wind speed/direction, NOAA forecast predictor of rain fallb) City water supply: Cincinnati Water Works meter consumption monitorc) Water usage: real time water consumption per irrigation zoned) Heating and cooling optimization: temperature profile of roof, temperature profile of roof ceiling, outdoor air temp, indoor air temp, NOAA forecast predictor of temperaturee) Energy usage: real-time electric and gas consumption, indoor thermostat settingsf) Water storage: Holding tank water quality sensorg) Solar: radiation monitorh) Roof video: CAMi) Nightscape: lighting sensor