Watch "Award Winning Designers Sharing Projects & Lessons Learned" with Michael Franco, Brendan Shea, Emily Shelton, and Keith Tufts from Our Virtual Summit 2013

In anticipation of Greenroofs.com‘s spectacular 2015 Virtual Summit on April 6 through May 31 – and in order to familiarize you with the event – we are now making the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2013 videos publicly available on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube to all free of charge.

Today we have the pleasure to air the “Award Winning Designers Sharing Projects & Lessons Learned” with Michael Franco, Senior Designer at Town and Gardens Ltd. (T&G); Brendan Shea, Project Manager for Recover Green Roofs; Emily Shelton, former Horticulturalist at the Chicago Botanic Garden; and Keith Tufts, Principal and Senior Environmental Architect with Lydon Lynch Architects Ltd. Join these four Green Roofs for Healthy Cities 2012 Award of Excellence winners as they share the trials and tribulations of their greenroof living architecture projects.

Award Winners Michael Franco, Brendan Shea, Emily Shelton, and Keith Tufts

Here’s more:

“Michael Franco, The Royal York Condominium, New York, NY, USA: Located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, NY, the inner courtyard at The Royal York Condominium covers approximately 15,000 square feet and occupies a two-level roof and ground level garden space between three residential buildings. Redevelopment created the exciting opportunity to expand the visual impact and usability of the space for residents. Following major waterproofing leaks into the parking garages below, the building embarked upon a complete renovation of the roof membrane along with repairs to the brick walls.

Brendan Shea, The Ledge, Dorchester, MA, USA: As Project Manager for Recover Green Roofs, Brendan tells the story of how built in 2010, The Ledge restaurant’s 4,500 sf ‘food roof’ maximizes the use of local materials, water efficient irrigation technologies, and organic farming practices to serve the freshest food to customers below. Planter beds were built from local, sustainably harvested, black locust wood – a natural rot-proof wood that requires no chemical treatment and is sourced from a local mill in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. Rooflite brand soil was sourced from Read Custom Soils, located just 20 miles south of Boston. A recycled rubber mulch was used in vegetation free zones around beds to protect the membrane and slow runoff. The project has been a success from the start, but has improved each year with improvements in irrigation operation, compost enhancement, and communication with restaurant staff.

Emily Shelton, Daniel F and Ada L Rice Plant Conservation Science Center’s Green Roof Garden, Chicago, IL, USA: The [former] horticulturist for the Research and Evaluation Gardens at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Emily’s presentation will chronicle the design and installation process concentrating on plant palette and how they incorporated the evaluation program.

Keith Tufts, Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, Halifax, Canada: The Principal and Senior Environmental Architect with Lydon Lynch Architects Ltd. led the design of the multi-award winning market, a LEED® Platinum designed ecological showcase on the Halifax, Nova Scotia waterfront. Using 70% less energy and 70% less water than a “green’ R2000 building, the new market is one of the most environmentally sustainable buildings in North America and a world-class example of healthy, sustainable living. The Seaport Farmers’ Market project has been published nationally and internationally in the Globe and Mail, the New York Times, Canadian Architect, Architectural Leaders Today and Architectural Record’s sister publication Green Source. It has also been featured in Dalhousie and Halifax Magazine.“ ~ VS2013

Watch the “Award Winning Designers Sharing Projects & Lessons Learned” Collaborative Video with Michael Franco, Brendan Shea, Emily Shelton, and Keith Tufts below or see it specifically on its own channel, the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2013:

Our second foray in the world of virtual conferences, the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2013: Connecting the Planet + Living Architecture, was very successful at bringing together people from around the world to learn, discuss, and network in our field of living architecture. This time partnering with the World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN), between Greenroofs.com and WGIN we produced 36 videos involving 59 esteemed international speakers, specifically: 22 Individual Presenters, including 5 Keynotes; 5 Panel Sessions; and 9 Collaborative Presentations.

Watch these other VS2013 videos released so far:

Green Infrastructure Design and the Biophilic Effect Keynote Video by Mary Ann Uhlmann.

Vegetation Development on Extensive Green Roofs Over Time Video by Christine Thuring.

Investigación de Azoteas Verdes de la Universidad Autónoma Chapingo – Green Roof Research at the Chapingo Autonomous University Video by Dr. Gilberto Navas.

Sky Parks in the Public Realm – Elevating Green Ways and Urban Connectivity Panel Session with Dr. Maureen Connelly, Sadhu Aufochs Johnston, Randy Sharp, and Dr. Tan Puay Yok.

Skyrise Ag: 5 Ways to Local Food Production Collaborative Video with Helen Cameron, Mohamed Hage, George Irwin, Ben Flanner and Alan Joaquin.

Building-Integrated Vegetation: Redefining the Landscape or Chasing a Mirage? Opening Keynote Video by Aditya Ranade.

Mexico City’s Green Plan & Green Roofs – Areas Verdes de la Ciudad de Mexico & Azoteas Naturadas Video by Tanya Müller García.

The Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort Video by Jaron Lubin.

Phyto Kinetic: Gardens in Movement Video by Marc Grañén.

Profiles of Women Business Leaders Greening the Way Collaborative Video with Barbara Deutsch; Lexie Hain and Marguerite Wells; Vanessa Keitges; and Joy Schmidt.

Green Walls and Maintenance – Needs, Opportunities and Best Practices Panel Session Video with Melissa Daniels, Christopher Lyon, Steven Peck, and James Sable.

Reflections of a Green Roof Campaigner and Visions of the Future Keynote Video by Dusty Gedge.

Urban Green in Australia Video by Matt Dillon.

2012 Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design + A Look into 2013 Collaborative Video with Linda S. Velazquez and Haven Kiers.