Greenroofs.comConnecting the Planet + Living Architecture
Additional Resources
Learn more about the Breaking Ground Contracting Green Roof at their blog here, where you can also see the plant list. See the following articles: November 12, 2011 Breaking Ground Green Roof by Ryan Ketterman from Ketterman Photography with gorgeous photos; Linda Velazquez’s July 3, 2011 Sky Gardens Blog post GPW: Breaking Ground Contracting Green Roof & Rooftop Garden; April, 2011 Time to Start Bringing Depth Back Into Local Native Diversity by Kevin Songer in Native Plants & Wildlife Gardens and the April 27, 2011 Breaking Ground’s Building Now a Jacksonville Example of Green Construction by Kevin Turner in the Florida Times Union. Check out the very cool Interactive, Educational Green Roof Plant Maps about the Breaking Ground greenroof at Kevin’s MetroVerde website, where you can select the green roof area where you wish to study the plants growing and click for larger view; contact Kevin Songer at: www.metroverde.com.
Breaking Ground Education Services provides a variety of training sessions, consulting services, seminars, workshops and presentations on sustainability and safety with a focus on green and LEED building and Green Advantage training, as well as OSHA safety and NCCER instructor and core training.
The purpose of Breaking Ground’s living roof is an ongoing sustainability statement through support of wildlife biodiversity, affording economic development, offering educational opportunities to a broad range of people and providing a healthy, organic food alternative in the Urban Core. The green roof project is part of a LEED Registered project through Green Building Certification Institute and is currently on track for LEED Platinum certification. It is also the first green roof in Florida to incorporate native plants, rooftop permaculture and Florida-friendly landscaping.
Breaking Ground Contracting’s living roof is comprised of three main component ecosystems, including native wildflowers, shrubs, small trees and an intense permaculture food and herb garden. Corn, peas, peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes and butternut squash are just a few of the edible plants found on the Breaking Ground Green Roof.
In addition to the green roof, this project also incorporates a 10kW photovoltaic (electric) solar system, a solar thermal (hot water) system, living walls, a rain garden, low and no VOC interior paints and finishes, extensive reuse of materials from the demolition of the original building, high efficiency HVAC system with individual occupant controls, outside views for all occupants, and much much more.
The system is irrigated with condensate from the HVAC units and is designed using hurricane simulator tested components. The green roof soil media averages 40mm in thickness and is integrated with the Firestone ReflexEON TPO roofing material with Colbond three dimensional weave & drainage mat, MetroVerde greenroof soil media and system components. Different soil media were used for the food component, the native wildflower and grasses component and the Florida Friendly Landscape plant component.
The lightweight system averages 10-12 pounds per square foot. C. Sterling Quality Roofing of Jacksonville was the MetroVerde Green Roof System installer.
