A green roof is more than just grass on top of a building. It is a rainwater capture and management system. “This should be viewed as a model of how to take a large building in a residential neighborhood, work with the neighbors to get a zoning variance, and then successfully redevelop it,” says Leo Addimando.
“Green Pages is the first comprehensive listing of Green Roof Professionals and corporate members and it will be a great resource to anyone looking for help with their green roof or wall project. Hard copy and digital issues provide numerous opportunities for widespread distribution in an industry that continues to receive double digit growth each year,” said Steven Peck.
The challenge, says Alex Cutler, is to convince developers and home builders that green is the new normal. “With what we know about the principles of designing and building for energy efficiency, and the statistics connecting poor respiratory health with damp, mouldy homes, the building and construction sector possesses a significant opportunity to address the challenge,” says Cutler.
“The innovative rainwater management approach strives to create a built condition that mimics nature through the use of features that maintain or restore a site’s natural hydrologic conditions, achieving an effective net zero amount of impervious surfaces. The Earth, just like all forms of life, needs to be able to breathe and take in water in order to maintain or restore its health,” writes Mark Buehrer.
“If the private sector is the future of our industry, we must learn to speak their language; and that is the language of business based on cost, return, and profit and loss. It is now up to all of us to better demonstrate living architecture is also good for the long-term balance sheet,” writes Ron Schwenger.
“The goal of the Bullitt Center is to change the way buildings are designed, built and operated to improve long-term environmental performance and promote broader implementation of energy efficiency, renewable energy and other green building technologies in the Northwest,” states Mark Buehrer.
A state-of-the-art, eco-friendly system will use plants and water retention trays to reduce stormwater overflow. “We are excited about this project. With this blue and green roof, everybody wins,” said Elizabeth Gaynes.
“Green roofs have an immense potential for offsetting carbon emissions originating from building operations. This type of research had not been attempted before. In fact, we are still at the forefront. Although industries are currently able to calculate their carbon emission rates related to building operations, ways to calculate their carbon offset potentials are limited,” says Dr. David Gaumont-Guay.
“Today, I came across maybe the best example I have seen. It is certainly the best I have seen integrated into a vertical wall; this is key in downtown districts, where green space on the ground can be hard to come by,” writes Kaid Benfield.
“The information we are collecting from Con Edison’s roofs is invaluable in helping us determine the costs and benefits of green infrastructure projects,” Stuart Gaffin said. “Without solid data from experiments like this, it is impossible for us to know which projects are the best options for protecting the environment.”
