I hope many of you are traveling to southern Germany to particpate in the 2nd International Green Roof Congress in Stuttgart-Nürtingen on May 25-27 – it’s sure to be amazing.   Please send us your thoughts, comments and photos for posting afterwards!  

First Time in the South

Next up in our Spring line-up of major greenroof conferences is the 7th Annual Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards & Trade Show on June 3-5, held for the first time in the southern U.S., here in Atlanta at the lovely Hyatt Regency – Atlanta.

It’s hard to believe Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) has put on this event yearly since 2003, debuting in Chicago – a great city with a great visionary mayor in Richard Daley, Jr.   We’ve participated every year by  exhibiting, I’ve sometimes presented papers or a poster session, attended a class (or facilitated one in the case of Portland, OR with the inaugural Green Roof 101 in 2004).   This year we’re really proud to be a Sponsor of the Conference along with The Home Depot Foundation, American Hydrotech, Tremco, Green Roof Blocks  and Sweetwater Brewing Company.   I think the industry has come a long way through the hard, dedicated work of many, and although there is still much to do, I’m confident the greenroof community will continue to  thrive within the eco-friendly world of planning, design, and construction.

It’s been fun (and time consuming, although I have had to miss some of the meetings) to have  participated on the Local Atlanta Host Committee, specifically the Tours Sub-Committee, but it’s been time well spent at Southface Energy Institute.   In fact, I’m attending the last meeting before the conference this afternoon to go over last minute items, including the tours, which I’ll be talking about in detail in a few days – but you should sign up for one of five guided tours, four on Tuesday, June 2 and one on Saturday, June 6 (another option  is a Walking Tour at your leisure) – and I should point out that I’ll be your host on Tour #2: Goodbye City, Hello “˜Burbs, on Tuesday, June 2, 2009, from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

Tours, Golf and the Launch of the GRP

The varied tours are a great highlight, as is the first annual GRHC Golf Tournament  at the Bobby Jones Golf Course, the many education courses and workshops, not to mention the awesome speaker line-up, and the opportunity to become one of the first to receive your GRP – Green Roof Professional – designation!   The launch of this long-awaited accreditation program will be on June 5, and  I plan to take it, too.

In fact, I just interviewed Jeff Bruce, FASLA, LEED, ASIC of Jeffrey L. Bruce & Company, who is the Chair of the GRP.   Look for his insightful interview early next week, where I asked him about his company, his involvement with Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, and specifically the lengthy process he and the team experienced – the vision and initial plan; reasons why we need an accreditation program; overall considerations and requirements; how things evolved”¦all leading up to the Atlanta Conference and the inaugural testing.

Have you looked at the Agenda yet?   It  really is a full line up of experts from across North America and the world.    The three-day conference will consist of plenary and specialized sessions focused on four main topic areas:

1. Policies and Programs to Support Green Roofs
2. Green Roof Design and Implementation
3. Research and Technical Papers on Green Roof Performance
4. “On the Roof With “¦” Networking & Information Forums on Current Green Roof Topics with Industry Experts

Note:   Make sure to  see the 2009 installment of Haven Kiers, our Design Editor and my Top 10 List of Hot Trends  in Greenroof Design, held on  the morning of  June 5  in Track 1 – Case Studies and Design, SESSION 4, from  8:00 am – 9:30 am in Room: Hanover C – E.  

The 2009 full-delegate pass includes:

“¢   Access to over 50 presentations by green roof industry leaders
“¢   Free pass to the Industry Trade Show featuring more than 75 exhibitors showcasing Green Roof Products and Services
“¢   Access to more than 15 Poster Sessions
“¢   One Copy of the Official Conference Proceedings CD-ROM featuring the peer-reviewed Speaker Papers (retail value $75)
“¢   Browse and Lunch (June 4) and Awards of Excellence Luncheon (June 5)

Missing some classes?   Take your pick here (additional charge):

Wednesday, June 3:   GRHC Training Courses (8:30 am — 5:-00 pm)
Green Roof Design 101: Introductory Course
Green Roof Infrastructure: Design and Installation 201
Green Roof Infrastructure: Waterproofing and Drainage 301
Green Roof Infrastructure: Plants and Growing Medium 401

Friday, June 5: Green Roof Profession (GRP) Accreditation Exam — 4:00 — 6:00 pm

A  Trade Show  not to be Missed!

Also, don’t miss out on the largest industry Trade Show in North America.   Talk to the experts about their products, projects, benefits and solutions for common greenroof and wall challenges.   And please come by and visit us on the Trade Show Floor at Booth #310.

For a complete overview of the Conference program, and to register for any of the events, please visit the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities website at www.greenroofs.org.   For sponsorship and trade show opportunities please contact Jennifer Sprout jsprout@greenroofs.org or (416) 971-4494 Ext 229.   Come join the learning and celebrations of excellence at GRHC’s 7th International gathering!

More later, Linda V.