Greenroofs.comConnecting the Planet + Living Architecture
Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video. Here is the transcript from April 6th, 2012 from our daughter, Anjuli – click on the photo below to see the video, or here. Enjoy!
– Hello, I’m Anjuli Velázquez and welcome to “This Week in Review” for April 6th, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.
– Our project of the week is the Salmon Creek School & Environmental Center, built in 2009 in Freestone, California. This LEED ® Platinum certified school is the first public school in California to receive this highest level of LEED ® certification. The educational building is also a community and environmental education center that focuses itself on place-based learning and developing eco-literacy among its students and parents. SYMBIOS eco-tecture worked with students, administrators, community and environmental groups to design and plan a living roof that would be educational and functional. The cafeteria food comes from the organic garden; the walls are not only natural plaster but also clean the air; and natural light is strategically introduced to keep the kids perky and to help heat the building in the winter.
In the summer the green living roof keeps the school cool, in the winter keeps it warm and creates a habitat for wildlife all year long. Biodiversity was emphasized in the planting scheme of the greenroof, which included 12 species of drought-tolerant succulents, three of which are native to California. Salmon Creek that runs through the school’s property is currently undergoing a multi-year restoration project to restore the Coho Salmon populations and therefore a net zero stormwater discharge rate was mandated. Other sustainable features of the building include passive solar design, daylight harvesting, a 30 kilowatt PV solar system, eco-plasters and floor finishes, reclaimed lumber and recycled content steel framing low-water use fixtures, and more.
– To learn more about the Salmon Creek School & Environmental Center, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage (or on the above photos).
– Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Video
– Watch our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 17: “Sustainability in Plant Production” by Lluis Recasens Pahí.
– Also read Haven Kiers’ new “Chic Sustainability Watch: Trends, Projects & People – Disappearing Acts.”
– Tecta America Expert Angie Durhman Named Opening Speaker for the NYC Green Roof Science Symposium.
– Toronto is the first city in North America to have a bylaw to require and govern the construction of green roofs on new development. It was adopted by Toronto City Council in May 2009, under the authority of Section 108 of the City of Toronto Act. The Bylaw applies to new building permit applications for residential, commercial and institutional development made after January 31, 2010 and will apply to new industrial development as of April 30, 2012.
– New York City Planning Commission unanimously approves Zone Green proposal. Zone Green is the most comprehensive effort of any city in the nation to sweep aside obstacles to green buildings and energy efficiency – eliminating barriers to green roofs to energy generation and to rooftop agriculture. Zone Green will give homeowners and building owners new opportunities to make investments that save them energy, save them money, and improve our environment.
– Forty-six ASTM International standards covering various aspects of building construction are cited in the 2012 International Green Construction Code. Published by the International Code Council, the new model code addresses the construction and remodeling of residential as well as commercial structures. The IgCC is expected to increase cost savings and job growth while enabling safe and sustainable building design and construction. ASTM green construction standards such as E2399 on green roof systems, C1549 for solar reflectance and E2635 on water conservation in buildings are part of the 2012 code.
– Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 17: Sustainability in Plant Production,” “Enter the 2012 “˜Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!’ Earth Day Photo Contest Now!,” and “Greenroofs.com’s “˜This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: March 29, 2012.”
– “Upcoming Events“
– Speaking of our 2012 “˜Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!’ Earth Day Photo Contest, make sure you enter your favorite greenroof and then get friends and family to vote for it daily! The winner gets $100 plus a lot of air time! Going on now through April 22nd: Enter the 2012 “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest, on our Greenroofs.com Facebook page!
– “In the News“
– Peter Raabe of the American Rivers Blog, has “A Vision Of Green Roofs In Durham, NC.” He says “North Carolina has a stormwater problem.” Many of its rivers are polluted due to stormwater runoff. The state has put rules into effect to clean up its act and Durham is at the center, on one side, Jordan Lake and the other, Falls Lake reservoirs, and both have strict clean up requirements due to the poor land use practices around them.
Beyond stormwater runoff reductions, greenroofs could offer many benefits to Durham like reducing roofing maintenance, improving building energy efficiency, reducing urban heat island effect, improving habitat for wildlife, improving air quality and the potential creation of a green economy work force. American Rivers has partnered with Downtown Durham, Inc. and they put on a forum for more than fifty city and business leaders that explored the potential of greenroof enhancements in Durham. The forum created momentum within Durham and they are on their way to creating a more sustainable city.
– Texas A&M University talks about “Interdisciplinary green roof effort to engage wide variety of students.” Next fall, 1,000 students from a variety of academic programs, including architecture, construction science, environmental geosciences, environmental studies, landscape architecture, horticulture and meteorology at Texas A&M, will begin working together on an interdisciplinary, three-year project to install and monitor a greenroof and living wall atop a campus building. Assistant professor of landscape architecture and leader of this project, Texas A&M University , says this initiative is aimed at preparing students to become leaders in energy conservation and resource management.
In the project’s first year, students will have learning experiences beyond a traditional classroom setting, as they build, install and maintain all of the elements of the greenroof, including physical structures, standard meteorological and soil monitoring instrumentation, planning and plant maintenance, manual measurement and associated live and stored data processing and display. This project is funded by a $100,000 Texas A&M reallocation grant for enhancing students’ preparation for the workplace and society through high-impact learning experiences.
– To learn more about these stories and new ones posted daily, go to our In the News or Newslinks section of our website.
– Send us your green articles, videos and images to editor@greenroofs.com and share your greenroof or greenwall info with the world!
– Make sure to keep up with everything Greenroofs.com by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, being a member of our network on LinkedIn, and subscribing to our greenroofsTV channel on YouTube!
– This has been This Week in Review for April 6th, 2012 on GreenroofsTV. I’m Anjuli Velázquez and I’ll see you next week!
*This week’s episode is sponsored by The Greenroof Directory, brought to you by Greenroofs.com.*
Did we miss something? We’d love to hear from you!
~ Linda V.
