november 2003

Ecoroofs Everywhere

Community Based Ecoroof Projects & Public Education
By Anthony Roy

The Ribbon Cutting at the Portland Hawthorne Youth Hostel; Photo Courtesy Anthony Roy

Who we are
Ecoroofs Everywhere is a Portland Oregon based non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the regional use of vegetated rooftops through low cost community-based projects and public education.  To date, Ecoroofs Everywhere has designed and installed five residential scale ecoroofs; a sixth will be installed on November 8 with a seventh project planned for early spring 2004.

Neighborhood Ecoroof by Ecoroofs Everywhere, Aug. 03

Ecoroofs Everywhere was created in 2001 after a group of volunteers successfully completed a green roof installation at the Hawthorne Youth Hostel in Portland.  Led by project manager Greg Haines, volunteers renovated the front porch roof of a turn of the century Victorian house and then designed and installed a 700 square foot greenroof, visible to motorists and pedestrians who travel the busy boulevard.

The Hawthorne Youth Hostel ecoroof project garnered considerable media attention because of its low cost incorporation of community volunteers, and high visibility to the public.  Since that time, the group has added new members and has designed and installed several residential style greenroofs in the Portland-Vancouver area.  In 2002, Ecoroofs Everywhere joined with the non-profit Urban Water Works to provide comprehensive services focusing on community-directed innovative stormwater solutions.

What we do
Ecoroofs Everywhere provides technical assistance, low cost design and installation services, and serves as a clearinghouse of impartial information on ecoroof research and materials.

1. Technical Assistance
For the self-installer, Ecoroofs Everywhere's volunteers are available to answer questions on all aspects of greenroof design and installation.

2. Project Installation
With assistance from volunteers, Ecoroofs Everywhere provides a variety of design, specification, and installation services.

People's Ecoroof in August, 2003; Photo Anthony Roy

Designers & Volunteers Planting the People's Ecoroof in March 2003

Landscape Architects working with Ecoroofs Everywhere provide renderings and site drawings, along with specifications for membranes, drainage, erosion, substrate, and plants.
 
We utilize readily available and proven materials that will save you money. Ecoroofs Everywhere's project coordinators organize the procurement and delivery of the materials.

Ecoroofs Everywhere project coordinators also organize small groups of community volunteers to assistance with the actual installation of ecoroof components.  The result is a process that both educates the public on the benefits of ecoroofs and provides more affordable project costs for the property owner.

3. Information
Ecoroofs Everywhere believes in freely sharing information on best practices for ecoroof installation. Unaffiliated with a roofing company, Ecoroofs Everywhere provides unbiased information about what we believe works and what doesn't.

Ecoroofs Everywhere Greenroof Demo Photo Courtesy Anthony Roy

Ecoroofs Everywhere has also educated hundreds of people about the many benefits of vegetated rooftops. At public events and conferences we utilize a 'mock-up' sloped roof that stands 8ft. tall and 4ft wide and is used to display the materials and plants commonly used in actual ecoroof installations.

Currently our organization's website, www.ecoroofseverywhere.org, is being redesigned with new features, and will soon contain information on our projects, case studies on other local and regional ecoroof installations, a step-by-step guide for installing an ecoroof, the rules and rewards for installing an ecoroof in Portland, how you can get involved in the green roof movement, and other wonderful rooftop greening information.

Ecoroofs Everywhere Members:

Anthony Roy - City of Portland, Office of Sustainable Development
Greg Haines - Hostelling International Portland
Jason King - Macdonald Environmental Planning
Magnus Burnhardt - Alpha Engineering
Robert Ross - Ross Development
Matt Burlin - City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services

Anthony Roy is a founding member of Ecoroofs Everywhere and is also with the City of Portland, Office of Sustainable Development. For volunteer opportunities and more information on Ecoroofs Everywhere and greenroof development in the Portland, OR area, please visit www.ecoroofseverywhere.org, email info@ecoroofseverywhere.org or call 503.823.7616.

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