| |
|
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 | 1998
| 1996 |
2009:
The kingdom of orchids: Taiwan
eTaiwan News, by Cho Yin-cheng
December 31, 2009
Taiwan. "...Greenery decoration in urban areas can help
economize on space if planted in a vertical direction. Renowned
French botanist Patrick Blanc is famed for such innovation and
has recently created two green walls in the
National Theater in Taipei. Dedicated Dec. 11, Blanc's
brainchild "Orchid Waltz" is a perfect symbol of Taiwan's orchid
industry. Orchid Waltz' is made up of two separate green
walls: one displays Taiwan's native species, and the
other demonstrates Taiwan's technological advances..."
Greening zoning codes to match city's sustainable mindset
Daily Journal of Commerce, by Nathalie Weinstein
December 30, 2009
Portland, OR. "Portland has a reputation of being at the
cutting edge of sustainable building and design. But its current
zoning codes that regulate installations of solar panels,
eco-roofs and other energy-efficient technologies on new
and existing buildings are behind the times...A recommended
draft of the city’s fifth Regulatory Improvement Code Amendment
Package is set to be reviewed by Portland City Council...As
solar panels and eco-roofs become nearly as common
as doors or windows, new code amendments would allow faster
permitting of those green features on certain structures..."
Benefits of green roofs being seen around world
The Lindsay Post, by Alexandra Powers
December 30, 2009
World. "In a world where urban centres are growing
rapidly by the day, there seems to be less space available for
natural vegetation, such as trees and other plants...A
green, or living, roof refers to a roof of a building
that is at least partially covered with vegetation, and they
provide many benefits...If the idea of a green roof
caught your attention, there are many websites online which
provide a lot of great information. Two excellent resources are
the City of Toronto website, which has a section titled
Green Roofs, and
www.greenroofs.com."
Nation's First On-site Wind Turbine at General Aviation Facility
Installed
Environmental Leader, by Staff
December 30, 2009
Burlington, VT. "The General Aviation Facility at
Vermont’s Burlington International Airport is the first such
facility in the U.S. to have installed an on-site wind
turbine...In addition to the renewable energy aspects, Heritage
Aviation is installing a rainwater collection and reuse system,
as well as one of the largest green roofs in the
New England area..."
ISG Jackson Special Projects secures Enfield school projects
Construction News Portal, by Staff
December 30, 2009
London, England. "ISG Jackson Special Projects has
secured two projects totalling £2.25 million with the London
Borough of Enfield to extend and modernise facilities at Raglan
Junior School and Raglan Infants School...Aiming to achieve a
very good BREEAM environmental performance rating, the Junior
School extension features solar collectors to help heat the
water supply, whilst the addition to the Infants School boasts a
living green roof..."
Cool Green Walls and Balconies on the New Buenos Aires Museum of
Modern Art
Treehugger, by Paula Alvarado
December 29, 2009
Buenos Aires, Argentina. "...Green walls
and balconies will give the building and its pieces of art a new
life...Designed by architect Emilio Ambasz and donated to the
city more than 12 years ago, the project seeks to unite two
different existing buildings into one cultural space through a
green facade..."
SMSC celebrates 40 years
Jordan Independent, by Katrina Styx
December 28, 2009
Jordan, MN. "...Over the last 40 years the Shakopee
Mdewakanton Sioux Community has been transformed from an
economically distressed reservation to one of the most
economically successful Indian tribes in the United States...The
WRF also has one of the largest green roofs in the
Midwest, which reduces energy costs and consumption, prolongs
the life of the roof, and treats storm water..."
Eco Architecture: Project Green – A sustainable mixed-use
development for Austin
Ecofriend Blog, by Staff
December 28, 2009
Austin, TX. "Architects all over the world are busy
designing developments that are sustainable and have minimal
impact on the delicate ecosystem...The Project Green will
maximize water conservation by harvesting rainwater and reusing
gray water. Green roofs will also help prevent
storm water runoff, while helping in regulating the interior
temperatures..."
Fort Worth' growing green legacy
Fort Worth Star Telegram, by Staff
December 27, 2009
Fort Worth, TX. "The unusual groundbreaking this month
for a building adjacent to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden spoke
to the uniqueness of a world-recognized organization that
deservedly is getting a new home fit for the public not only to
behold but to use...Instead of participants using shovels to
toss dirt in the air, dignitaries at the ceremony for the
Botanical Research Institute of Texas’ groundbreaking planted
grass from the Fort Worth prairie that will be part of the
building’s 'living' roof...."
Put a LID on Stormwater
Sightline Daily, by Lisa Stiffler
December 23, 2009
Seattle, WA. "Low-impact development and limiting sprawl
are the solutions for stormwater...For roofs, that can mean
building green roofs that are covered in soil and
plants that trap and hold water where it falls.
Seattle's City Hall, the new Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
building, and the
Portland Building are all capped in green roofs..."
Green Roofed London Hotel is Buried Underground
Inhabitat.com, by Evelyn Lee
December 23, 2009
London, England. "This five star hotel is going under –
underground that is! Designed by ReardonSmith Architects for a
proposed development at Hersham Golf Club in Surrey, London,
this new subterranean hotel will pay its ultimate respects to
London’s Green Belt by placing all 200+ guest rooms underneath
it! The entire scheme is covered with a plush green roof
that takes its cue from the surrounding countryside..."
U.S. Green Building Council Maryland Announces 2010 Advocacy
Agenda
PR Newswire, Press Release
December 22, 2009
Baltimore, MD. "...New government buildings in Maryland
are currently required to be green and achieve a minimum of LEED
Silver certified rating. Require those buildings, and any roof
replacement on existing buildings, to have no less than 50%
green roof coverage (a vegetated roof or appropriate
reflective white roof). Such measures can be incorporated in a
cost effective manner..."
Climate Change and Sustainable Development: The Quest for Green
Communities - Part 2
Water World, by John R. Nolon
December 22, 2009
World. "...The emerging field of "low-impact development"
experiments with pervious alleys and green roofs
in urban projects and, in compact suburban developments,
vegetated swales that replace curbs and gutters for stormwater
control, cluster development, tree retention, and retaining
permeable topsoil on-site during and after construction..."
A Fine Balance
Canadian Architect, by Paul Raff
December 22, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "...The articulation of the green
roof and the introduction of slopes in an otherwise flat
landscape enrich the project, but the lack of crucial
information in the plans does not permit adequate evaluation of
the proposal. Raff commends the project's approach to landscape,
and its engagement of a topographical architecture with an
extensive green roof..."
New Bill Gives Americans Good Jobs and Clean Drinking Water
Opposing Views, by Jon Devine
December 17, 2009
Washington, DC. "On Wednesday the House of
Representatives passed a jobs bill that will dedicate $2 billion
for “ready-to-go” drinking water and wastewater projects...Green
infrastructure also creates jobs. A $10 billion nationwide
initiative to install green roofs alone would
result in almost 200,000 jobs, according to an analysis by
American Rivers and the Alliance for Water Efficiency..."
Dubai Municipality launches public awareness initiative on Green
Roofs
AME Info, by Staff
December 17, 2009
Dubai, UAE. "...Consistent with the efforts of Dubai
Municipality in achieving its vision of creating an excellent
city that provides the essence of success and comfort of living
through the development of laws and regulations to keep pace
with international standards in the field of sustainable
development by planting green roofs and facades in
the Emirate of Dubai..."
Eco-roof helps solve high-rise height problem
Daily Journal of Commerce, by Eli Segall
December 15, 2009
Portland, OR. "The developers of a Portland high-rise
last year sought to build higher than allowed by transferring
development rights from a downtown historic building. A city
panel suggested another approach, sending the builders back to
the drawing board...Now they’re proposing to build an
eco-roof in order to gain extra building height..."
Color Long Island City 'Green'
Queens Courier, by Noah Rosenberg
December 15, 2009
Long Island City, NY. "From the rooftop of Silvercup
Studios, Long Island City fans out in all directions like a
gas-guzzling, oil-burning, construction-booming
metropolis...Twenty-five years later, Silvercup Studios now
boasts another superlative; it is home to a 35,000-square-foot
green roof, the biggest in the boroughs..."
Cleaning Up Newtown Creek
WNYC, by Brian Zumhagen
December 15, 2009
New York, NY. "The Newtown Creek, which forms part of the
border between Brooklyn and Queens, is one of the nation’s most
polluted waterways...more street trees, green rooftops,
and permeable pavement would absorb more storm water, so it
doesn’t all flow into the sewers, carrying toxins with it and
forcing overflows of raw sewage..."
Great Lakes mayors want voices heard
Toledo Blade, by Staff
December 14, 2009
Toledo, OH. "Great Lakes-area mayors don't want to be
overlooked when the United States and Canada start renegotiating
the landmark Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 2010...By
reducing urban storm water runoff and sewage overflows, growing
green roofs, and making our beaches clean and
safe, cities have done more than our part..."
Hilary Benn visits UK's largest green roof renewal project on
Lambeth estate
24dash.com, by Jon Land
December 11, 2009
U.K. "...The minister visited the Ethelred Estate in
Kennington to see one of the estate's green roofs,
which are surfaced with sedum plants. The green roof
provides habitat for wildlife, improves air quality and absorbs
rain water, so has a role to play in reducing urban flooding.
The Ethelred Estate is the UK’s largest green roof
renewal project, and covers 10 buildings with more than 4,000m2
of roof space covered in sedum plants..."
Developments are paving the way to future flooding
Canada.com - Letter to Editor, by Andy Wheatley
December 11, 2009
Canada. "...Two green options that would considerably aid
in mitigating storm water runoff problems are green roofs
and rain gardens both of which would go a long way
to reducing storm water runoff by holding rainwater where it
falls. Green roofs for example, should be
incorporated into the city's planning and permitting process..."
French artist unveils vegetal walls in Taipei
eTaiwan News, by Staff
December 11, 2009
Taipei, Taiwan. "A French artist unveiled two
living walls composed of orchids at the National Theater
Hall in Taipei Friday, vertical gardens that the
environmentalist said are aimed at paying homage to both the
flower and orchid growers in Taiwan...Blanc, who created a
vertical garden in the National Concert Hall in 2007,
said the two new walls at the National Theater Hall reflect the
diversity of native orchid species in Taiwan and Southeast Asia
and recognize the achievements of Taiwanese orchid hybridizers
in developing unique, high quality orchids..."
Cooling the Asphalt Jungle
Miller-McCune.com, by Enrique Gili
December 11, 2009
World. "As green roofs proliferate to cool
and cheer cityscapes, might they also suck up and store some of
the carbon urban life pumps out?...Like mushrooms after a spring
rain, "green roofs" are proliferating on rooftops
across the United States and throughout Europe, gaining
adherents among sustainable design advocates intent on creating
more livable and greener cities..."
Sedum
Horticulture Week, by Miranda Kimberley
December 11, 2009
World. "Sedum has been used in mixed borders for years.
But these days they are often selected as a vital part of
green roof mats. They are popular for this because the
low-growing, hardy species used can withstand many different
weather conditions...Generally, the varieties used on
green roofs are just left to increase and require little
maintenance..."
EPA Guides Federal Facilities to Greener Stormwater Solutions
Environment News Service, by Staff
December 10, 2009
Washington, DC. "A new technical guide to help federal
agencies minimize the impact of federal development projects on
nearby water bodies was issued Wednesday by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency...At its own facilities, EPA is
using sustainable techniques for reducing the effects of
stormwater runoff, such as installing green roofs
as well as using rain gardens and cisterns to capture and reuse
stormwater...Click
here to view or download the new guidance document."
New inn's owners going for 'deep green'
Baltimore Sun, by Edward Gunts
December 9, 2009
Baltimore, MD. "...When it opens next year, the $6
million Inn at the Black Olive won't be the first local hotel
and marketplace with a green roof or bamboo
woodwork. But it is shaping up to be one of the region's most
environmentally responsible projects, because the owners have
set out to make it a showplace for the latest ideas in "deep
green" architecture...The developers are using experts such as
Green Tech Contracting and green roof pioneer
Ed Snodgrass..."
Jon Bon Jovi helps open HELP Genesis JBJ Soul Homes in Newark
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com, by Shawn Simons
December 8, 2009
Newark, NJ. "Mayor Cory Booker and Jon Bon Jovi cut the
ribbon to open HELP Genesis JBJ Soul Homes in Newark's North
Ward. This 51 unit apartment building provides community
computer labs, art gallery, graphics facility and an
environmentally-friendly "green" roof to its
residents many of whom will have some special need..."
DC leads (green) nation in bikes, bags
SmartPlanet.com, by Melanie D.G. Kaplan
December 8, 2009
DC. "...Yesterday I talked to Alan Heymann, acting chief
of staff for the District Department of the
Environment...There's a list of hundreds of action items, like
putting green roofs on government buildings,
planting more trees...We’re close to the top in actual square
footage of green roofs..."
Malcolm Wells, an architect ahead of his time, dies
Philadelphia Inquirer, by Inga Saffron
December 8, 2009
Philadelphia, PA. "Malcolm Wells, the visionary Cherry
Hill architect who died Nov. 27 at 83, was considered a crackpot
in 1964 when he gave up lucrative commissions for the RCA Corp.,
and began advocating underground buildings with earth-friendly
sod roofs. But he lived long enough to see...At
the time, green roofs, or any kind of earth on a
building, was laughable..."
Also read the
obituary Mr. Wells wrote himself and had posted on his
Website.
Building a Better Future: Critical Questions on Green Space
GOOD.is, by Alex Steffen
December 7, 2009
World. "How much greenery surrounds you? Are street
trees, parks, and gardens common in your community? How about
natural drainage systems and green roofs? What
sort of landscape can you see on the horizon—farms and forests
or strip malls and suburbs? How much of the area around your
city has been preserved as a greenbelt? How clean is the
water..."
Where The Green Things Are
National Fire Protection Association, by Alan R. Earls
December 7, 2009
Franklin, MA. "If you want to see the future of
'green' rooftops, you need to travel to Stuttgart,
Germany, where roughly a third of the flat roofs in the city are
green, literally, because they’re covered with specially
selected plantings...while vegetated roofs can be,
and regularly are, built in compliance with existing codes, that
doesn’t mean they’re necessarily safe..."
Steven Holl Architects Opens Exhibition in Newly Finished Vanke
Offices
Art Daily, by Staff
December 7, 2009
Shenzhen, China. "...As a tropical strategy, the building
and the landscape integrate several new sustainable aspects. A
microclimate is created by cooling ponds fed by a grey water
system. The building has a green roof with solar
panels and uses local materials such as bamboo..."
Hybrid cabin
Minneapolis Star Tribune, by Lynn Underwood
December 5, 2009
Minneapolis, MN. "Architect Christian Dean's modern
interpretation of a traditional log cabin features a high-tech
green roof, rusted steel accents and glass
walls...The roof is constructed of an insulated rubber membrane
and layers of pre-vegetated sedum mats, open-mesh and soil..."
Green roofs offer landscapers a great new service opportunity
Landscape Management, by Ron Hall
December 4, 2009
New York, NY. "...The emergence of green roofs in
the United States is relatively new, as evidenced by the large
audience and the number of questions posed during landscape
professional Richard Heller's recent presentation at the Green
Industry Expo here. They recognize that their growing popularity
offers landscape professionals yet another environmentally
positive service for clients, said Heller, a certified landscape
professional and CEO of
Greener by Design, Pelham, NY..."
Local landscaper wins right to install green roofs
Kane County Chronicle, by Jonathan Bilyk
December 4, 2009
St. Charles, IL. "A local landscaper has won the right to
green Chicago area rooftops without cutting in roofing
contractors on the deal. Last week, the National Labor Relations
Board ruled in favor of Pedersen Company, a St. Charles-based
landscaping company, in its long-running dispute with the
Roofers union over who has the right to install vegetative
green roofs on public and commercial buildings in the
Chicago area..."
A Linear Park in the Sky?
Torontoist.com, by Staff
December 4, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "...Quadrangle Architects, the
Toronto-based architectural firm responsible for the BMW
building near Eastern Avenue and the Candy Factory Lofts in
Liberty Village, has proposed building what they call a 'Green
Ribbon' - a seven kilometre green roof constructed
on top of the existing highway. The Green Ribbon, first unveiled
by the company at IdeaCity earlier this year, was one of many
urban planning ideas discussed at
Construct Canada,
a trade expo and conference held at the Metro Toronto Convention
Centre..."
Solar panels, 'green roof' to generate rebate
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, by Chris Togneri
December 4, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA. "The CCI center today generates about 12
percent of its energy on site, through three rooftop solar
panels...Besides the solar panels, a green roof
installed in 2008 lowers temperatures in summer, keep offices
insulated in winter and reuses rain water and snow melt that
otherwise would spill into the city's sewage system..."
Ex-sausage factory site wins green award
Islington Gazette, by Staff
December 3, 2009
Islington, UK. "A patch of land that was once home to a
sausage factory now boasts an eco-house that collects its own
water, creates its own energy - and barely needs heating. The
building - called The Muse - even has a beehive on its roof...It
also uses the sun to heat its water, and rain to flush the
toilets and irrigate its four roof gardens - a
wildflower meadow, a hawthorn thicket..."
Orlando celebrates 'green' firehouse's opening
Orlando Sentinel, by Mark Schlueb
December 3, 2009
Orlando, FL. "Orlando firefighters and department brass
moved into a gleaming new $21 million fire station Wednesday, a
three-story building equipped with rooftop gardens,
downtown views and a modern fitness center...In addition to
insulating the roof, the gardens' dirt and plants reduce
rainwater runoff. Rain from the gardens, along with runoff from
conventional roof sections, is channeled into cisterns..."
Up on the roof, 'green' garden grows
Tampa Tribune, by Kathy Steele
December 2, 2009
Tampa, FL. "...The drought-tolerant plants are the newest
eco-friendly project at the performing arts center and possibly
the first 'green' designed roof in downtown. These
aren't just potted plants on a rooftop...There also is an
anticipation of less storm water runoff and fewer pollutants
reaching Tampa Bay after filtering through the vegetation..."
Camp's New Treehouse Provides Play and Educational Opportunities
for Kids With Special Needs in Georgia
Earthtimes, Press Release
December 2, 2009
Rutledge, GA. "...see the 1,700-square-foot planted
green roof of the main level. The 'roof garden,'
as the children call it, is intended to replace the forest floor
that the building occupies, providing homes for insects...Decatur
Roofing (Norcross), landscape architect for treehouse
green roof..."
Also see "New
Camp Twin Lakes Treehouse Outfitted with Solar Array, Green
Roof", by Preston Koerner of Jetson Green.
Ending Hunger, Garden by Garden
MSN Health & Fitness, by Joyce Lapinsky
December 1, 2009
Los Angeles, CA. "The Urban Farming Food Chain is the
"Edible Wall" project that we launched in downtown Los Angeles
in August of 2008. And, more than a year in, participants and
volunteers at our four sites have harvested approximately a
half-ton of strawberries, cucumbers, lettuces, collards....with
the help of George Irwin, president of
Green Living™ Technologies,
the company that developed and provided the wall systems..."
Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, LLP - EPA Region8 Headquarters
in Denver, CO
ArchInnovations.com, by Staff
December 1, 2009
Denver, CO. "...the new Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), Region 8 Headquarters building sits on an urban
brownfield that formerly housed a U.S. Postal Annex...With the
help of experts from the EPA, the design team demonstrated to
local authorities the effectiveness of “ecoroofs”
as a means of both removing pollutants from stormwater and
reducing the rate and quantity of stormwater runoff..."
Building Envelope Council launches review of Toronto green roof
bylaw
Daily Commercial News, by Peter Kenter
December 1, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "As with most complex regulations, the
devil is in the details. That’s why a technical committee of the
Ontario Building Envelope Council (OBEC) is conducting a
thorough review of Toronto By-Law 583-2009, the 'Green
Roof By-Law.' ..the organization will decide whether to
submit a public statement after the technical review of the
bylaw has been completed."
Patrick Blanc unveils 33 metre high and 5 metre wide vertical
garden in Camperdown apartments
Daily Telegraph, by Malcolm Holland
December 1, 2009
Sydney, Australia. "Patrick Blanc puts the jungle back
into concrete jungles. The idiosyncratic Frenchman has covered
the sides of buildings in cities around the world with lush
gardens since creating his first "green wall" at
the Museum of Science and Industry in Paris in 1988...His latest
creation, a "vertical garden" 33m high and 5m
wide, was unveiled at a new apartment complex in Camperdown in
Sydney's inner- west..."
Students research green roof possibilities for W&M campus
William and Mary News, by Phil Zapfel
November 30, 2009
Williamsburg, VA. "Already lush with vegetation, William
& Mary's skyline may soon get a little greener. Last month, more
than 20 students from various organizations - including the
College's Committee on Sustainability, the Sharpe Community
Scholars Program, the EcoHouse, and the Student Environmental
Action Coalition - completed the College's first green
roof test plots..."
Is There A Green Roof in Your Future?
MidWestAGnet, by Dr. Mari Loehrlein
November 30, 2009
Macomb, IL. "...While the idea began with a desire to
reduce storm water runoff, the practice is now known to extend
the life of rubber roofing membranes by 25 years or more, plus
it adds to the insulating value of the roof...The
Peggy Notabaert Center in Chicago has prairie plants, a
small wetland, and in one area, an oak tree...With all the
special requirements, most residential buildings won't have
green roofs installed any time soon, but perhaps new
construction will be planned to accommodate more of them in the
near future..."
ESRI Canada's Green Roof Wins 2009 Design Exchange Award
DirectionsMag.com, Press release
November 30, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "ESRI Canada, which provides enterprise
geographic information system (GIS) solutions, today announced
its green roof has received an honourable mention
at Canada’s prestigious 2009 Design Exchange Awards. A jury of
leading business executives, designers and community leaders
selected the roof garden as one of the winners in
the landscape architecture category..."
Queensland's high rises to grow their own cooling system
MySunshineCoast.com.au, Press Release
November 30, 2009
Australia. "Queensland could soon be trialing
vertical gardens and grass or garden roofs
in an effort to make our cities greener and cooler. The
Queensland Government has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding
with the Singapore National Parks Board that could soon see
local scientists growing vegetation on high rise buildings to
reduce heat and improve air quality...We want to benefit from
Singapore's experience with skyrise greenery such
as green roofs and green walls..."
Eco Architecture: Sadar Vuya Architects to develop green-roofed
sports park in Slovenia
Ecofriend, by Staff
November 30, 2009
Slovenia. "...Sadar Vuya Architects have commenced
construction on a unique sports park in Slovenia that will
integrate a football stadium, multipurpose sports hall and a
shopping center under one expansive green roof.
The football stadium will be underground with only the roof
ascending above the plane.
The Vancouver Convention Centre, a Global Green Icon
Reuters, by Chris de Morsella
November 30, 2009
Vancouver, Canada. "...The Largest Non-Industrial
Green Roof in North America - The center's
green roof was designed to imitate a gulf island
beachfront and to provide a nesting ground for local birds...As
is typically the case with green roofs the
convention center's green roof also helps with
stormwater management, and the living exterior skin helps
mitigate the heat-island effect that often is an un desired side
effect of traditional roofing designs..."
A LEED Gold Green Building Laboratory
Jetson Green, by Philip Proefrock
November 29, 2009
Ann Arbor, MI. "...architectural firm A3C has turned its
building into a showcase for a number of green building
components, and managed to produce a LEED-CI Gold renovation of
the existing two-story building while they were at it...Rather
than weighing the options and then choosing and applying a
single green roof system, there are several
different configurations installed next to one..."
Tech company SAP is living the green life
Philadelphia Inquirer, by Diane Mastrull
November 29, 2009
Philadelphia, PA. "Erecting an office that is one of the
greenest in the region was intended to demonstrate SAP's
commitment to walk the talk...From the garden on the roof to the
air-cooling ice tanks in the basement, 'we really wanted to be
an exemplar' of sustainability...A rooftop garden
of more than an acre sprouts blue fescue, lavender, and
goldfinger, along with a variety of sedum. Not only is the plant
life visually stunning and an ideal setting for corporate
entertaining, it is expected to extend the life of the rubber
roof under it by 30 years..."
Sewer Overflows are Expensive and Unsafe
Huffington Post blog, by
Amy Norquist
November 27, 2009
New York, NY. "The New York Times this week revealed the
frightening state of our nation's urban sewer systems and the
real consequences to human health...So what can better solve the
problem with our sewers? The most obvious -- and most
affordable--solution is bringing vegetation back into the cities
that paved over green space to get there. Green roofs
can dramatically reduce runoff and sewage overflows. Green
roofs--roofs covered with living plants..."
Cash Crop Hits the Roof for Harford County Farm
Southern Maryland Online, by Lindsay Gsell
November 27, 2009
Street, MD. "These plants have been the sole focus and
cash crop of the farm since 1998. Nearly a million of them are
grown each year for green roofs around the
country, says Shepley, a former electrical engineer who is now
co-owner of the business...The growth of the farm's business --
which has seen as much as a 70 percent rise in sales in the last
five years, according to co-owner Ed Snodgrass -- reflects a
growing national interest in green roofs...Emory
Knoll Farms chiefly sells about 30 types of plants, and
another 60 to 80 types are sold in small quantities..."
Rising sea levels: A tale of two cities
BBC News, by Michael Hirst
November 27, 2009
Rotterdam, The Netherlands. "When people talk about the
impact of rising sea levels, they often think of small island
states that risk being submerged if global warming continues
unchecked...Rotterdam is promoting the use of green roofs
to collect rain water...City authorities are subsidising the
development of green roofs, which are already in
place on buildings like the municipal library..."
Vancouver industrial hub transformed into sustainable
neighbourhood
Daily Commercial News, by Jean Sorensen
November 27, 2009
Vancouver, Canada. "...roads are sloped so that rainwater
drains into natural bioswales on each side of the village,
negating the need to treat runoff water, while providing habitat
for birds, animals, and marine life...Approximately 50 per cent
of the buildings have green roofs and 50 per cent
direct the water into irrigation and functions such as toilet
flushing..."
More urban green spaces to fight climate change, government
advisory body urges
Greenwise Business, by Elaine Brass
November 26, 2009
U.K. "Government advisory body the Commission for
Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) has launched a new
campaign to increase the amount of money spent on green
infrastructure...CABE believes parks and gardens, waterways,
allotments, tree-lined streets and green roofs
provide a network of green resources and a green infrastructure
that could potentially be a powerful tool to help towns and
cities to adapt to climate change..."
Ottawa School Plans Innovative Green Roof
The Epoch Times, by Cindy Chan
November 26, 2009
Ottawa, Canada. "When the students of Ottawa’s Ashbury
College suggested building a green roof a few
years ago, it sowed the seed for a first-of-its-kind eco-project
among Canadian independent schools that promises much more than
conventional environmental goals...While other schools have
built green roofs to help reduce energy use and
contribute to cleaner air, Ashbury's roof will be more
functional..."
Green from the roof on down
Metro Canada Halifax, by Sylvia Putz
November 26, 2009
Halifax, Canada. "We are currently in the process of
getting a green roof on our backyard shed, and the
question I’ve been asked most often is why?.. But with
increasing interest in the residential sector, and an upcoming
new Toronto bylaw mandating green roofs (January
2010) on many commercial, industrial and institutional
buildings, interest and knowledge will continue growing..."
Swimming With the Sewage: The Disturbing Reality of the City's
Sewage System
HuffingtonPost.com, by John Petro
November 25, 2009
New York, NY. "...the New York Times brought us some
nasty details about the city's sewer system...But there are
other ways a city can reduce its stormwater runoff besides
large, expensive capital improvements. By promoting the
construction of green roofs, a city can
significantly reduce the amount of storm water that runs into
the city's sewers during heavy rains..."
Green Walls are Growing Inside and Outside in London
Treehugger, by Bonnie Alter
November 24, 2009
London, UK. "TreeHugger loves green walls--they
are beautiful, environmental and good for nature and the world.
Suddenly they are popping out all over in London. The American
store Anthropologie just opened and they have installed a 3
storey high, 1500 sq. ft. living wall made of
14000 plants and 15 varieties...Plants are grown vertically in
our patented modular, hydroponic-fed system..."
Off the Grid Urban Block for Dallas
Jetson Green, by Preston Koerner
November 24, 2009
Dallas, TX. "...the Forwarding Dallas entry has now been
announced as the winning design. The off-the-grid block,
designed in collaboration between Atelier Data and Moov, is
scheduled to break ground in 2011...Forwarding Dallas gets its
inspiration from hills to create an undulated fabric of
buildings with green roofs covered in native
vegetation..."
Environmental innovators to pitch to 'Green Dragons' Den' in
Dublin
Siliconrepublic.com, by Staff
November 24, 2009
Dublin, Ireland. "From positive beermats to green
roofs on city buildings, Europe’s brightest green
innovators are set to converge in Dublin this weekend to pitch
their business ideas to a panel of enterprise and environment
experts...The panel will provide expert feedback on a number of
new and innovative green enterprise projects...‘Urban Bloom’ – a
project to make urban communities more sustainable by installing
green roofs on city buildings..."
Darien builder and architect team up on new certified
energy-efficient home
Stamford Plus Magazine, by Staff
November 23, 2009
Darien, CT. "Darien-based Nassau Interests has always set
new standards when it comes to the building business. Now the
forward-thinking real estate development firm is doing it again
by being one of the first builders in Darien to design and build
a new home registered with the U.S. Green Building Council's
LEED for Homes program...green roofs
are said to have a longer lifespan than standard roofs because
they are protected from ultraviolet radiation and the extreme
fluctuations in temperature that cause roof membranes to
deteriorate..."
NL Architects Unveils Ascending Green-Roofed Staircase Office
Inhabitat.com, by Bridgette Meinhold
November 23, 2009
Netherlands. "NL Architects recently unveiled a beautiful
green-roofed office complex for the Welfare
Department and Work Agency of the City of Groningen in the
Netherlands. Featuring ample amounts of daylight, large open
public spaces, and an ascending series of terraced green
roofs, the new SoZaWe office is sure to welcome the
citizens who come in for assistance while inspiring for the
employees who work there..."
New Boulder film documents the infusion of nature into urban
spots
Daily Camera, by Laura Snider
November 21, 2009
Boulder, CO. "...Boulder filmmaker and doctor Chuck Davis
has recently finished a new documentary, "The Nature of Cities,"
that explores urban landscapes like these that have been infused
with life...the movie shows some Swedish living roofs
-- mats of drought-tolerant vegetation that flowers and changes
appearance with the seasons..."
Santiago, Chile installs green walls in subway stations
Daily Commercial News, by Saul Chernos
November 19, 2009
Santiago, Chile. "Rush-hour commuters in Chile are
breathing easy thanks to new green walls being
installed in subway stations in the capital city of Santiago...Living
walls can help improve indoor air quality, fight noise
pollution, and make for a pleasant commute for residents and
visitors alike..."
Business of Green The Rooftop Garden Climbs Down a Wall
New York Times, by Ken Nelson
November 18, 2009
New York, NY. "...In fact, they are the latest
development in green roof technology. Like
green roofs, edible walls include a thick layer of
vegetation on the outside of buildings to provide insulation and
reduce heating and electricity costs...The leader in this niche
area is
Green Living™ Technologies,
another company in Rochester that has built edible walls here,
in New York City, Los Angeles, Detroit and elsewhere...Mr.
Irwin, who has an online column as the
Green Wall editor..."
Bush Library building design plays off its environs at SMU
Dallas Morning News, by David Dillon
November 18, 2009
Dallas, TX. "With today's unveiling at Southern Methodist
University, the George W. Bush Presidential Center moves from
state secret to three-dimensional reality...He describes it as a
more abstract, 21st-century composition, with energy-saving
features such as green roofs, photovoltaic panels
and a full palette of recycled materials..."
Amended Toronto green-building standard retains bird-friendly
measures
Daily Commercial News, by Saul Chernos
November 17, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "Bird enthusiasts are flapping their
wings with delight following a unanimous council vote in October
to amend the City of Toronto’s sustainable development
standard...The amendments bring the standard into sync with new
harmonized zoning and green roof bylaws council
approved late last year...When green roofs are
built adjacent to glass surfaces, the glass must be treated to
at least 12 metres above roof-level..."
Federal judge approves letting Onondaga County use green
technology to reduce Onondaga Lake pollution
The Post-Standard, by Tim Knauss
November 16, 2009
Syracuse, NY. "Onondaga County got the final go-ahead
Monday to scrap plans for three new sewage plants — including
one in Armory Square — and instead reduce sewer overflows with
trees, vegetated roofs, rain gardens, permeable
pavement and rain barrels..."
Going Green and Fighting Toxins at Home and at Work
EHS Today, by Staff
November 16, 2009
Baltimore, MD. "A nurse with environmental health
experience spoke to EHS Today about minimizing contact with
everyday toxins and taking steps to create greener
workplaces...employers could take a few hints from LifeBridge
Health and implement green building designs and initiatives. In
recent months, for example, the facility completed construction
of a new atrium and green roof. The atrium lets in
natural sunlight to reduce the facility’s energy consumption,
and the green roof helps clean rainwater before it
enters local waterways..."
Commercial innovations lead way for green homes
San Francisco Chronicle, by Valerie Farley
November 15, 2009
San Francisco, CA. "...Society's earliest mud huts had
the first "green roofs," but it takes advancements
such as the roof-top meadow on the
California Academy of Sciences building to clearly
demonstrate their utility and inspire broader adoption. Among
the earliest and best-known commercial-scale green roofs in the
United States is the
Gap's headquarters in San Bruno, whose 62,000-square-foot
expanse was planted in 1997 and is still reducing the
structure's carbon footprint today..."
New Study: Green Building to Support Nearly 8 Million U.S. Jobs
Over Next 4 Years
USGBC.org, Press Release
November 14, 2009
Phoenix, AZ. "Despite a challenging economic outlook,
green building will support 7.9 million U.S. jobs and
pump $554 billion into the American economy – including $396
billion in wages – over the next four years (2009-2013),
according to a new study from the U.S. Green Building Council
and Booz Allen Hamilton. The study also determined that green
construction spending currently supports more than 2 million
American jobs and generates more than $100 billion in gross
domestic product and wages..."
Plants can divide rooms, conquer poor air quality
Calgary Herald, by Gerald Filipski
November 13, 2009
Calgary, Canada. "Green or living walls are
one of the hottest trends in indoor gardening. What is a living
wall? Quite simply, it's a wall or freestanding structure that
makes use of living plants as part of its makeup. It is another
example of what was old is new again...There is a place in
today's homes for these living walls. Plants do actually clean
the air we breathe. This natural air purification is enough
reason to grow the plants, but the versatility of living walls
is another reason..."
Bill and Melinda Gates grant $350 million toward foundation
campus
Seattle Times, by Kristi Heim
November 13, 2009
Seattle, WA. "It's a massive project taking shape during
a steep decline in real estate development and commercial
property values. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's new
900,000-square-foot headquarters, comprised initially of two
six-story, boomerang-shaped buildings on 12 acres near the
Seattle Center, is scheduled to be finished in April 2011 at an
estimated cost of $500 million...Green building features include
a living roof on the parking garage and a
million-gallon rainwater storage tank to reduce water use..."
Exam puts green roof suppliers to the test
Daily Commercial News, by Saul Chernos
November 13, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "Building professionals put their
green roof skills to the test recently during a new exam
run as part of the recent
Cities Alive!
conference in Toronto...The exam covers a wide range of
material, such as installing waterproofing systems, caring for
plants, understanding design options and assorted challenges and
best practices...We have already seen some professionals in
California using the
GRP designation as a pre-qualification to bid on
projects..."
Making the case at Copenhagen
Building Design, by Elizabeth Hopkirk
November 13, 2009
London, UK. "The RIBA and the UK Green Building Council
are both sending representatives to next month’s UN Climate
Change Conference — known as
COP15 — to argue that the building industry has the greatest
potential for cutting greenhouse gases at the least cost using
existing technology... switching public spending from 'grey'
projects like road building and heavy engineering to 'green'
schemes like parks and green roofs could help
address climate change."
Creating Vancouver Convention Centre's green roof no simple task
Daily Commercial News, by Saul Chernos
November 13, 2009
Vancouver, Canada. "Working atop a structure built on
piles and at sometimes extreme angles made life interesting for
the crews working on the
Vancouver Convention Centre’s new green roof.
The biggest living roof in Canada is surrounded by water on
three sides, and the marine deck on which the building sits is
supported by stilt-like piles. It also features slopes of up to
53 per cent..."
The Living Wall: 31 of 50 Best Inventions of 2009
TIME, by JeffreyKluger
November 12, 2009
World. "Patrick Blanc specializes in vertical
gardens: verdant patches that climb the walls of office
buildings, shopping malls, museums and public spaces around the
globe...Recognizing that not all plants need soil to grow, Blanc
affixes synthetic felt to a frame onto which roots can cling.
Part gardener, part botanist, Blanc uses automated irrigation
and fertilization systems to keep his specimens healthy and
arranges them so that each enjoys optimal growth conditions..."
Local wildlife get the first completed homes on the Olympic Park
London2012.com, by Staff
November 12, 2009
London, UK. "The first new homes for wildlife have been
installed on the Olympic Park, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA)
has today announced...The ODA published its ‘Biodiversity Action
Plan’ earlier this year which sets out the creation of 45
hectares of wildlife habitats for otters, amphibians,
invertebrates and other rare wildlife...will include: 4,000 m2
of 'living roof' space for birds and rare
insects..."
The Green Building Sector Is Ripe for Water-Saving Innovation
Earth2Tech, by Justin Moresco
November 12, 2009
San Francisco, CA. "Water scarcity is becoming a
hot-button issue in the U.S. (and globally), with water managers
in 36 states saying they expect freshwater shortages hitting
their states by early in the next decade...Other water-saving
landscape features emerging (besides the low-tech solution of
selecting drought-resistant plants) include bioswales and
vegetated roofs..."
Triangular Tech Center Incorporates Solar Panels and a Green
Roof
Inhabitat.com, by Sarah Parsons
November 12, 2009
Bilbao, Spain. "Imagine a building designed with the
latest green technologies that also showcases innovative
technologies of the future. Kind of blows your mind, right? Well
that’s exactly what Spain’s green roofed and
solar powered BTEK Technology Interpretation Center
accomplishes...grass lines the roof and solar panels are
integrated into the building’s triangular shape..."
Greenbuild Expo showcases innovative products
Arizona Republic, by J. Craig Anderson
November 12, 2009
Phoenix, AZ. "Thousands of entrepreneurs, sales
executives and marketers in the fast-growing 'green'
construction industry converged in Phoenix on Wednesday for
opening day of the
Greenbuild International Conference & Expo...the conference
offered classes and seminars on topics as far-ranging as the
politics of green building, how to design green apartment
buildings, and using public-private partnerships to promote
green building in the inner city..."
McHugh Plans Major Chicago Data Center
Data Center Knowledge, by Rich Miller
November 11, 2009
Chicago, IL. "McHugh Construction Co. has announced plans
to build a major data center in downtown Chicago, just blocks
from the city’s major Internet connectivity hub...The plans
calls for a rooftop solar power installation, with about 8,300
square feet of photovoltaic panels...The drawings also feature a
'green roof' with vegetation covering about 10000
square feet..."
Bill Clinton's proud of his 5-year-old
Arkansas Times, by Max Brantley
November 11, 2009
Little Rock, AR. "Former President Bill Clinton got on
the phone in New York early Tuesday morning to talk to Times
editor Max Brantley about the fifth anniversary of the opening
of the
Clinton Presidential Center...Tell me about the roof
garden. It's great. First of all, it absorbs lots of
light and heat and water, which reduces runoff. It has more than
10,000 native plants from the state on it, counting all the
different grasses. It's really quite beautiful..."
How to help Philadelphia manage stormwater on your property
Examiner.com, by Carole Brown
November 11, 2009
Philadelphia, PA. "What happens when 14 billion gallons
of stormwater per year meet a hundred-year old system of pipes
that is merged with the sewage system and is over 1600 miles
long? As you can probably imagine, the result is really not
pretty. But you can help alleviate this problem by managing this
water on your property...Green roofs require a
little more technical expertise, but provide welcome habitat for
wildlife, and keep our houses warmer in winter and cooler in
summer, reducing the cost of home heating and cooling..."
Lilly Surpasses Energy Efficiency Goals and Celebrates Worldwide
Energy Day
Ethio Planet News, by Staff
November 11, 2009
Indianapolis, IN. "More than 25 Eli Lilly and Company
(NYSE: LLY) facilities around the world today will celebrate
'Energy Day,' which is a new corporate sustainability effort
designed to educate Lilly employees about the company’s latest
energy reduction goals and to encourage sustainable
behaviors...Employees working at Lilly's corporate headquarters
in Indianapolis will have an opportunity to tour one of the two
'green roofs' that were recently installed as
pilot sustainability projects to improve the energy efficiency
of the building and to reduce storm water run-off..."
City's grant to be used toward solar technology
Marquette Tribune, by Rebecca Prybell
November 10, 2009
Milwaukee. WI. "All across campus and the city of
Milwaukee, changes are being implemented to improve the
environmental sustainability of buildings through the use of
solar power and rooftop gardens that
generate energy and improve air quality...A green roof
is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year, and plants
will make it truly “green” by next spring. The green roof
will cover approximately 30,000 square feet of traditional
roofing with a vegetative system. Funding for the roof came from
various energy efficiency improvement grants and the Milwaukee
city budget..."
Japanese Company Unveils System to Grow Trees and Bushes on
Walls
Japan for Sustainability, by Staff
November 10, 2009
Japan. "Takenaka Corp., a leading Japanese construction
company, unveiled on July 31, 2009, its new panel system that
allows the use of a much wider variety of plants, even bushes
and trees, than the usual vines used to cover the walls of
buildings for greening purposes..."
Green, white roofs come to campus
McGill Daily, by Henry Gass
November 9, 2009
Montreal, Canada. "The fight for Montreal’s environmental
future has recently reached new heights, as various
environmental groups in the city promote the installation of
energy-efficient green and white roofs.
Green rooftops, or rooftop gardens, are
becoming more and more popular in Montreal, while white
rooftops, flat surfaces with a white polymeric membrane
stretched across, are just starting to be introduced..."
Geothermal energy powers Canadian varsity
Hindu Business Line, by M. Somasekhar
November 9, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "A university campus cooled and heated
by geothermal energy. Sounds unusual, doesn’t it? But University
of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Canada’s youngest
varsity, has achieved this distinction...UOIT’s geothermal
energy system is at the heart of the university’s research into
renewable energy. It has launched a slew of energy efficient
initiatives ranging from green roofs to solar
reflective windows..."
SF: Cal Academy wins award for Excellence from Urban Land
Institute
CBS5.com, Press Release
November 6, 2009
San Francisco, CA. "San Francisco's California Academy of
Sciences facility has been recognized by the urban land use
industry as a worldwide model of excellence in design and
development. The new $488 million, 412,000-square-foot building
in Golden Gate Park opened in September 2008 and includes an
aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and four-story
rainforest. The sustainable design features solar panels, a
water reclamation system and a 2.5-acre "living roof"
with growing plants..."
Energy Retrofit Market to Surge, and Bring Green Roofing Along
for the ride: Report
Earth2Tech, by Justin Moresco
November 5, 2009
San Francisco, CA. "The White House wants to see the home
energy retrofit market surge, and a new report announced today
predicts a growing appetite for energy-efficient heaters, air
conditioners and roofing materials, part of a larger trend in
the growth of green home renovations...The U.S. market for
energy-efficient roofing retrofits will reach $2.5 billion by
2013 from $1.4 billion last year (SBI deems roofing materials
efficient if they meet Energy Star criteria, which is based on
the amount of solar radiation a roof can reflect away from a
home)...Green, or living, roofs, where plants
cover part of or the entire roof (pictured above), are another
option..."
Going with the flow
UVic The Ring, by Peigi McGillivray
November 5, 2009
Saanich, Canada. "If climate change means more extreme
rainfall, as scientists predict, how should we prepare to cope
with all the extra water?...Low-impact development strategies
include permeable paving materials, green roofs
and rain gardens... Green roofs are designed to
support soil and plants. Some are able to reduce peak runoff by
up to 75 per cent. When you look at an aerial view of any
city..."
New Landscape Rating System to Transform the Industry, Complete
Green Building Puzzle
Reuters, by Staff
November 5, 2009
DC. "Today, the Sustainable Sites Initiative released the
nation`s first rating system for the design, construction and
maintenance of sustainable landscapes, with or without
buildings...The rating system works on a 250-point scale, with
levels of achievement for obtaining 40, 50, 60 or 80 percent of
available points, recognized with one through four stars,
respectively..."
Rooftop veg plots taking root in Japanese cities
News & Observer, by Arata Abe
November 5, 2009
Tokyo, Japan. "...An increasing number of young Japanese
workers are now finding fulfillment in growing vegetables in
urban plots during their break times or on their way home...Rooftop
gardens were not rare in Tokyo, but until recently most
gardens were used by restaurants to grow vegetables used in
their dishes..."
Interview with Sadhu Johnston, Chief Environment Officer, City
of Chicago
ASLA.org, by Staff
November 4, 2009
Chicago, IL. "...In certain areas, we've already exceeded
our goals. Green roofs are a great example. We
already have over seven million square feet of green roofs
underway in the city of Chicago. That's way ahead of where we
thought we would be at this point...Now, every new development
is required to calculate stormwater runoff and figure out how
they can keep at least a half-inch of that first rain onsite for
utilization and bioswales, green roofs, or other
green infrastructure, like permeable pavements. Green
roofs can play a significant role in stormwater plans
for each site..."
Urban builders offered eco-support
Inside Housing, by Tom Lloyd
November 4, 2009
England, UK. "...Poul Christensen, acting chair of
Natural England, said: ‘Green infrastructure - which includes
green spaces, street trees, green roofs and urban
parks - has often been seen as only decorative. The reality is
that it transforms city life. Investment in greening England’s
cities would bring a huge range of environmental, health and
economic benefits..."
Olympics spur BC water recycling strategy
Globe and Mail, by Denise Deveau
November 3, 2009
Vancouver, Canada. "...At the City of Richmond's Olympic
speed skating oval facility for example, runoff rainwater from
its massive 6.5-acre roof is captured and put through a
biofiltration process to remove the sediment...The new
Vancouver Convention Centre is the first building in Canada
to combine ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis systems to
desalinate ocean water and treat wastewater for flushing toilets
and irrigating its green roof garden..."
'Green' projects create new exposures
Business Insurance, by Roberto Ceniceros
November 3, 2009
US. "Construction contract disputes loom as demand grows
for buildings that meet environmental efficiency standards,
insurance and legal experts say...The potential exists, they
say, for disputes between building owners and contractors or
architects and engineers, should a new building fail to meet
certification standards...Insurers have amended general
liability and environmental policies to address green building
risks, such as defects related to rooftop gardens
that could cause water damage..."
Waiting period is over
The Gazette (Montreal), by Michelle Lalonde
November 2, 2009
Montreal, Canada. "The election is done, but the need to
have our voices heard is as important as ever. Here's a list of
things Montrealers should demand of our newly elected
officials...Change the building code to require new buildings be
green. Cities can dictate anything from the number of parking
spaces offered in new buildings and insulation quality to
on-site storm water management or use of renewable energy.
Toronto requires green roofs on new buildings. Why
can't Montreal?..."
Willis Tower looks to go green, from the rooftops on down
Chicago Tribune, by Julie Wernau
November 1, 2009
Chicago, IL. "Rooftop gardens part of plan
to improve efficiency...An experimental green roof
(greenery planted on a roof to lower energy costs and offset
water runoff) on the 90th floor required metal meshing to
prevent sod and plants from blowing away...In design plans, the
"green roof" project would be expanded to the
building's multiple roofs, along with wind turbines and solar
panels..."
Green city surfaces are the next frontier in sustainable
gardening
Times Colonist, by Susan Ramsey
October 31, 2009
Victoria, Canada. "Victoria's Dockside Green has two
living walls -- one is planted with native and
evergreen species, above, and one with annuals including green
onions and strawberries, below...Living walls,
also known as green walls are the next step in
urban gardening. People choosing downtown condo living or even
smaller single family building lots still want to garden --
thankfully -- but find it necessary to make different
choices..."
All of us comprise walls of church
Brantford Expositor, by Rick Gamble
October 31, 2009
Brandford, Canada. "A lan Darlington's new environmental
design is turning competitors green, and not just with envy. A
plant biologist who began working on his radical idea at the
University of Guelph, Darlington now runs a company specializing
in living walls -- walls comprised entirely of
plants that play a key role in improving the indoor environment.
Though walls made up entirely of greenery have been around for
years, Darlington's are different..."
More than $1 Million for Projects to Improve the Health of Long
Sound
CT Environmental Headlines, by Christopher Zurcher
October 30, 2009
New Haven CT. "Gathering together on the shores of Long
Island Sound, top federal and state environmental officials
announced 33 grants to state and local government and community
groups under the Long Island Sound Futures Fund...GreenApple
Corps will construct a greenroof to capture 250000
gallons of polluted stormwater annually in New York..."
Calgary is slowly catching on with environmental rooftops
FFWD, by Jeff Bolingbroke
October 29, 2009
Calgary, Canada. "...Modern green roofs
continue the energy efficiency trend: Environment Canada
researchers have demonstrated a 10 per cent decrease in winter
heat-loss and a 25 per cent decrease in air conditioning...Kerry
Ross, an accredited green roof professional and co-founder of
local advocacy group Alberta Ecoroof Initiative (AEI), says the
roofs are not only esthetically pleasing, but they also serve as
a place for people to have lunch and enjoy an outdoor green
space with a great view..."
Portland adopts climate plan
Portland Business Journal, by Staff
October 28, 2009
Portland, OR. "Portland’s city commission has adopted
requirements that would drastically reduce climate emissions by
2030. The Climate Action Plan calls for a 40 percent reduction
in carbon emissions by 2030 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050.
The city and county had last year pledged to create a joint
reduction plan that far exceeds national standards...City
bureaus must immediately begin implementing 15 of the new
climate-related initiatives, such as establishing a tax credit
for businesses that install ecoroofs and
solar panels together..."
Green Offshoots
New York Times, by Liz Galst
October 28, 2009
New York, NY. "...Mr. Casasnovas, an employee of
SmartRoofs L.L.C., was doing routine maintenance on the
vegetative roof, which his company installed in June
2003. The company, based in the Bronx, is one of the few
green roofers in the New York metropolitan area. But
what makes SmartRoofs even more unusual is that it is part of a
tiny but growing trend among small businesses: for-profit
ventures spun off by nonprofit groups that teach the job skills
necessary to join the nascent green economy..."
Mexico Fights Global Warming with Roof Gardens
NTDTV, by Staff
October 28, 2009
Mexico City, Mexico. "Rooftop gardens are
appearing on many public buildings. And it isn’t a hippie
movement, but a program launched last year to combat global
warming. Mexico City, one of the world's most polluted capitols,
is a smog-choked metropolis. It plans to replace rooftop gas
tanks, clothes lines and asphalt with grass and bushes to absorb
carbon dioxide...The city's mayor has pledged US$5.5 billion
over five years to reduce greenhouse gases...The manager of
"Green 360," a company that builds and maintains living
walls, says these walls help combat pollution..."
Peduto pushes green legislation
Pittsburgh Post Gazette, by Rich Lord
October 28, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA. "...Once we create standards for green
roofs, we can then begin to incentivize green roofs," he
said...His green roof ordinance would tell builders to consult
with a structural engineer before putting deep and heavy layers
of soil on building tops. Establishing standards for the
increasingly trendy green roofs sets the stage for incentives
for new buildings and homes with plants on top..."
See also,
Councilman to announce 'green code' for Pittsburgh,
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, by Adam Brandolph
All Aluminum House Has Green Roof, Solar Power
Treehugger, by Lloyd Alter
October 28, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "While it takes a lot of energy to make
aluminum, most of it is recycled and it does not take a lot of
energy to do that. So building a house...Atelier Tekuto has
built an elegant single family house in Kanazawa City, Japan
almost entirely out of aluminum. Notwithstanding our bias
against jazzy expensive single family houses, this one has some
interesting features. Starting at the top: a green roof
and solar collectors..."
Wisconsin native grows green in Brooklyn
OnMilwaukee.com, by Maureen Post
October 27, 2009
Brooklyn, N.Y. "In a neighborhood where old trumps new
and small-scale has by and large squashed mass-produced, it was
only a matter of time before rural farming dug its way into
urban agriculture...Our concept took time but is really quite
simple. We transformed a regular tarred rooftop into a
'green roof' with rain catch and then literally dumped
soil..."
Singapore showcases its first Zero Energy Building
Cnet Asia, by Juniper Foo
October 27, 2009
Singapore. "Going by the axiom that action speaks louder
than words, the Singapore authorities have on Monday unveiled
the country's first Zero Energy Building as a project to test
the waters. The Government has tasked itself with developing
green technologies to meet the goal of making 80 percent of all
buildings in the island state green by 2030...Greenery system:
Roof garden and wall plants help cut heat
transmission into the building. Shading devices: These work
hand-in-hand with the greenery system..."
Botanist's green walls take plants to new level
San Francisco Chronicle, by John King
October 27, 2009
San Francisco, CA. "...Blanc, 56, is the latest in a long
procession of foreign designers brought here to nudge our
well-established landscape. He calls himself "a botanist who
thought of a new way to grow plants" - vertically and at
architectural scale...The Drew School expansion will be Blanc's
fifth and largest American creation, covering the streetside
wall of a 14,500-square-foot assembly hall for the
small high school campus at California and Broderick streets..."
United States Breaks Ground on New Consulate Compound in
Guangzhou, China
US Department of State, by Staff
October 25, 2009
Guangzhou, China. "The NCC will be configured so that its
seven state-of-the-art buildings are separated from each other
but tied together by gardens and courtyards demonstrating the
Department’s commitment to green design and sustainability.
Several of the buildings on the site will feature 'green'
roofs that will mitigate thermal loads by providing
insulation and also will minimize storm water run-off..."
Ottawa's Algonquin College breaks ground on Centre for Construction
Excellence
Daily Commercial News, by Korky Koroluk
October 24, 2009
Ottawa, Canada. "Ground has been broken for the construction
of a building that will not only house construction trades training,
but also an applied learning centre for sustainable building...Much
of the roof will be an undulating green garden that
will, Leckman said, add campus greenspace and help with insulation
(while) lowering the demands on the heating and cooling systems...”
Roofers, landscapers in a turf war over Chicago's rooftop gardens
Chicago Tribune, by Ameet Sachdev & Julie Wernau
October 23, 2009
Chicago, IL. "Rooftop gardens, like the one
atop Chicago's City Hall, have roofers green with envy. They want
more of the work that is being done by commercial landscapers in
the booming market to install green roofs on public
and commercial buildings in the Chicago area...In a case involving
a South Loop development, the unions took their dispute to the National
Labor Relations Board..."
The Green Dream Gets Ready for a Green Roof
Popular Science, by John B. Carnett
October 22, 2009
US. "Laying down the foundation for my rooftop garden.
Why bother with an unsightly and inefficient flat tar roof when
you can look out the window at a teeming green garden?...I hired
a commercial roofing company to take my flat roof system and get
it built up to accept my green roof trays..."
The hanging gardens of the Meadowlands
The Leader Newspapers, by Susan C. Moeller
October 22, 2009
Lyndhurst, NJ. "An idea that got its start in Babylon is
taking shape in Lyndhurst. Rob Shucker, president of Eco Earth Design,
is working to bring the modern equivalent of rooftop hanging gardens
to the region’s skylines...But, today’s building owners install
green roofs for less romantic reasons. The growing
canopy protects roofing from its worst enemy--exposure to the sun,
and that sunscreen effect can double the life of an average roof..."
BronxPro celebrates eco-friendly apartments
YourNabe.com, by Daniel Beekman
October 22, 2009
Bronx, NY. "Too often, the Bronx has dealt with developers
in pursuit of profit and only profit. Too often, the Bronx has witnessed
other boroughs add sumptuous condos. But 1085 Washington Avenue
Apartments represents change, an affordable Bronx building that
radiates quality from its green roof to its day-lit
basement..."
Who's working lots, and green on top?
Vancouver Sun, by Brian Morton
October 21, 2009
Vancouver, Canada. "Going 'green' has helped company expand
from home business to handling projects around globe...Streamline
Design (which designs about 65 homes annually) is his home-design
company, while Streamline Enterprises -- the Canadian distributors
for
Green Living™ Technologies
and its Living Wall (a vertical garden with plants grown on walls)
and Green Roof systems -- is a newer company started
in 2007 focused on green-building needs and sustainable architecture
and construction..."
Atlanta Botanical Garden Completes $55 Million Green Expansion
Hospitality Design Magazine, by Staff
October 21, 2009
Atlanta, GA. "Architectural firm Jova/Daniels/Busby has completed
work on the $55 million green expansion of the Atlanta Botanical
Garden...The center's green roof provides a natural
green barrier to reduce heat gain and energy usage. Covering nearly
35 percent of the roof area, the green roof utilizes plant coverings,
offering a new wildlife area and an additional garden for visitors..."
DC lands $38.9M in stimulus funds for water work
Washington Business Journal, by Vandana Sinha
October 20, 2009
DC. "The District government and its water utility will receive
a combined $38.9 million in stimulus funding...nearly $4 million
would go toward building more than 100,000 square feet of
green roofs on city buildings, including libraries, firehouses
and a demonstration project atop the parking garage deck at University
of the District of Columbia. The stimulus funds would also expand
the city’s green roof rebate program to allow residents
and small businesses to afford another 20,000 square feet of private
green roof space..."
Why meadows on roofs?
Toronto Sun, by John Lorinc
October 20, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "...Last night, Miller kicked off the summit
by talking up City Hall's $2.3-million green roof
and Toronto's freshly-minted policy mandating green roofs
on new structures such as condos -- the first such bylaw for a large
North American city...Toronto is also offering owners of industrial
and commercial buildings grants worth up to $100,000 to build a
green roof; the program budget is $800,000 a year..."
Horticulture class learns clean energy from PECO
Temple News, by Sierra Gladfelter
October 20, 2009
Philadelphia, PA. "Students in a fundamentals of horticulture
class on Main Campus recently took a tour of the PECO Building's
green roof at 23rd and Market streets to learn about
sustainable design and incorporating plants into architecture...
This past September, after a half a year of work, the company unveiled
this 45,000-square-foot green roof on the top of its
headquarters..."
NASA Strikes Gold
PR Web, Press Release
October 20, 2009
Pasadena, CA. "NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) debuts
its new Flight Projects Center Monday, Oct. 26 at 10 a.m. JPL is
a Federally-funded research and development facility managed by
the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) for the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)...A vegetative
roof will keep the building cool in the summer and warm
in the winter. The green roof will also help minimize
storm water runoff into the Arroyo Seco, a dry riverbed near JPL..."
Parking Outside the Box
Metropolis Magazine, by Val Moses
October 16, 2009
US. "The parking garage is the Rodney Dangerfield of building
types, the troubled snag in the urban fabric...a building that sports
environmentally friendly features like solar panels, green
roofs, and (in something of an ecological irony) LEED certification...Lots
of otherwise unsightly garages have been concealed underground,
but perhaps none with as much panache as the parking for Nike’s
European Headquarters, where the campus’s central lawn acts as a
green roof for below-grade parking..."
Villanova's campus is a stormwater lab
WHYY, by Kerry Grens
October 16, 2009
Villanova, PA. "The rains of this past week put a lot of
stress onto the region's outdated stormwater system. The city of
Philadelphia has a billion dollar proposal on the table to ease
the burden on sewers using green solutions...Green roofs,
porous asphalt, pervious concrete and rain gardens can capture most
of the runoff from storms we've had this week..."
A Swedish education
National Post, by Vanessa Farquharson
October 16, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "...During a recent study tour in the country,
a group of Canadian architects, developers and politicians were
given an inside look at a few of the newest, greenest projects in
Sweden - condo buildings that go far beyond the standard LEED qualifications
in terms of sustainability...We're similar, says John Campbell,
president of Waterfront Toronto, in that we're also taking a holistic
approach - we believe in things like canopy tree cover, green
roofs, putting transit in first..."
The ECO-ROOF enters a new season
The Bulletin, by Erin Golden
October 16, 2009
Portland, OR. "...New building has one cool roof...Tom Liptan,
the city of Portland's eco-roof program manager, said
Portland completed a study in 2008 that compared the cost of constructing
an eco-roof with the likely savings it would generate.
Based on that, we calculated that it would take about 20 years for
the added cost of an eco-roof to break even, and that
from that 20-year point forward, you're making money...Eco-roofs
also help control storm water flow because water from rain or melting
snow is absorbed into the soil and then takes more time to run off
the building..."
Green spaces 'improve health'
BBC News, by Staff
October 15, 2009
London, UK. "There is more evidence that living near a 'green
space' has health benefits. Research in the Journal of Epidemiology
and Community Health says the impact is particularly noticeable
in reducing rates of mental ill health. The annual rates of 15 out
of 24 major physical diseases were also significantly lower among
those living closer to green spaces. One environmental expert said
the study confirmed that green spaces create 'oases'
of improved health around them..."
Green roof looks pretty and benefits the environment
Daily Press, by Kathy Van Mullekom
October 15, 2009
Newport News, VA. "...A green roof does more
than just dress up a building. The system insulates the structure,
which reduces heating and cooling costs. The plants absorb and filter
rainfall, which reduces storm water runoff that could pollute waterways.
The life of a roof is extended, which reduces material going to
the landfill...Green roofs are growing in popularity
as more businesses — and homeowners — look for ways to befriend
Mother Nature..."
This meadow's on top of Toronto City Hall
National Post, by Rob Roberts
October 14, 2009
Toronto, Canada. "...Toronto's largest green roof
is under construction, and the scale of the project takes the breath
away...Terry McGlade of
Gardens in the Sky (now a division
of Flynn Canada, the flat-roofing giant) are leading this tour,
bubbling over in their excitement for their new gardening project...Participants
in the CitiesAlive
World Green Roof Infrastructure congress will view the green roof
at its grand opening..."
Discovery Green earns LEED Gold certification
Bizjournals.com, by Staff
October 13, 2009
Houston, TX. "Discovery Green has received LEED Gold certification
— making the project the first completed LEED Gold new construction
project in downtown Houston...Features that earned Discovery Green
the Gold certification included removing surface-level asphalt parking
spaces; generating 8 percent of the park’s total energy via 256
solar panels on the roofs of nearby buildings as well as using only
renewable energy for electrical power; high-efficiency HVAC equipment;
green roofs; and preservation of live oak trees..."
Regeneration experts toast the 'green, green grass of home'
24dash.com, by Staff
October 13, 2009
Sheffield, UK. "Workmen have sampled an advance taste of
life at one of Sheffield's greenest housing schemes – with a lunch
on the building's green roof...will include a roof
laid with grass, solar panels and other environmentally-conscious
measures. When complete, the green roof will absorb
extra rainwater and create a thriving habitat for local insects
and birds..."
Rhode Island Animal Shelter First LEED Gold in US
Earth911.com, by Jennifer Berry
October 13, 2009
Middleton, RI. "The Potter League, an animal shelter in Middletown,
R.I., recently became the first shelter in the U.S. to earn LEED
Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC). Using
an innovative array of sustainable features from a rooftop
garden to rainwater cisterns, the $8 million building is
an example of a holistic view on animal welfare and resource conservation..."
Local growers benefit from farm-to-table concept
Pacific Business News, by Chad Blair
October 12, 2009
Honolulu, HI. "Kai Market's 'living wall' of
herbs and spices is so popular that chefs at other Sheraton Waikiki
restaurants have been known to pinch from it when in need. The
living wall is a vertical grid of mint, basil, rosemary
and other plants growing under warm lights and hydrated by a hidden
watering system..."
Green roofs: the future of architecture?
Ubyssey Online, by Ian Turner
October 12, 2009
Canada. "...A roof that is covered entirely with vegetation
is at least ten per cent more expensive to construct than a traditional
roof, but can double its lifespan. The increased construction costs
can be recouped within two years, according to the City of Port
Coquitlam....Port Coquitlam's green roof bylaw mandates
green roofs for commercial and industrial buildings.
As such, these roofs are typically intensive and not open to the
public..."
Civic Center will sport green roof
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, by Jim Stinson
October 12, 2009
Rochester, NY. "A $3.2 million 'green roof'
is expected to help control flooding around the Civic Center Plaza
downtown. Such roofs are often planted with grass, shrubs and other
greenery on top of a waterproof membrane. They help reduce heating
and cooling costs, as well as filter pollutants and greenhouse gases
out of the air. They are also known to reduce storm water runoff..."
Green walls taking root in green building design
The Associated Press, by Dan Nephin
October 12, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA. "The next big thing in green building design
might be to turn an existing idea on its side. PNC Financial Services
Group Inc. recently installed a green wall the size
of two tennis courts on one side of its headquarters. Like
green roofs — their perpendicular counterparts —
green walls are covered in vegetation and provide the
benefits of natural insulation and removal of air pollutants...Green
Living Technologies
LLC, of Rochester, N.Y., designed the wall at PNC. Chief Executive
George Irwin said the company also has installed walls in New York
City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle..."
Towering example
Toronto Star, by Brian Breuhaus
October 10, 2009
Chicago, ILL. "Chicago skyscraper creates rooftop garden
as part of retrofit project to slash energy use 80%...Huston says
the 3-by-4.5-metre plot near the top of the 110-storey Willis Tower,
known until this year as the Sears Tower, has a larger meaning.
'If you can do it on the 90th floor, you can do it anywhere,' says
Huston, one of the tower's owners. 'We want the building to be a
leader'. The green roof is part of a massive $200-
to $300-million retrofit of the tallest building in North America..."
Mukilteo pulls off City Hall's weed-filled sod roof
HeraldNet, by Oscar Halpert
October 10, 2009
Mukilteo, WA. “The green roof atop City Hall
is leaving some people red-faced. Work crews this week, using a
vacuum truck, began removing a weed-infested environmentally friendly
roof above the year old, $9 million City Hall's council chambers...
it was clear that subcontractors had mistakenly added mulch full
of weeds and alfalfa, which overtook natural ground-cover plants
— such as sedum — specifically added for insulation and to control
storm-water runoff...expert with the Washington State University
Extension Snohomish County, said experts often design green
roofs using a series of plant trays. Individual trays can
easily be removed if weeds show up or if there's any other problem..."
Philly's bold stormwater management plan leads the way
Daily Commercial News, by Korky Koroluk
October 9, 2009
Philadelphia, PA. "As our climate slowly changes and extreme
weather events become more common, cities will have to change the
ways in which they manage stormwater. It’s not common yet, but cities
will have to begin specifying larger storm sewers, making greater
use of stormwater management ponds, promote greater use of
green roofs and rain gardens, and use pervious pavements
to allow more stormwater to seep into the ground...."
Bennetts' New Street Square green wall lives on
Architects' Journal, by Merlin Fulcher
October 9, 2009
London, UK. "Teething issues with a wall of plants at Bennetts
Associates’ New Street Square office complex in central London have
been addressed, says director Rab Bennetts. He added that the wall
has been replanted and will be ‘fine by next spring’. It was feared
this living wall could suffer the same fate as the
£100,000 high-profile wall at Paradise Park children’s centre in
Islington, North London, which eventually died – the causes of which
are still being investigated..."
School builds nature reserve on roof
Environmental Data Interactive, by Luke Walsh
October 9, 2009
Sheffield, UK. "A primary school's green roof
has been made a local nature reserve after more than 700 varieties
of plants were put in. The Sharrow School in Sheffield built a
green roof to help with the traditional problems of
humidity, noise and pollution. But, almost as a by-product the school
has also created a haven for local wildlife as the green roof
uses plants taken from the surrounding countryside..."
Students Excel at Green Infrastructure Design
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Press Release
October 8, 2009
Toronto, CA. "International competition selects sustainable
design
winner. Five outstanding designs that transform the face of
entire city blocks using 'leafy' green infrastructure have been
selected to receive cash awards in the
CitiesAlive International
Student Design Challenge: Transforming the Face of Buildings, announced
industry associations Green Roofs for Healthy
Cities (GRHC)
and World Green Roof Infrastructure Network (WGRIN)..."
UofI SUB sports new green roof
KLEWtv.com, by Matt Loveless
October 8, 2009
Moscow, ID. "You're going to see a vegetated roof on about
1,500 square feet of roof space here on the SUB,' said Student Union
Building Associate Director Mark Miller...UI's first green
roof is saving money, and may be the wave of the future
for buildings on campus...Today, it's a habitat for insects and
birds. An improved rain water collection system helps store about
2,200 gallons of runoff, more than enough to feed the plants during
dry summer months..."
Eco in the halls of academe
Philadelphia Inquirer, by Lini S. Kadaba
October 7, 2009
Lewisburg, PA. "Across the region and the country, the green
movement has taken up residence on college campuses. New or renovated
dorms have organic suites (Drexel), green roofs (Princeton),
geothermal cooling and heating (West Chester) and eco-friendly furniture
(Villanova). Known as green dorms, they are building in popularity
as economics make more sense and eco-wise collegians expect and
demand it..."
It's Easy Being Green: Going Green for the Team
Center For American Progress, by Staff
October 7, 2009
U.S. "Major League Baseball’s postseason playoffs began this
week with Wednesday’s match up between the Phillies and Rockies.
But regardless of who wins the whole league has managed to come
together for the environment’s sake...The Nationals stadium's high-efficiency
field lighting, low-flow plumbing, and green roofs
garnered it a silver ranking..."
Campaigns to promote eco-friendly behaviour
Gulf Times, by Ourouba Hussein
October 7, 2009
Qatar. "SustainableQatar president Katrin Scholz-Barth said
that Qatar had many green infrastructure opportunities, such as
green roofs, green walls and curves
in the sidewalks. She explained that green roofs could
be achieved in Qatar, in case a water source is made available.
In this case, a thin layer of soil could be laid on roofs and saplings
or seeds planted to grow there. 'Green roofs form
an insulation and the sun’s heat is blocked', she said, noting that
this decreases the usage air conditioning..."
Russia new member of World Green Roof Infrastructure Network
Green Roofs Australia Blog, by Staff
October 7, 2009
World. "Russia is expected to become the 14th country to
join the expanding World Green Roof Infrastructure Network
(WGRIN) at next month’s
Cities Alive World
Green Infrastructure Congress in Toronto, Canada. The World Green
Roof Infrastructure Network is an international association of national
associations whose mission is to develop the world green roof
and green wall industry through international cooperation..."
Green Roofs Shown to Offset Warming
Discovery News, by Emily Sohn
October 6, 2009
U.S. "Filling rooftops with plants and dirt can help pull
a modest amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere,
found a new study. While green roofs certainly won't
solve the global warming problem, their ability to sop up greenhouse
gases -- even just a little bit -- bolsters the case for planting
them on city buildings...Green roofs offer a long
list of known benefits. They lower air-conditioning costs in the
summer by absorbing and reflecting heat. They lower heating costs
in the winter by adding extra insulation..."
Breath of fresh air
TheChronicleHerald.ca, by Bill Spurr
October 6, 2009
Halifax, Canada. "From a distance, it looks like a really
ambitious mural. But up close, the newly installed living wall at
Saint Mary’s University is, well, alive. Three stories of plants,
more than a thousand of them, are in Atlantic Canada’s first
living wall, part of SMU’s new $17.5-million Atrium,
a connector building that links the university’s library to several
other academic buildings...Saint Mary's has been looking at ways
to be kinder to the earth since at least 1971, when a grass
roof was planted on the newly completed library..."
Garden in the sky
Manila Bulletin, by Bibsy M. Carballo
October 6, 2009
Manila, Philippines. "If the Sky Garden at
SM City North EDSA is any indication, it would seem the country
is fast catching up with the green revolution that has already been
happening all over the globe...Adorning the garden are mostly endemic
plants -- from gumamela, bougainvilla, Jasmine, calachuchi, trumpet
tree, elephant ears, oleander, to various palm and bamboos types.
Peanut plants and carabao grass thrive through a technology perfected
by
ZinCo from Germany..."
Ball Hospital's new green roof will be the largest in Indiana
Muncie Star Press, by Oseye T. Boyd
October 5, 2009
Muncie, IN. "Ball Memorial Hospital stepped up its commitment
to the environment on Monday with the installation of a 23,000 square
foot green roof on top of the South Tower. When completed,
the green roof will be the largest in Indiana...American
Electric Power, Ball Brothers Foundation and Muncie Sanitary District
grants were awarded for the $300,000 project..."
Giving green a fighting chance
Chicago Flame Online, by Lucia Gonzalez
October 5, 2009
Chicago, IL. "...For those of us that are always interested
in new environmentally friendly developments, the Chicago Botanic
Garden has opened new plant conservation labs to the public...the
Josephine P. & John J. Louis Foundation Green Roof Garden North,
which has a mixture of known good green roof plants
and some exotic plants that can potentially serve for green roof
use..."
DM calls public to apply Green Roofs System
AME Info, by Staff
October 5, 2009
Dubai, UAE. "Eng. Yousuf Abdullah, Head of Licensing Section
in the Buildings Department of Dubai Municipality called upon the
public the need to adhere to the application of green building standards...The
massive urban expansion witnessed by the city of Dubai is raising
the temperature in the region, and green roofs are
one of the environment friendly solutions taken by the Dubai Municipality
to meet this expected expansion..."
New shop to have 'living roof'
BrainTree and Witham Times, by Nina Morgan
October 5, 2009
UK. "A new £1.6m food store with a ‘living roof’
is set to open in a village. The East of England Co-operative store
will open in The Street, Hatfield Peverel, at the beginning of December.
It will create about 25 jobs. The 3,000sq ft store will have a host
of eco-friendly credentials including a green roof
made from sedum (low maintenance plants with water-storing leaves)..."
School builds first 'green rooftop'
The Press Association, by Staff
October 5, 2009
Sheffield, England. "A primary school has become the first
building in the country to have a Local Nature Reserve on its roof,
Natural England has said. The 2,000 square metre "green roof"
on Sharrow School in Sheffield is designed to reflect the different
habitats surrounding the city and includes wildflower meadow and
grassland plants as well as a wetland area with a small pond. The
roof even has a dead tree..."
Green Roofs: Doing it Bigger, Better
CBS News, by Hari Sreenivasan
October 3, 2009
New York, NY. "Green roofs have been around
at least since the time of the Vikings and are still common on homes
in some parts of Scandinavia and other parts of the world. They
aren't necessarily new, but they are catching on in the United States
and as in most things American, we're doing it bigger...If you’d
like to search for projects across states and countries, by size
and type, check out a great
database
at greenroofs.com..."
See also,
Green Roofs Growing over American Cities, by Hari Sreenivasan
of CBS News.
Green Roofs For Villas Optional
Khaleej Times, by Staff
October 3, 2009
Dubai, UAE. "Dubai Municipality has made it optional for
residential villas to comply with the Green Roofs
initiative following the comments passed on by UAE nationals. The
move comes in harmony with the public interest bearing in mind achieving
the expected objectives of the project...The green roofs
project is aimed at transforming roofs of all buildings and houses
in Dubai into cultivated space, where the water from air-conditioners
would be used for irrigation of plants..."
Governor Paterson announces $43 million in stimulus funds for clean
water projects
WBGH-NewsChannel34.com, by Staff
October 1, 2009
New York, NY. "Governor David A. Paterson today announced
$43 million for innovative water quality projects across New York
through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The funds
were awarded to 58 different projects through a new State initiative
known as the Green Innovation Grant Program, which promotes sustainable,
environmentally sensitive water infrastructure and technologies...The
projects include green roofs, permeable pavement,
rain harvesting and progressive wastewater treatment processes..."
The downtown Pinnacle proves good architecture and good planning
aren't the same thing
Nashville Scene, by Christine Kreyling
September 30, 2009
Nashville, TN. "Architecture nerds have long had a design
wish for Nashville: an honest-to-God modern building with an elegant
glass curtain wall...The green roof that abuts the
tower proper and sits atop the garage is the most eye-catching sustainable
feature. Designed by the landscape architects at Nashville's Hawkins
Partners, Pinnacle's green roof combines the look
of a traditional garden—raised beds flanking the people space..."
Forest Heights readies for eco-friendly 'green' roof
Business Gazette, by Joshua Garner
October 1, 2009
Forest Heights, MD. "Forest Heights is moving closer to becoming
a 'green' town, possibly the first in Prince George's County, as
the town prepares for construction this week on an eco-friendly
roof for its administration building. During a Town Council meeting
Sept. 16, council members laid out final plans for an approximately
$200,000 renovation to the building that includes a green
roof and installing energy-efficient windows...We'll be
the greenest town in Maryland."
KPMB Design The "Best Tall Building in North America" For Manitoba
Hydro
Treehugger, by Lloyd Alter
September 30, 2009
Manitoba, Canada. "That's what the CTBUH (Council for Tall
Buildings) calls Manitoba Hydro Place, designed by Kuwabara Payne
McKenna Blumberg Architects, with Architect of Record Smith Carter
Architects. They have long been among the best architects in the
country, and with this building become one of the greenest...The
podium rooftops feature deep soil intensive green roofs
and accessible terraces, creating a lush landscaped outdoor amenity
for employees, while also reducing stormwater runoff and providing
additional thermal insulation..."
Also read "Manitoba
Hydro Place - A model for extreme climate responsive design",
a Press Release from PR Newswire.
Tourism sector going green
Bizjournals.com, by James Fink
September 30, 2009
Buffalo, NY. "A rooftop herb garden, sitting just above the
12th floor of the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Buffalo, is the
symbol of a green initiative being instituted by a consortium of
local interests, headed by the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors
Bureau...The Hyatt’s roof garden is one of the most
visible examples of the local hospitality industry’s green movement.
Food scraps from the Hyatt’s food and catering operations are taken
to Good Earth Enterprises, who place them in its compost pile..."
New green roof at Washington University promotes sustainability,
adds green space
Washington University in St. Louis, by Jessica Daues
September 30, 2009
St. Louis, MO. "An environmentally friendly 'green
roof' — containing grass, native plants and approximately
110,000 pounds of soil — opened last week at the South 40 House
on the university's Danforth Campus...The green roof
will help the university improve its water management. Ninety percent
of rainwater that falls on a green roof is absorbed
by the soil and vegetation, reducing the amount of runoff.."
London warned climate change will make new infrastructure unfit
for purpose
Business Green, by James Murray
September 30, 2009
London, England. "The London Climate Change Partnership,
a group of businesses, local authorities and academics, has released
a series of reports...One of the reports, titled Adapting to Climate
Change: the role of public procurement, warns that millions of pounds
are still being invested in buildings and projects that lack simple
climate adaptation measures, such as rainwater harvesting,
green roofs and trees to provide summer shading, resulting
in infrastructure that will 'soon not be fit for purpose'..."
A Green Amenity, Above It All
New York Times, by J. Alex Tarquinio
September 29, 2009
New York, NY. "Office landlords have increasingly been wooing
prospective tenants in recent years by marketing their buildings
as environmentally friendly. Typically, these buildings are energy-efficient
or recycle water. But even in these buildings, one environmental
feature has been rare: a green roof...Recently,
green roof projects have been included in some top-to-bottom
renovations of loft-style office buildings downtown..."
Living Walls Look Great, But What About Upkeep?
Fast Company, by Kelsey Keith
September 29, 2009
US. "Not only effective in reducing energy use, a vertically
scaled garden, or living wall injects a shot of green
into gray urban streetscapes. Last week we wrote about North America's
largest largest living wall, designed by Kari Katzander
of Mingo Design with the help of of
Green Living™
Technologies.
But there are plenty of others..."
Scientist explains ASAP research on impacts of population growth
on local ecosystems
Charlottesville Tomorrow, by Sean Tubbs
September 28, 2009
Charlottesville, VA. "Trees capture carbon dioxide from the
air. Open space helps filter groundwater to make it safer for drinking.
These are two examples of “ecosystem services” that can be affected
by population growth...The strategy of directing growth into the
developing areas has the best chance of offsetting community wide
impacts on ecosystems services, Jantz said. She said the urban areas
should work towards installing green roofs, implementing
urban forestry management practices..."
'Green' Roofing About to Sprout at Bowling Green Hospital: New Wing
to Offer Grasses, Flowers
Water World, by Jennifer Feehan
September 27, 2009
Bowling Green, KY. "When patients look out their windows
in the new wing at Wood County Hospital, they'll see trees and lush
green grass...As part of a $42 million renovation and expansion
project nearing completion, the hospital is installing a "live
roof" that features 15,000 square feet of flowering plants
and grasses that should provide color from April to October..."
Breaking ground with a $1.6 billion plan to tame water
Philadelphia Inquirer, by Sandy Bauers
September 27, 2009
Philadelphia, PA. "Philadelphia has announced a $1.6 billion
plan to transform the city over the next 20 years by embracing its
storm water - instead of hustling it down sewers and into rivers
as fast as possible. The proposal, which several experts called
the nation's most ambitious, reimagines the city as an oasis of
rain gardens, green roofs, thousands of additional
trees, porous pavement, and more..."
Rooftop garden act makes life in the city bearable
New Straits Times, by Marc Lourdes
September 27, 2009
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "...One major problem we face and
will continue to face for the foreseeable future from the look of
things, are flash floods whenever we have huge downpours -- which
aren't all that rare in our tropical climate....However, being a
massive modern metropolis and an eco-friendly green
city aren't mutually exclusive concepts, as proved by Chicago, the
Windy City...In 2000, Daley used the City Hall building as a guinea
pig, planting 20,000 prairie-style plants on its rooftop garden..."
Mayor Bloomberg Joins Building Owners, Union Leader to Launch Green
Building Program
SYS-CON Media, Press Release
September 25, 2009
New York, NY. "Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined Realty Advisory
Board President Jim Berg and 32BJ President Mike Fishman today in
launching an ambitious green buildings program to train one thousand
superintendents and resident managers in one year in the latest
energy efficient practices...The One Year, One Thousand Supers curriculum
combines classes and field exercises with elective courses, including
renewable technologies, green roofs and water use..."
Lowe's brings store plans to Town board
St. Albans Messenger, by Michelle Monroe
September 25, 2009
St. Albans Town, VT. "Lowe’s Home Improvement Center made
its first appearance before the St. Albans Town Development Review
Board Thursday night at town hall...Lowe’s |
