Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video.  Here is the transcript from March 9th, 2012 from our daughter, Anjuli – click on the photo below to see the video, or here.  Enjoy!

- Hello, I’m Anjuli Velázquez and welcome to “This Week in Review” for March 9th, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is the Epcot Living Wall built in 2011 in Orlando, Florida.  Epcot® theme park is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort, and is divided into Future World and World Showcase.  Located in the Festival Center, the interior EcoWall was created as part of the 2011 Epcot® International Flower and Garden Festival, and now serves as a dual purpose for Disney’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival as well, and is permanently on display in the park.

It features 1300 tropical plants and ferns and during the Food and Wine Festival edible plants, like pineapples, dwarf banana trees and citruses, are incorporated as part of an interactive display to show unique spaces, saving solutions in urban farming.  The EcoWall uses a unique and lightweight combination of inorganic growing medium into the design.  The material locks in moisture and nutrients, which reduces the amount of resources required to sustain healthy plant growth.  Guests get to walk through the living wall as they enter and exit the Festival Center.

- To learn more about the Epcot Living Wall, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage (or on the above photos).

What’s New

- Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Video

- Watch our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 13: “Green Roof Policies – An International Review of Current Practices and Future Trends” by Wolfgang Ansel.

And find the rest of the videos in this series on our GreenroofsTV page and/or our greenroofsTV YouTube channel.

- Advertiser Press Releases:

- Colbond’s Parent Company Invests In Green Roof Market By Acquiring Xero Flor International GmbH.

- Sky Gardens Blog

- Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest post: “Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 13: Green Roof Policies – An International Review of Current Practices and Future Trends.”

- “Upcoming Events”

- Today, March 9th through the 11th: there is a Green Living Technologies (GLTi) Canada Professional Installer Certification Program, in Princeton, Canada.

- March 10th-14th: is the National League of Cities – 2012 Congressional City Conference, in Washington, D.C.

- March 13th-25th: is the Environmental Film Festival, in Washington, D.C.

- March 14th-18th: is the Boston Flower & Garden Show at the Seaport World Trade Center, in Boston, MA.

- March 15th-18th: is GardenScape 2012, Recipe for Springtime, in Rochester, NY.

- And March 15th-20th: is the RCI – 27th International Convention and Trade Show, in Dallas, TX.

- “In the News”

-  Hosea Sanders of ABC7Chicago.com, reports on “Chicago produce firm runs earth-friendly operation.”  Testa Produce is a 100-year-old family business and has recently constructed a new warehouse that features a barreled greenroof, a 238-foot tall wind turbine, and a solar hot water system.

Testa Produce President, Peter Testa, said the greenroof and wind turbine are his two biggest accomplishments and that the electricity the turbine produces with save him as much as $80,000 a year.  Testa Produce has also implemented a long list of operational changes to reduce waste, such as switching to reusable mesh pallet wraps from disposable plastic and recycling all cardboard.  They have earned a LEED Platinum certification.  You can visit the full article and watch the local news clip.

- Samantha Marcus of the Allentown Morning Call, talks about “Hospitals, schools pursue energy technology with savings in mind.”  She says “with energy bills reaching as high as $10 million, conservation is not just about the environment.”  The greenroof on top of St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network’s Heart and Vascular Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is doing its job: improving air and water quality while insulating the building.  Inside, systems detect ambient light coming in and close the shades accordingly.

Same smart energy savings are happening at the Lehigh Valley Health Network, which has ultraviolet lights to extend the life and efficiency of air handlers by preventing bacteria and mold from building up on heater coils.  Greenroofs and solar arrays are the most visible ways buildings are saving on energy costs but high-efficiency motors and boilers are also hard working inside buildings to help promote savings.  Lehigh Valley Healthcare has installed two 300,000 kilowatt solar arrays at its Cedar Crest and Muhlenberg campuses, with the help of local and state grants, and they’ve already seen savings.  Several schools in the area have already had energy efficient replacements and more are scheduled.

- To learn more about these stories and new ones posted daily, go to our In the News or Newslinks section of our website.

-  Send us your green articles, videos and images to editor@greenroofs.com and share your greenroof or greenwall info with the world!

- Make sure to keep up with everything Greenroofs.com by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, being a member of our network on LinkedIn, and subscribing to our greenroofsTV channel on YouTube!

- This has been This Week in Review for March 9th, 2012 on  GreenroofsTV.  I’m Anjuli Velázquez and I’ll see you next week!

*This week’s episode is sponsored by The Greenroof Directory, brought to you by Greenroofs.com.*

Did we miss something?  We’d love to hear from you!

~ Linda V.

Haven’t had enough time to submit your abstract yet for the 10th annual CitiesAlive?  No problem!

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has extended the date for abstract proposals until March 29, 2012.

Held on October 17 through October 20, 2012, the greenroof and greenwall conference will be held at the Congress Plaza in Chicago, Illinois.

“Building a Legacy of Outstanding Performance is the primary theme for this year’s CitiesAlive program. A living example of legacy urban planning, Chicago has the most green roof coverage in North America. This would have been impossible without maintenance measures and performance evaluations to protect investments in green infrastructure and to build exceptional progress. The development of performance standards is integral to the growth of any industry.

The CitiesAlive conference call for paper abstracts is looking for papers that display novel ideas on the above-mentioned theme. The abstract content will be evaluated by independent multi-disciplinary volunteers on whether the submission displays innovation, presents new information or describes a new process. The credentials of the authors will be assessed along with the relevance of the paper to the overall conference theme.” ~ Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

The performance theme will be approached from three angles:

• * Research/Technical Papers on Green Roof and Green Wall Performance (Research)
• * Green Roof/Green Wall Design and Implementation (Design)
• * Programs and Policies Supporting Green Roof and Green Wall Implementation (Policy)

Research Track: Paper Proposals

For the research track, papers should focus on improving costs, increasing longevity and enhancing performance characteristics through more comprehensive product testing during R&D stages.

Design and Case Studies Track: Session Proposals

The format of the design track is slightly different from past years. Instead of 3 speakers presenting 3 different presentations in one session, a team of presenters will showcase one project for the entire 90 minute session. The team will detail everything from design to installation to maintenance of the project, allowing the audience to learn from experience including failures and mistakes, in order to design, install and maintain better-performing green roofs and walls in the future.

Policy Track: Paper Proposals

Cities including Toronto, Austin and Chicago have already established performance standards for their green roof infrastructure. Performance papers from a policy point of view will focus on performance measures to ensure the success of a city’s investment in green roofs as well as studies on the economic performance benefits.

The Call for Papers is now due on Thursday, March 29, 2012! Click here to download a document with additional information and the submission form (.doc, ~1.8 MB).

Visit CitiesAlive.org to learn more.

Happy greening,

~ Linda V.

Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video.  Here is the transcript from March 2nd, 2012 from our daughter, Anjuli – click on the photo below to see the video, or here.  Enjoy!

- Hello, I’m Anjuli Velázquez and welcome to “This Week in Review” for March 2nd, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- 360 Smith Street Residences built in 2011 in Brooklyn, New York. These 19th century garden brownstones are in the heart of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and have easy access to public transportation, schools, playgrounds, the waterfront, and downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan. The greenroof that sits atop the new residential building offers a unique 360 degree view of the Manhattan skyline and downtown Brooklyn. It is 6700 sq ft of relaxation for its residents while serving as a vital role in stormwater retention.

An Optigreen drainage profile from Conservation Technology was used and Sempergreen green roof sedum mats were installed for the extensive area. The rooflite® depth is 3.5 inches for most areas; and Joe Donnelly of rooflite® said, “What a stunning project – visual interest in all seasons. Well planned, and well executed by Future Green. Created a beneficial space for all residents of the building. When we visited the project in November 2011, the superintendent remarked on how easy his maintenance has been, and a party crew was there to set up tiki torches and equipment for a resident’s event. Add that to the list of green roof benefits – happy management and happy residents.”

- To learn more about the 360 Smith Street Residences, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage (or on the above photos).

What’s New

- Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Video

- Watch our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 12: Panel Session “Wind. Water. Heat. Grow. Greenroofs.” with Bill Retzlaff, David Aponte, Kevin Songer and Joe Webb.

And watch the rest of the videos in this series on our GreenroofsTV page and/or our greenroofsTV YouTube channel.

- The Greenroofs.com eNewsletter

- Our February 2012 eNewsletter is out!  Subscribe now and check it out.

- Advertiser Press Releases:

- Joblinks Update

- Ginkgo Sustainability is seeking a Green Roof Installation Foreman in Toronto, Canada.

- Intrinsic Landscaping, Inc. is looking for a Maintenance Supervisor in Glenview, Illinois.

- Apex Green Roofs is looking for an Intern to aid in maintenance tasks in Somerville, Massachusetts.

- Sky Gardens Blog

- Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 12: Panel Session “Wind. Water. Heat. Grow. Greenroofs.,” “Chic Sustainability Watch: Trends, Projects & People – Some Newly Started, Almost Done, & Finished,” and “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: February 24th, 2012.”

- “Upcoming Events”

- March 4th-7th: is Green Cities 2012 – THINK Conference, in Sydney, Australia.

- March 4th-11th: is the 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show, in Philadelphia, PA.

- March 6th: is What’s up (on the roof) with winter? Seminar, Minnesota Green Roofs Council, in St. Paul, MN.

- March 6th-8th: NESEA Building Energy 12 Conference and Trade Show, in Boston, MA.

- March 7th-8th: is the GREENPRINTS Conference & Trade Show, at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, in Atlanta, GA.

- And also March 7th-8th: is GLOBALCON – Energy, Power, & Facility Management Strategies & Technologies, in Atlantic City, NJ.

- “In the News”

-  Clare Peddie of the Herald Sun, offers us “Living in the future: a glimpse of a zero-carbon home.” This home, that is to be built in South Australia, was designed as part of the Zero Carbon Challenge competition and features green walls covered in vines to cool the house in the summer and keep it warm in the winter.

Team Collaborative Future was one of the four finalists and wanted to take a different approach to shading, and the team’s lead architect, Brett Aylen, said “the vines are deciduous…in summer it’s going to be quite green, quite dense shade – then in winter it’s going to lose leaves so you get the winter sun.” The home will also feature solar panels, is set to begin construction mid-year, and you can follow the project at facebook.com/zerocarbonchallenge.

- Ben Martin of The Ecologist, reports on “Lofty ambitions: why green roofs are the future of urban gardening.” He asks, “run out of space in your garden? Look to higher ground and you’ll find an eco-friendly solution.” Greenroofs are becoming more popular across the world as more and more people are getting in the know and realizing the many benefits greenroofs have to offer. Sedum and plantation expert, Jim Blundell, lists a couple greenroof benefits: they provide a mini-habitat for birds, bugs, and butterflies, so you can have your own mini eco-system on your roof, and in urban areas where there isn’t a lot of green space, greenroofs can breathe some life back into that “concrete jungle.”

We know that greenroofs offer energy savings, reduce stormwater run-off, improve air quality, reduce the urban heat island effect, increase biodiversity and a roof’s lifespan. And Dusty Gedge, wildlife consultant, greenroof expert, and friend here at Greenroofs.com, added the benefit of the eye-pleasing qualities that beautiful flowers and plants can bring into our lives: he says, “people should view [them] as a sustainable measure, but also as a real life enhancement. The pleasure I get from it is huge.”

Building your own greenroof is no easy task, and does require research. But the benefits are worth the time and effort and we offer help for you to get started. You can visit our Projects Database to learn about specific projects all around the world and you can search our Greenroof Directory to find some manufacturers, suppliers, professional services, and more in your area to help you on your way.

- To learn more about these stories and new ones posted daily, go to our In the News or Newslinks section of our website.

-  Send us your green articles, videos and images to editor@greenroofs.com and share your greenroof or greenwall info with the world!

- Make sure to keep up with everything Greenroofs.com by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, being a member of our network on LinkedIn, and subscribing to our greenroofsTV channel on YouTube!

- This has been This Week in Review for March 2nd, 2012 on  GreenroofsTV.  I’m Anjuli Velázquez and I’ll see you next week!

*This week’s episode is sponsored by The Greenroof Directory, brought to you by Greenroofs.com.*

Did we miss something?  We’d love to hear from you!

~ Linda V.

By Laura S. Washington

The District of Columbia is a national leader in the total amount of Green Roofs constructed – second only to Chicago, IL in the total area of green roofs per capita – and we need your help getting to number one!  Administered by the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) with funding from the District Department of the Environment, the District’s Green Roof Rebate Program is the perfect way to fund your green roof – and it’s now is back in full swing.

AWS is offering $5 per square foot on a first-come, first-served basis for qualified DC buildings of any size!  This program is available for residential, commercial and institutional properties.

Green Roofs provide numerous ecological, health and economic benefits.  The owner of a green roof can benefit from lower energy costs, extended roof-life, fee/tax credits, and increased property values.  The 2003 National Research Council of Canada report found a standard extensive Green Roof reduced the average daily energy demand during summer months for some buildings by more than 75% as compared to a conventional bitumen roof.  Green roofs also improve the District’s air quality, lower the heat-island effect, and improve water quality.  In addition, they can provide ecological, quality of life and property value improvements by creating habitats for people, plants and animals.

You can begin the application process by visiting the Anacostia Watershed Society website and clicking on Green Roof Rebate Program in the right column.  For more information, or to register, contact us at 202.557.5814 or 301.699.6204 or greenroofs@anacostiaws.org.

~ Laura S. Washington, Anacostia Watershed Society Green Roof Program Coordinator

Visit www.anacostiaws.org and contact Laura at 301.699.6204 or lwashington@anacostiaws.org.

As you know if you’re keeping up with us here at the Sky Gardens Blog, Haven Kiers and I will be taking turns highlighting some important, unusual or just stunning greenroof and greenwall projects for our new bi-monthly reporting series, “Chic Sustainability Watch.”

For my inaugural turn, rather than focus on a specific typology of chic sustainability – like Haven did with her inaugural report a couple of weeks ago on Chickens and Urban Agriculture – I’m taking a more general approach and will report on a variety of cool projects that I’ve seen across online news channels and the blogosphere that have either just broken ground, are almost completed, or have been newly opened for business and enjoyment.

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE

Here’s one stunner that would have fit into our 2010 Top 10 List in the # 1 position – Tower Oases as Skyrise Urban Ag:

Image via: Treehugger

Swedish-American company Plantagon has just broken ground on the International Centre of Excellence for Urban Agriculture, the first of a series of massive skyscraper greenhouses in Linkoping, Sweden.  The prototype building will be an urban farming living laboratory to test new growing technologies.  This demo-pant of Swedish green technology relies on a transportation helix system where trays of plants are grown, irrigated, and harvested from the top of the “Plantscraper” on down to the basement.  It’s great to see some of these visionary skyscrapers actually being built!

See Treehugger’s “Plantagon Breaks Ground On Their First Vertical Farm” by Lloyd Alter of February 14, 2012.  See the Press Release.

Image via: Treehugger

Construction has started on the new monumental Taipei Performing Arts Center, or TPAC, in Taiwan.  OMA, a Dutch firm, beat out 135 entries from 25 countries to design the flexible, 3-volume performing platform complex that will hold a total of 3,100 seats in its three theaters.

Image via: designboom; Image © OMA

The design invites people with and without tickets into the structure with the “outdoor public loop,” and you’ll also find living architecture here at various levels.  In the section of the “Super Theatre” seen below you can see a couple of rooftops greened and the outdoor courtyards and promenades over the massive underground garage.  The “Proscenium Playhouse” has similar features.

Image via: designboom; Image © OMA

See designboom’s “OMA: taipei performing arts center breaks ground” by andrea of February 17, 2012.

MIAMI SCIENCE MUSEUM

Downtown Miami will soon have another addition to its Museum Park – the Miami Science Museum (or MSM – not to be confused with the Miami Sound Machine!), designed by Grimshaw Architects.  Aside from some very cool exhibits such as a 600,000 gallon aquarium facility and a full dome 3-D planetarium, MSM will embrace sustainable elements and smart design including a constructed wetland, high performance ventilation and maximized site design to capture Miami breezes.

Image via: Inhabitat; Image ©Grimshaw Architects

Touted as a living building, the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is a 250,000 square-foot complex that will have “a living core, vegetated roofs, and advanced systems that will allow it to physically and visibly change in response to weather, events, and the mood of the city.”

Image via: Inhabitat; Image ©Grimshaw Architects

See Inhabitat’s “Grimshaw Breaks Ground on the Miami Science Museum That Will Be Its Own Living Exhibit” by Bridgette Meinhold of February 27, 2012.

VIA VERDE

The affordable housing complex Via Verde by Jonathan Rose Companies and Dattner Architects in the South Bronx has been in the design world news for several years because of its social equity and sustainable design ethics.  In fact, we included it in our 2009 Top 10 List in the #3 position, Healthy, Efficient & Affordable Green Housing.

“You can literally walk into the courtyard and spiral your way up all of these green roofs, starting with an amphitheater, which will have summertime performances. Evergreen trees on the third floor roof, dwarfed fruit trees, the entire fifth floor roof is all gardening beds for residents to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Then there’s a fitness center on the seventh floor with an extensive green roof outside.” ~ Ari Goldstein, Senior Project Manager, Jonathan Rose Companies

The project is finally close to completion – the 71 co-op unit and 151 rental multi-family residence will be ready for occupancy by the end of March.  How awesome for Via Verde to be setting this new standard for affordable housing in New York City!

Image via: NY 1; click to see 2:00 video

See NY 1’s “New South Bronx Housing Complex Is Not ‘Green’ To Environmentally Friendly Ideas” by Jill Urban of February 26, 2012.

REFLECTIONS AT KEPPEL BAY

One amazing project that was just completed is Daniel Libeskind’s residential complex Reflections at Keppel Bay in tropical Singapore – Aramis and I saw this when we visited there in November, 2010 and it was quite a sight to behold with its signature curved towers!  If only it had finished a few months earlier, Haven and I would have included it in last year’s Top 10 List for 2011 in the #1 position – Skyscraping Sky Gardens on Roofs, Walls & Skybridges.

Image via: designboom

The 6-highrise tower, 2 million sf complex has 1,129 units, and you’ll find a roof garden at the top of each tower as well as in the interconnecting skybridges.

Image via: designboom

See designboom’s “daniel libeskind: reflections at keppel bay” by lauren of February 2, 2012.

VANDUSEN BOTANICAL GARDEN VISITOR CENTRE

Designed by Perkins+Will, the spectacular LEED Platinum VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre in Vancouver, B.C. has just opened to the public.  Inspired by the shape of a native orchid, the multi-petal shaped greenroof was designed by Cornelia Oberlander’s firm.  Haven and I had the pleasure of meeting Cornelia at the 2010 CitiesAlive Conference and learning a bit about this wonderful project.

In fact, we loved it so much we included it in our Top 10 List for 2011 in the #5 position, Green + Blue Roofs = Integrated Water Management.  Pending certification from the Living Building Challenge, the Visitor Centre expects to achieve net-zero energy on an annual basis through various ingenious systems.  I’ll definitely visit this one the next time I’m in beautiful Vancouver, B.C.!

See Inhabitat’s “Canada’s Gorgeous Green-Roofed VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre Opens to the Public!” by Diane Pham of February 12, 2012

Check back with us in a couple of weeks when it’ll be Haven’s turn to update you on our Chic Sustainability Watch: Trends, Projects & People!

Happy greening,

Linda V.

Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video.  Here is the transcript from February 24th, 2012 from our daughter, Anjuli – click on the photo below to see the video, or here.  Enjoy!

- Hello, I’m Anjuli Velázquez and welcome to “This Week in Review” for February 24th, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG built in 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany. EnBW supplies its customers with reliable, economical, and environmentally-friendly electricity and heat. Its 16-story Administrative Complex has three wings and a high-rise with many extensive greenroofs and useable intensive greenroofs over their underground parking. Designed by architects RKW, the EnBW City consists of nine buildings including a 60-meter-high skyscraper, a parking garage with 1,200 parking spaces, the Forum, Piazza, meeting rooms, canteen, and more. The design of the courtyards is devoted to various energy topics: wind, light and the water court; and an adjacent nature preserve offers rest and recreation for visitors and staff.

- EnBW City uses energy more intelligently and efficiently and exceeds the strict requirements of the Energy Conservation Act with cutting-edge technologies such as window shading, ventilation, cooling, lighting domes and geothermal energy. Various Optigreen system solutions were used on the project including: “Natural Roof,” “Garden Roof,” “Public Roof,” and “Landscape Roof.” The EnBW complex was a challenging project for Optigreen and the installing partners, yet has resulted in a very lovely “state of energy technology” workplace.

- To learn more about the EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage (or on the above photo).

What’s New

- Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Video

- Watch our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 11: “GreenRoofs in Australasia“ by Matthew Dillon.

And find the rest of the videos in this series on our GreenroofsTV page and/or our greenroofsTV YouTube channel.

- Advertiser Press Releases:

- Sika Sarnafil announces Roofing Contractor of the Year Competition winners.
- Green Living Technologies Canada Professional Installer Certification Program has been scheduled.
- LiveRoof® Brings James Greenhouses in Georgia into its National Network of Licensed Regional Growers for the LiveRoof® Hybrid Green Roof System.

- Tremco Incorporated Headquarters Achieves LEED Gold Certification.

- Joblinks

- Etera is looking for a Sales Support Coordinator in Mt. Vernon, Washington, USA.

- Industry News

- Building on their 2011 Strategic Agenda, EPA’s Green Infrastructure Program is pleased to unveil their new website and to announce the availability of technical assistance to 10-20 partner communities. The first opportunity they are announcing is the direct assistance from EPA to facilitate the use of green infrastructure to protect water quality. Technical assistance will be provided through EPA contract support, and will be directed to watersheds/sewersheds with significant water quality degradation associated with urban stormwater.

- Sky Gardens Blog

- Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “dc greenworks Has a New Website!,” “Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 11:  “GreenRoofs in Australasia” by Matthew Dillon,” “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: February 17th, 2012,” and “Call for Papers for CitiesAlive 2012!”

- “Upcoming Events”

- February 27th-28th: is the 2012 RESNET Building Performance Conference in Austin, TX.

- “In the News”

-  Kevin Collison of The Kansas City Star, reports on “Brad Pitt’s foundation to help redevelop Bancroft School.” Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Foundation is reaching out beyond New Orleans to Kansas City to renovate the long-closed 103-year-old Bancroft School and turn it into 29 affordable apartments with a 6,250 sq ft community center. A new 21-apartment building is also in the works. And, there will be a secure garage for 50 vehicles that will have its own greenroof.

Bancroft renovation supporters say this could be a good model for how to redevelop other closed schools. This project will be built to LEED Platinum environmental standards and marks the first major project to be built in the Green Impact Zone. President of the Historic Manheim Neighborhood Association, Sandra Hayes, said “this project will help because it will become a community campus with the Truman Medical Center programs, senior activities, day care, job training, arts and crafts – that will change the whole fabric of the neighborhood.” Hopefully this is just the first of many green renovations to help communities around our country.

- PRWeb announces “Brooklyn Grange To Build A Rooftop Farm at the Brooklyn Navy Yards: World’s Largest Rooftop Farm To Add Second, Larger Location in Spring 2012.” New York City’s first commercial rooftop farm, Brooklyn Grange, will be installing a 45,000 sq ft productive greenroof on Building No. 3, 63 Flushing Avenue, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

The Green Infrastructure Grant from the Department of Environmental Protection will be contributing the funding of this project in large part; and staying in line with the DEP’s mission to reduce combined sewage overflow and improve water quality in New York City, this second location will more than double the current farm’s acre of growing space and manage more than one million gallons of stormwater. Brooklyn Grange will work with the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and City Growers, the farm’s educational non-profit, to create training programs, community partnerships and provide fresh produce, like heirloom tomatoes, herbs, peppers, kale, and more to the surrounding area.

- To learn more about these stories and new ones posted daily, go to our In the News or Newslinks section of our website.

-  Send us your green articles, videos and images to editor@greenroofs.com and share your greenroof or greenwall info with the world!

- Make sure to keep up with everything Greenroofs.com by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, being a member of our network on LinkedIn, and subscribing to our greenroofsTV channel on YouTube!

- This has been This Week in Review for February 24th, 2012 on  GreenroofsTV.  I’m Anjuli Velázquez and I’ll see you next week!

*This week’s episode is sponsored by The Greenroof Directory, brought to you by Greenroofs.com.*

Did we miss something?  We’d love to hear from you!

~ Linda V.

It’s that time of year again, folks!  Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has announced their Call for Papers for CitiesAlive 2012. Held this year in October instead of December, Chicago – home of the inaugural Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards and Trade Show – will once again host the renamed CitiesAlive for its 10th year anniversary.

Here are the details from their website:

“Building a Legacy of Outstanding Performance is the primary theme for this year’s CitiesAlive program. A living example of legacy urban planning, Chicago has the most green roof coverage in North America. This would have been impossible without maintenance measures and performance evaluations to protect investments in green infrastructure and to build exceptional progress. The development of performance standards is integral to the growth of any industry.

The CitiesAlive conference call for paper abstracts is looking for papers that display novel ideas on the above-mentioned theme. The abstract content will be evaluated by independent multi-disciplinary volunteers on whether the submission displays innovation, presents new information or describes a new process. The credentials of the authors will be assessed along with the relevance of the paper to the overall conference theme.” ~ Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

The Call for Papers is due on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.  Click here to download a document with additional information and the submission form (.doc, ~1.8 MB).

Hopefully Haven’s and my 2012 Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design paper will be accepted for the 6th year in a row ~ we’ll see!

Happy greening,

~ Linda V.

Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video.  Here is the transcript from February 3rd, 2012 with an overview from the beginning of the new year from our daughter, Anjuli – click on the photo below to see the video, or here.  Enjoy!

- Hello, I’m Anjuli Velázquez and after a short hiatus, welcome back to This Week in Review!  First of all, we here at Greenroofs.com wish all of you a very healthy and prosperous New Year, and hope you’re off to a great start in 2012!

This is not only a “This Week in Review” for February 3rd, 2012, but also pretty much a “This Month in Review for January 2012,” here on GreenroofsTV.

- Projects of the Week

-  Our project of the week is the Private Brussels Residence Vertical Garden & Greenroof built in 2006 in Brussels, Belgium. The architect of the private home is Philippe Samyn with Patrick Blanc as the botanist and designer of the Vertical Garden Wall. Construction took eight years with one year of fine-tuning the plant selection and as a result, the four-story house is covered completely in plants on three sides, plus the roof. It was Patrick Blanc’s first opportunity to design an entire house in vegetation, including the rooftop. Patrick had to carefully select the numerous plant species for the lush semi-circular facade form, keeping in mind sun patterns and micro climates. Water is collected from the rooftop edges and used for irrigation and is supplemented by a well; also, any runoff is recycled.

To learn more about the Private Brussels Residence Vertical Garden & Greenroof, designed by the internationally famously fascinating Patrick Blanc, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage (or on the above photo).

- Read about the following Projects of the Week that we’ve featured since my last “This Week in Review” – find them in  Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database using their profile ID # below each photo (or click on the photo):

- December 26 & 19, 2011: Tremco Incorporated Headquarters #1371

- January 2, 2012: Delft University of Technology Library #534

- January 9, 2012: Heritage Flight #1253

- January 16, 2012: Queens Botanical Garden Visitor and Administration Center #653

- January 23, 2012:  Arbroath Abbey Visitor Centre #79

What’s New

- Watch our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 8: Panel Presentation “The Portland Ecoroof Program: A Cross-section of the Green Roof Movement in Portland, Oregon” with Tom Liptan, Matt Burlin, Amy Chomowicz, Casey Cunningham, and Alice Meyers.  If you haven’t already, check out these first 7 episodes on our greenroofsTV page and on YouTube:

Episode 7: “Constructing Gardens in the Sky” by Terry McGlade

Episode 6: “Sky Meadows – Integrating People and Nature: Sustainable Green Roofs and Roof Gardens” by Dr. Nigel Dunnett

Episode #5: “Greenroofs & Walls for Educational & Social Equity in the Bronx” Panel Session with New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Robert Bieder, Jon Beuttler, Jess Dannhauser, Javier Lopez and Steve Ritz

Episode #4: Keynote Address “CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility – The Who, What, Where, When and How” by Ralph Velasquez

Episode #3: “CDA Leads the Way for Incorporating Green Roof Space in an Airport Environment” by Rosemarie Andolino

Episode #2:  2011 Top 10 Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design by Haven Kiers and Linda Velazquez

Episode #1: Opening Keynote Address  “A New Place” by Charlie Miller

- Don’t forget: the 2012 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ 12 Month Wall Calendar is still available for purchase – now at the discounted rate of $9.95, so order yours today!

- Advertiser Press Releases:

- Xero Flor Green Roof Products Receives Cradle to Cradle Certification for Environmental Stewardship.

- Green Living Technologies International – New Jersey Farm to School Network announces Winter Conference – It Takes a Village: Collaborations in Good Food and School Gardens.

- Sika Sarnafil announces that the United States Postal Service NY – the Largest Vegetated Green Roof in New York City – has won the 2011 RoofPoint™ Excellence in Design Awards.

- SKYLAND USA, LLC – rooflite® Announces Launch of New Spanish Website: www.techosvegetales.com.

- RUBBERMASTER/A & A Melters are approved by Material Manufacturers.

- Green Roof Technology introduces the ‘Sun-Root’ Living Roof System – Green Roofs embrace Renewable Solar Energy.

- GLTi Green Training Course Added at the State University New York (SUNY) Ulster.

- Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance Adhesive added to BioPreferred Program.

-  Joblinks Update

- LiveRoof is now hiring a Sales Specialist – Wisconsin in Spring Lake, Michigan, USA.

- Prides Corner Farms (a LiveRoof® Licensed Grower) is looking for a Green Roof Sales Specialist in the Metro NY area.

- Guest Feature

- Read Todd Skopic’s guest feature article, “All-Aboard the Greenroof Ship at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters.”

- Industry News Update

-   This week, the NRDC released a new report on how local and state governments can stimulate potentially billions of dollars of private investment, to offset the costs of repairing our nation’s broken stormwater infrastructure. It’s worth a read for policymakers, investors, and anyone who receives a wastewater or stormwater bill from a local utility. The new report, “Financing Stormwater Retrofits in Philadelphia and Beyond,” uses the City of Brotherly Love as a test case to explore how innovative financing mechanisms, currently being used for energy efficiency retrofits, can be adapted to the stormwater management context.

- The Sustainable Sites Initiative™ (SITES™) has announced the first three projects to be certified by the nation’s most comprehensive system for rating the sustainable design, construction and maintenance of built landscapes. The corporate headquarters of an international manufacturing company, a new university green space and a children’s playground in an urban park are the first to be recognized for their sustainable land practices from among 150-plus pilot projects that began the certification process in summer 2010.

- The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is providing incentive funding to increase green roof coverage within its service area. The Regional Green Roof Initiative will provide up to $5 per square foot of an approved green roof project. The District’s interest in green roofs is to hold rainwater where it falls, thereby diminishing the risk of sewer overflows and improving the overall water quality in the region. In addition to managing stormwater, green roofs offer numerous additional environmental, economic, and social benefits.

- The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) is once again providing rebates, at $5 per square foot, for green roofs to qualified applicants for the third consecutive year. The Anacostia Watershed Society is administering the program for DDOE and believes this is a great opportunity to help people cover some costs of their proposed green roofs as well as an opportunity to reach out to those unfamiliar with this technology all in an effort to help restore the watershed.

- Sky Gardens Blog

- Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 episodes, “Stephen Ritz, South Bronx Educator/ Administrator at TEDx Manhattan ‘Changing the Way We Eat’ Tomorrow!,” “8 House Honored by the AIA,” and our GPWs.  Also read “Current Green Roof Trends in Germany (2011)” by Christine Thuring.

- “Upcoming Events”

- February 2nd-4th: is the 11th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in San Diego, CA.

- February 7th: is an EPA Green Infrastructure Forum in New York, NY.

- February 8th-9th: is BUILDEX Vancouver at the Vancouver Convention Center in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

- Also February 8th-9th: is Better Buildings By Design Conference 2012 in Burlington, VT.

- February 8th-10th: is ProGreen EXPO 2012 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO.

- And February 15th: is the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities class, Green Infrastructure: Policies, Performance and Projects, held at the Southface Institute Eco-Office in Atlanta, Georgia.

- “In the News”

-  Daniel Beekman of the New York Daily News, reports on “Classroom farm at Bronx public high school, Green Bronx Machine, shut down despite fresh successes.” He says that the “celebrated classroom farm that yielded fresh produce and great jobs for students at a South Bronx public high school has been quietly shut down.” For two years, Discovery High School special education teacher, Steve Ritz, used green walls to teach his students about science and technology and how to grow your own vegetables in an urban setting. Lesson plans he developed there are now being used at the college level at the State University of New York. Steve says he’s “disappointed… [and] the kids loved it,” also that the Green Bronx Machine “really took root because it cultivated minds and harvested hope.”

He created the Green Bronx Machine after meeting George Irwin, founder and CEO of Green Living Technologies, and they began growing vegetables while developing a curriculum. Students trained by Irwin even got summer jobs installing green roofs. This program has helped the Bronx students and every one of them who took part in the program has begun college or is on the track to getting there. Senator Gustavo Rivera said, “Steve is a guy who can get people energized about healthy eating…he has proven he can get students to care about school. I hope that continues.” We all hope it does and are confident that Steve will continue his work with the Green Bronx Machine and help even more students.  Check out their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/green.BX.machine.

- Lauren Lloyd of the LAist talks about “From Rooftop to Fork: Downtown LA Club Grows Its Own Greens.” She says, California’s largest urban farming operation, Farmscape, recently wrapped a first-of-its-kind project in Downtown LA. A large rooftop garden, designed to grow fresh organic greens sits on top of The Jonathan Club. The 200-square-foot custom organic garden will produce greens such as snap and snow peas, spinach, arugula, lettuces, a variety of herbs and much more in the winter growing season, as well as fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, and figs. Farmscape and the club are loving their new garden.

Farmscape CEO, Jesse DuBois, says “we’re excited to be able grown the freshest produce possible for The Jonathan Club’s new head chef,” and that “we hope that building this rooftop garden right in the middle of Los Angeles demonstrates that food cultivation can happen almost anywhere.” It can happen almost anywhere, and hopefully other urban restaurants and buildings will follow in their footsteps.

- To learn more about these stories and new ones posted daily, go to our In the News or newslinks section of our website.

-  Send us your green articles, videos and images to editor@greenroofs.com and share your greenroof or green wall info with the world!

- Make sure to keep up with everything Greenroofs.com by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, being a member of our network on LinkedIn, and subscribing to our greenroofsTV channel on YouTube!

- This has been This Week in Review for February 3rd, 2012 on  GreenroofsTV.  I’m Anjuli Velázquez and I’ll see next week!

*This week’s episode is sponsored by The Greenroof Directory, brought to you by Greenroofs.com.*

Did we miss something?  We’d love to hear from you!

~ Linda V.

Today we have the pleasure to air our first of seven panel sessions from our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit on greenroofs.tv and our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube: ”Greenroofs & Walls for Educational & Social Equity in the Bronx” featuring New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Robert Bieder, Jon Beuttler, Jess Dannhauser, Javier Lopez and Steve Ritz.

We feel extremely honored to have had seven luminaries join us from New York City who are all passionate about where they all work, The Bronx.  This is a very important roundtable discussion to hear for those people interested in learning about the passion and commitment of the civic, education, and business leaders of The Bronx and her constituents – and it’s also a great venue to see their real life challenges and triumphs of promoting and implementing greening policies as well:

Fueled by a passionate and committed Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz Jr., it is common knowledge that the Bronx is leading NYC in embracing green technologies and the green economy. To wit, the policies and educational initiatives underway in and of the Bronx are making dramatic strides in the quality of life and opportunities for all residents with concentric benefits and ripples felt citywide, statewide and nationally.

This panel featuring: a State Senator, noted business leader, NYC project manager, health care manager, social service providers and a dedicated educator speaks to triple bottom line benefits, impacts and the uses of green roofs, green walls, and urban agriculture as highly replicable, critical components to creating and leveraging social equity and economic and educational opportunities in challenging times.

“Greenroofs & Walls for Educational & Social Equity in the Bronx” Panel
		Robert Bieder Bronx, NY, USA. Robert Bieder is a third generation Bronx businessman who, with his family, owns and operates Westchester Square Plumbing Supply where this past December they had installed solar panels and reduced their electric costs by 60%. In addition, they are a leading distributor of water and fuel saving devices. Bob is also a member of the Bronx Coalition for Parks & Greenspaces, Chairman of the Bronx Merchants Coalition, and a member of Bronx Community Board 10. Bob is the Moderator for “Greenroofs & Walls for Educational & Social Equity in the Bronx.”
		Jon Beuttler New York, NY, USA. Jonathan Beuttler is a Project Manager in the Division of New Construction of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the largest municipal developer of affordable housing in the nation. Prior to joining HPD, Jonathan wrote successful grant proposals for urban farming start-ups and policy proposals supporting growth in the urban farming industry. Jonathan has worked at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the Fashion Center Business Improvement District and is a return Peace Corps volunteer.
		Jess Dannhauser New York, NY, USA. Jess Dannhauser is Graham Windham’s Senior Vice President for Program Performance and Planning. Jess came to Graham Windham from the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) where he had been serving as the Associate Commissioner for Performance Measurement, Monitoring and Improvement. As Associate Commissioner, he was in charge of ACS’s performance measurement and consultation system which aims to drive performance improvements in all of New York City’s non-profit child welfare agencies. He has extensive experience in New York City agencies as the former Chief of Staff for Commissioner John Mattingly and the Special Assistant to now Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs when she was Commissioner at the Department of Homeless Services. Jess received his Master’s of Social Work from the University of California, Berkeley and his BA in Psychology from Duke University.
		Ruben Diaz, Jr. Bronx, NY, USA. Elected Bronx Borough President in the Special Election on April 21st, 2009, Ruben Diaz Jr., previously served in the New York State Assembly since 1997, representing the 85th Assembly District. He demonstrated passion for constituent service, social advocacy and community empowerment balanced with support for sensible, green economic development and job creation programs. He sponsored and secured passage of important and innovative laws to address the consequences of the intolerable levels of asthma in the South Bronx, healthcare insurance fraud, and quality of life concerns. Throughout his seven terms in the State Legislature, Ruben Diaz Jr. was a champion for working families in the Bronx. A staunch defender of the environment, he is a leading voice against environmental racism and injustice. He graduated from Lehman College, City University of New York, with a Bachelors degree in political theory. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. was interviewed after the panel session for Greenroofs.com at the Bronx County Courthouse.
		Javier Lopez New York, NY, USA. Javier Lopez is the Director of the New York City Strategic Alliance for Health (SAfH). SAfH is a consortium of advocates, community activists, organizations and professionals with an interest in lessening the impact of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Northern Manhattan, North and Central Brooklyn, and the South Bronx. The goal of the consortium is to develop local obesity prevention policy, system, environmental changes that can be adopted citywide. Javier has a BA from the State University of New York at Albany and a Master’s of Public Administration from Baruch College where he was also named a member of the National Urban Fellow program. In 2007 he was named a member of Cornell University’s “Strength through Diversity” Young Professionals Leadership Program.
		Gustavo Rivera Bronx, NY, USA. New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico and graduated from the University of Puerto Rico. In 1998, Rivera came to New York to begin a doctoral program in political science at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He has lived in the Bronx for ten years. Gustavo Rivera was elected State Senator for New York Senate District 33 in November of 2010. The 33rd Senate District consists of the Northwest Bronx including Kingsbridge Heights, East Tremont, Crotona Park, Fordham, Bedford Park and parts of Riverdale. As a State Senator, Gustavo Rivera has been working to change the way business is done in the legislature and to ensure that the families of the 33rd Senate District have a voice in Albany. In addition to serving as a State Senator, Gustavo Rivera continues to serve as an adjunct professor at Pace University, where he teaches courses in political science. For the last ten years, Rivera has also served as a faculty member and mentor for “Somos el Futuro,” the annual Model State Senate program sponsored by CUNY, SUNY, the NY State Assembly, and the Puerto Rican Hispanic Task.
		Steve Ritz Bronx, NY, USA. Stephen Ritz is an acclaimed NYC DOE educator/administrator whose work in the Bronx continues to attract national attention and support. To date, he has grown more than 20,000 pounds of Bronx vegetables with his extended Bronx Family – the youngest certified workforce in America – who operate a profitable, in school, student Farmers Market and routinely install green walls and green roofs across NYC/NYS. Steve continually champions living wage opportunities along with stellar academic results for his students and his work has been recognized and celebrated by CNN, NBC, ABC, NY Academy of Medicine, US EPA, USS Intrepid, United Nations amongst others. Learn more about him and support his newest vision on Facebook and YouTube.

The “Greenroofs & Walls for Educational & Social Equity in the Bronx” video was filmed at the Bronx office of State Senator Gustavo Rivera in September, 2011. Enjoy!  Visit greenroofs.tv to see “Greenroofs & Walls for Educational & Social Equity in the Bronx” or click below:

Next week on January 21st, 2012, Bronx educator Steve Ritz will be presenting at the sold-out TEDxManhattan on this very subject.  See him at right, standing next to one of the GLT Mobile Edible Wall Units – full of fresh herbs and veggies -which he uses in his classrooms.  (See Caroline Menetre’s related “GLT in NYC: A Weekend of Training, Education, & Fun“ Sky Gardens Blog post of January 21, 2011.)

Congratulations, Steve!

Watch earlier videos on our exclusive Virtual Summit greenroofs.tv playlist, or see the following Virtual Summit videos now available on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

Episode #4: Keynote Address “CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility – The Who, What, Where, When and How” by Ralph Velasquez.
Episode #3: “CDA Leads the Way for Incorporating Green Roof Space in an Airport Environment” by Rosemarie Andolino.
Episode #2: “2011 Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design” by Haven Kiers and me.
Episode #1: Opening Keynote Address “A New Place” by Charlie Miller.
VS2011 Opening Address by Linda Velazquez (me!).

If you’re looking for an overview, make sure to see our 2011 Virtual Summit Highlights video (6:18) and our 2011 Virtual Summit Trailer (2:59).

Check back next week on GreenroofsTV for our 6th installment from the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011!

~ Linda V.

The spectacular 8 House by BIG Architects in the outskirts of Copenhagen is once again in the news, this time being honored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) with the 2012 AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture.

Through their awards program, the AIA has a long tradition of recognizing individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements in support of the profession of architecture and the professional organization.

“The Institute Honor Awards program recognizes achievements for a broad range of architectural activity to elevate the general quality of architecture practice, establish a standard of excellence against which all architects can measure performance, and inform the public of the breadth and value of architecture practice.” ~ AIA

We’re big fans of BIG Architects – sorry, couldn’t help it – which is very easy since every project they produce is not only fresh and out-of-the box but a shining example of ecological, site-specific and community-specific design.

“The 8 House masterfully recreates the horizontal social connectivity and interaction of the streets of a village neighborhood through a series of delightful accessible ramps in a mixed use, multifamily housing project. The skillful shaping of the mass of the facility provides an invigorating sculptural form while creating the ramped “pedestrian” street system and providing full depth dwelling units which are filled with light and views.

People really ‘live” in this newly created neighborhood with shopping, restaurants, an art gallery, office facilities, childcare, educational facilities and the sound of children playing. This is a complex and exemplary project of a new typology.” ~ 2012 Institute Honor Awards for Architecture Jury Comments

See all of the other eight 2012 AIA Awards Recipients here.

You’ll find three different types of residential housing and 110,000 ft² of retail and offices here, in the shape of a multi-level bow tie.  And this mixed-use building comprises Denmark’s largest private development ever undertaken.

Plus, a building designed to allow its residents to bike all the way from the street up to its 10th level penthouses is pretty cool, but add a huge V-shaped sloping greenroof to it, and you’ve really got a spectacular structure!

“Having established ourselves in New York City this past year we are honored that the AIA has given this great distinction to the 8 House which is a further realized example of our approach called architectural alchemy – the idea that by mixing traditional ingredients, retail, row-houses and apartments in untraditional ways – you create added value if not gold. Housing projects are rarely brought out as world architecture. The fact that the 8 House has now achieved this honorable status, can be seen as a symbol of a piece of architectural alchemy that works. Moreover, I am genuinely happy that our long and inspiring cooperation with Per Høpfner and St. Frederikslund is rewarded in the other parts of the world.” ~ Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Partner, BIG in the January 9, 2012 Press Release

I wrote about 8 House or 8 Tallet last September, 2011 when we featured it as our Greenroof of the Week, or GPW – read all about it here where you can see all the stunning photography of the site and interiors, and see the profile in The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.

And it’s no wonder that Haven Kiers and I selected the unique 8 House for our 2011 Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design in the #10 category, “Client Specific ‘Boutique’ Greenroofs.”  (See our video for the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 on our GreenroofsTV YouTube Channel here.)

Inspirational 8 House is “architectural alchemy” indeed!  Congratulations to BIG and everyone else who worked on this beautiful and highly functional project!

~ Linda V.