By Dave Hilary

Roofs are turning green all around the Washington DC area.  Every year since 2005, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), a network of public and private organizations promoting the green roof industry, has performed ranked cities by total square footage of new green roof installations for their corporate members.  And every year, Washington DC has been on the list.  In 2006 DC had 301,751 square feet of green roofs, and by 2009 it was approaching two million square feet of green roofs.  What’s behind this dramatic rise? 
 
GRHC points out that municipalities appearing near the top of the list, as Washington DC does in all but 2007, usually have governments that encourage green roofs through policies and programs.  Those governmental efforts are also closely tied to improving water quality.

According to a report by the Casey Trees Endowment Fund and Limno-Tech, Inc., DC has to vastly better manage its sewer outflows since the Anacostia, Potomac and Rock Creek Rivers currently do not meet federal water quality standards.  (Publisher’s Note: On a related note, see our 2006 Guest Feature by Gregory Long, RLA.) By an account in the Washington Post, just half-an-inch of rain washes billions of gallons of raw sewage and runoff directly into the Anacostia, mostly because of an outdated storm water system.  The fix on the drawing boards is three underground storm water storage tunnels with an estimated cost of $1.9 billion when the project was first dreamed up, but now closer to $2 billion as the city continues trying to put the funds together.

And while the media coverage for commercial and government green roof projects is robust, the residential scene appears to be a sleeping giant.  A thesis by Harriet Zipp and Britt Zimmerman found that just by installing green roofs on DC’s many traditional, flat roof, row houses the area could reduce its storm water flows by more than 12 percent.

But water quality improvement is not the only environmental issue DC is trying to address with its green roof build out.  The area lost 64 percent of its heavy tree cover between 1970 and 2000, according to an American Forests, Urban Ecosystems Analysis.  Trees and plant life help to keep the urban environment cooler and also help to clean the air, something that could go a long way toward lowering the city’s high asthma rates.  The Children’s Environmental Health Network and the DC Department of Health, put the area’s asthma rates at 6.5 percent for children and 5 percent for adults in 2004.

The federal government with its large real estate footprint in DC has been keen on green roofs from all perspectives since a series of environmentally-focused executive orders.  From the early beginnings by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2006 on its 1,200 square foot departmental administration building greenroof (plus a brand new 3,700 square foot one on their Whitten Building, below), to the Department of Transportation’s 2007 building sporting a 68,000 square foot green roof, the federal government has been setting the example.

Responsible for the natural and indoor environments in the District of Columbia, the The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) is #2 in the USA for area of green roofs (1 million square feet of installed green roofs).  In 2008 DC’s mayor called for the city to come up with its own green roof demonstration project before the end of the year.  In response, the Reeves Center now supports a 4,000 square-foot green roof and One Judiciary Square has an 8,000 square-foot green roof.
 

Private organizations and corporations are also heavily investing in green roofs in DC.  Recently, the World Wildlife Fund replaced a decrepit 24-year-old roof with a green roof that is claimed to be the third largest in the city.  The organization received a $7 per-square-foot grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to fund a portion of the project.  And the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) retofitted their headquarters with a green roof in 2006.

Parking lots offer their fair share of runoff to the overburdened storm water system but in at least one case the parking lot has been replaced by a building with not only a green roof, but one that retains all the storm water from the site.  The Walter E. Washington Convention Center collects and uses that storm water to irrigate the green roof and its street level plantings.

In addition to government and private sector clients, DC is also home to a growing number of community organizations that work to educate citizens about the benefits of going green.  Chief among these in the green roof field is DC Greenworks, a non-profit that works with city residents and builders to promote sustainable building and urban agriculture.  DC Greenworks also helps job seekers train for and connect with green jobs around the area.   You can also check out some of their featured projects here.

So what is it about the Washington area that makes it such a haven for green roofs and other sustainable design projects?  The most important factors seem to be a committed local green building community on the supply side, and a critical environmental need (in this case the Anacostia River runoff water crisis) combined with a healthy dose of government incentives to help stimulate the demand side.  The federal government is certainly a major player on some projects, but by no means the only game in town.

Dave Hilary is a Washington DC-based green roof enthusiast who maintains Green Roof Plan, an informational resource on green roof design, construction and maintenance. 

By Susan Apollonio

The American Society of Landscape Architects will host the 2010 ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO in Washington D.C., September 10-13.  More than 6,000 landscape architecture professionals from around the globe will gather at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.  The theme will be Earth Air Water Fire DESIGN.

With more than 400 exhibitors, the ASLA EXPO is the largest trade show within the $140 billion dollar a year landscape design industry.  Attendees will have the opportunity to explore hundreds of new products, services, technology applications, and design solutions — all under one roof.   Consistently rated by attendees as “the most valuable event” of the conference, the EXPO presents companies, looking to reach this industry, a number of marketing opportunities including advertising, exhibitor, and sponsorship packages.

A great value for busy professionals, the meeting will feature more than 134 education sessions, field sessions, and tours over four days.  Full registration offers attendees the opportunity to earn up to 21 professional development hours.  In addition to qualifying for credit under the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES™), a multitude of programs have been approved for AICP, AIA, and USGBC continuing education credit.

One of the many meeting highlights is the ASLA Awards Ceremony, held each year to honor the best in landscape architecture from around the world.  Newcomers to the field will be introduced to the top landscape architecture firms and designers and seasoned professionals will enjoy a glimpse into the future of the profession.

Join ASLA this month for this exciting event!

~ Susan Apollonio, Marketing Manager, American Society of Landscape Architects

To register aned learn more, please visit ASLA Annual Meeting & EXPO.

Gavin Walsh

Japanese designer Kazuyuki Ishihara had a unique idea for a green roof that was displayed in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2008.  The Royal Horticultural Society flower show had two categories: Courtyard and Urban Gardens.  Urban was open to a bunch of smaller categories including rooftop gardens.  Kazuyuki’s idea was that you should be able to step out into this ’secret garden’ and not be able to believe you’re on a roof.

It’s an interesting twist for the green roof industry as it’s not about just coating a roof with sedums, but transforming the green roof into a peaceful garden by enclosing your surroundings with living walls, creating a green cocoon.

Kazuyuki was inspired by his memories as a child of hiding out on the rooftop of his house, and wanted his roof garden designs to give that same secure, relaxing feeling.

The garden was designed to do well in a space that gets a lot of sun and strong winds so it could thrive on a rooftop.  Key plants on the Midori no Tobira greenroof are Equisetum hyemale, Hosta ‘Blue Wedgewood,’ Iris sibirica ‘Tropic Night,’ Acer palmatum, and Aster x frikartii ‘Monch.’  The garden’s green roof structure is embedded inside and out with moss on the walls and doors.  See a short 31-second video on YouTube.  Kazuyuki won a Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2008 for the design ‘Midori no Tobira’ or ‘Green Door.’

“I wanted to make this kind of green space where people would ask: “Is this really a roof top?” ~ Kazuyuki Ishihara

Kazuyuki Ishihara’s work inspired me to start a blog in 2009 to provide useful and interesting information about living walls and vertical gardens, see: http://www.livingwallart.com.

~ Gavin Walsh

Paul James

September 26th is National Mesothelioma Awareness Day and we at Asbestos.com are trying to raise awareness as much as possible.  The support we have received from eco bloggers, Realtors, and other organizations has been absolutely tremendous.  As you may know, homes built before 1980 likely have asbestos insulation in them.  When homeowners remodel, they may expose themselves to asbestos, which could lead to a fatal cancer known as mesothelioma.  There are many environmentally sustainable, healthy and GREEN ways to insulate your home and this is among the topics we’d like to discuss.

With a growing amount of education and technology in eco-sustainable resources, many cities and states are leading the way towards a green paradigm of building and construction.  Environmental efficiency is on the rise because of technology and green building methods progressing rapidly.   Not only will these methods produce a healthier lifestyle, it will save you money.

We’re all aware of the benefits of utilizing environmentally sustainable green roofs, including: improvement of the urban heat island effect and even reduction of annual energy usage and costs.  And studies have shown that a green roof’s ability to retain water can greatly aid in an environment’s stormwater management policy because less water is released back into a city’s already overburdened sewer infrastructure, and that which does runs off slower, cooler, and cleaner.

The implementation of eco-construction and green energy solutions will play an important role in the transformation to a healthier and sustainable world.  We can all agree that green construction is healthy for a building’s occupants all around, from top to bottom and in-between.

Asbestos Info & Tips

Used throughout the 20th century as a form of insulation for piping, roofing, and flooring, asbestos’ flame resistant and highly durable qualities made it an ideal choice for manufacturers, before we knew of the potential hazards.  Many older homes built prior to 1980 may still harvest obsolete and corrosive building materials which can create health concerns.

If any asbestos is located in your home, the best thing to do is leave it un-disturbed until a home inspector can determine the best course of action.  In many situations, the best action is no action.  Asbestos that is disturbed or damaged due to age is known as “friable” asbestos.  This is a concern because its toxic fibers can easily circulate and become inhaled.  The removal of asbestos from specified locations must be undertaken by abatement contractors who are licensed in their corresponding states.

Although asbestos exposure does not always lead a related illness, long term inhalation of its fibers can cause a rare but severe ailment known as mesothelioma.  Due to the fact many mesothelioma symptoms are similar to less serious ailments, diagnosis is one of the more difficult tasks physicians encounter.

Recently, congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Included in this act were extensions to the tax incentives placed for energy efficiency in 2005, as well as new credits for homeowners who remodel or build using eco-sustainable methods.  Some of the measures that are eligible for tax credits include added insulation to walls, ceilings, or other part of the building envelope that meets the 2009 IECC specifications, sealing cracks in the building shell and ducts to reduce heat loss.  Storm doors paired with U-factored rated wood doors are also eligible.

There are many green, eco-friendly materials that replace the need for asbestos and can reduce energy costs annually.  There is no need for any products used in construction to be made from asbestos, yet over 3,000 work and home-based materials still contain this toxin.

Green alternatives to asbestos include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene® foam and cellulose.  These green options have the same beneficial qualities as asbestos, minus the health deteriorating and toxic components.

In this time of global awareness accumulating rapidly, implementing eco-friendly forms of building and construction is becoming a must for homeowners.  Many locations throughout the United States and beyond are swiftly changing their construction practices to suit both the environment and the health of human beings, inside and out.

~ Paul James, Awareness Coordinator at the Mesothelioma Cancer Center, www.asbestos.com, paul@asbestos.com.

Asbestos.com is committed to providing the latest, up-to-date information to our visitors in the hopes of spreading awareness about the dangers of asbestos cancer. This website offers a one-stop resource on all asbestos issues ranging from occupational exposure to mesothelioma treatment options. As the leading asbestos and mesothelioma resource, Asbestos.com offers more than 3,000 pages of the most comprehensive and cutting edge information on the web.

For additional info, please contact Paul or Ben Grayson, National Awareness Coordinator, Mesothelioma Center at:  407.965.5755.