Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video.  Here is the transcript from April 6th, 2012 from our daughter, Anjuli – click on the photo below to see the video, or here.  Enjoy!

- Hello, I’m Anjuli Velázquez and welcome to “This Week in Review” for April 6th, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is the Salmon Creek School & Environmental Center, built in 2009 in Freestone, California.  This LEED® Platinum certified school is the first public school in California to receive this highest level of LEED® certification.  The educational building is also a community and environmental education center that focuses itself on place-based learning and developing eco-literacy among its students and parents.  SYMBIOS eco-tecture worked with students, administrators, community and environmental groups to design and plan a living roof that would be educational and functional.  The cafeteria food comes from the organic garden; the walls are not only natural plaster but also clean the air; and natural light is strategically introduced to keep the kids perky and to help heat the building in the winter.

In the summer the green living roof keeps the school cool, in the winter keeps it warm and creates a habitat for wildlife all year long.  Biodiversity was emphasized in the planting scheme of the greenroof, which included 12 species of drought-tolerant succulents, three of which are native to California.  Salmon Creek that runs through the school’s property is currently undergoing a multi-year restoration project to restore the Coho Salmon populations and therefore a net zero stormwater discharge rate was mandated.  Other sustainable features of the building include passive solar design, daylight harvesting, a 30 kilowatt PV solar system, eco-plasters and floor finishes, reclaimed lumber and recycled content steel framing low-water use fixtures, and more.

- To learn more about the Salmon Creek School & Environmental Center, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage (or on the above photos).

What’s New

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

- Watch our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 17: “Sustainability in Plant Production” by Lluis Recasens Pahí.

- Contributing Editor

- Also read Haven Kiers’ new “Chic Sustainability Watch: Trends, Projects & People – Disappearing Acts.”

- Advertiser Press Releases:

- Tecta America Expert Angie Durhman Named Opening Speaker for the NYC Green Roof Science Symposium.

- Industry News

- Toronto is the first city in North America to have a bylaw to require and govern the construction of green roofs on new development.  It was adopted by Toronto City Council in May 2009, under the authority of Section 108 of the City of Toronto Act.  The Bylaw applies to new building permit applications for residential, commercial and institutional development made after January 31, 2010 and will apply to new industrial development as of April 30, 2012.

- New York City Planning Commission unanimously approves Zone Green proposal.  Zone Green is the most comprehensive effort of any city in the nation to sweep aside obstacles to green buildings and energy efficiency – eliminating barriers to green roofs to energy generation and to rooftop agriculture.  Zone Green will give homeowners and building owners new opportunities to make investments that save them energy, save them money, and improve our environment.

- Forty-six ASTM International standards covering various aspects of building construction are cited in the 2012 International Green Construction Code.  Published by the International Code Council, the new model code addresses the construction and remodeling of residential as well as commercial structures.  The IgCC is expected to increase cost savings and job growth while enabling safe and sustainable building design and construction.  ASTM green construction standards such as E2399 on green roof systems, C1549 for solar reflectance and E2635 on water conservation in buildings are part of the 2012 code.

- Sky Gardens Blog

- Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 17: Sustainability in Plant Production,” “Enter the 2012 ‘Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!’ Earth Day Photo Contest Now!,” and “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: March 29, 2012.”

- “Upcoming Events”

- Speaking of our 2012 ‘Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!’ Earth Day Photo Contest, make sure you enter your favorite greenroof and then get friends and family to vote for it daily!  The winner gets $100 plus a lot of air time!  Going on now through April 22nd: Enter the 2012 “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest, on our Greenroofs.com Facebook page!

- “In the News”

- Peter Raabe of the American Rivers Blog, has “A Vision Of Green Roofs In Durham, NC.”  He says “North Carolina has a stormwater problem.”  Many of its rivers are polluted due to stormwater runoff.  The state has put rules into effect to clean up its act and Durham is at the center, on one side, Jordan Lake and the other, Falls Lake reservoirs, and both have strict clean up requirements due to the poor land use practices around them.

Beyond stormwater runoff reductions, greenroofs could offer many benefits to Durham like reducing roofing maintenance, improving building energy efficiency, reducing urban heat island effect, improving habitat for wildlife, improving air quality and the potential creation of a green economy work force.  American Rivers has partnered with Downtown Durham, Inc. and they put on a forum for more than fifty city and business leaders that explored the potential of greenroof enhancements in Durham.  The forum created momentum within Durham and they are on their way to creating a more sustainable city.

- Texas A&M University talks about “Interdisciplinary green roof effort to engage wide variety of students.”  Next fall, 1,000 students from a variety of academic programs, including architecture, construction science, environmental geosciences, environmental studies, landscape architecture, horticulture and meteorology at Texas A&M, will begin working together on an interdisciplinary, three-year project to install and monitor a greenroof and living wall atop a campus building.  Assistant professor of landscape architecture and leader of this project,  Texas A&M University , says this initiative is aimed at preparing students to become leaders in energy conservation and resource management.

In the project’s first year, students will have learning experiences beyond a traditional classroom setting, as they build, install and maintain all of the elements of the greenroof, including physical structures, standard meteorological and soil monitoring instrumentation, planning and plant maintenance, manual measurement and associated live and stored data processing and display.  This project is funded by a $100,000 Texas A&M reallocation grant for enhancing students’ preparation for the workplace and society through high-impact learning experiences.

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

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

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

- This has been This Week in Review for April 6th, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.  I’m Anjuli Velázquez and I’ll see you next week!

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

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

~ Linda V.

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 30th, 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 30th, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is the Mary Catherine Bunting Center at Mercy built in 2010, in Baltimore, Maryland.  This 18-story 688,000 square foot hospital offers spacious, beautifully appointed private rooms, convenient front door drop-off, an expansive 2-story atrium lobby, three eco-friendly rooftop meditation gardens, and operating rooms equipped with advanced technology including robotics.

Mercy installed 17,500 square feet of greenroofs, totaling about $1 million, in three different locations.  The gardens provide rest and recovery for the hospital’s patients, families and staff and they reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool the interior of the building.  The rooftop gardens feature recycled furnishing materials, native plantings and a water feature.  Clinically proven, experts say that even a view of nature from a hospital window can improve patient recovery.

- To learn more about the Mary Catherine Bunting Center at Mercy, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage (or on the above photos).

What’s New

- The Greenroofs.com eNewsletter

- Our March 2012 eNewsletter is out, so be sure to check it out all the highlights for this month!  To subscribe to our newsletter just click the envelope icon on our homepage.

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

- Watch our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 16: “Vertical Agriculture: A Global Movement Starts Locally, from Wall to Table” with George Irwin, Tom Ferraro and U.S. Congressman Tom Reed.

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

- Contributing Editor

- Also read Kevin Songer’s first contributing blog post as our new Tropical Green Roof Editor.

- Industry News

- A new report released by the Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition identifies green infrastructure as a cost solution policy makers should be considering on the eve of the Ontario Budget and in subsequent political discussions centered on doing more with less.  Health, Prosperity and Sustainability: The Case for Green Infrastructure in Ontario argues taxpayer dollars spent on green infrastructure offer a greater return on investment because of the multiple economic, health and environmental benefits.

- Sky Gardens Blog

- Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 16: Vertical Agriculture: A Global Movement Starts Locally, from Wall to Table,” “Welcome to Kevin Songer, Greenroofs.com’s Tropical Green Roofs Editor!,” “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: March 23, 2012,” and “Less than a Week to go for Earth Hour 2012!”

- “Upcoming Events”

- Tomorrow, Saturday, March 31st: is Earth Hour at 8:30pm local time, Worldwide!

- And April 5th-6th: is the ASLA Texas Chapter – Regional Conference & Expo, in Grapevine, TX.

- “In the News”

- Dean Johnson of the USDA Blog says, “USDA Works to Reduce Its Environmental Footprint – Here’s How.”  He asks, “did you know that USDA manages 193 million acres of land; occupies approximately 89 million square feet of office and laboratory space and operates over 23,000 buildings?  And if this isn’t enough, USDA also operates a fleet of over 40,000 motor vehicles and equipment.”  It’s reducing its reliance on nonrenewable energy by improving energy conservation, increasing efficiency and promoting renewable energy projects and programs, supporting green transportation and travel practices that reduce harmful emissions, increasing operational and fuel efficiency, and reducing nonrenewable fuel use.

The Department created the USDA Sustainable Operations Council to help keep this effort going.  For example, the USDA greenroof on Court 5 of the South Building saves energy and reduces excessive stormwater runoff, which in turn supports their efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay.  USDA’s future plans include reducing GHG emissions from USDA operations by 21% by 2020, increase use of energy performance-based contracting investments by $5 million over the next 2 years, complete energy evaluations of USDA’s most energy-intensive facilities by July 1st, 2012, and increase alternative-fuel use in fleet vehicles by 10% by 2014.

- Jim Motavalli of the Mother Nature Network talks about “Paving paradise: It’s time to reinvent the parking lot.”  Some great ideas are getting realized when it comes to parking lots and multi-story garages, like having music festivals on garage roofs, green gardens and solar canopies.  One person helping the cause is Eran Ben-Joseph, an MIT professor who has a new book, “Rethinking a Lot: The Design and Culture of Parking.”  Ben-Joseph’s happy parking lot has “a forest of solar canopies to ‘produce energy while lowering heat,’ porous asphalt to stop stormwater runoff and trees ‘planted in rows like an apple orchard, so [the park] could sequester carbon and clean contaminated runoff,’ and has regular activities, including farmers markets, games of street hockey, tailgate parties, and the aforementioned concerts and film screenings.”

Motavalli says he loves the greenroof idea.  The 12-story parking garage at 900 North Michigan in Chicago has a 16,866 square foot greenroof, and the new Yankee Stadium has a unique garage rooftop park that covers seven acres and a full city block, with trees and plants, a soccer/football field, a 400-meter running track, eight handball courts, four basketball courts and a workout place.

- 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 30th, 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.

Today we have the pleasure to air the panel presentation “Vertical Agriculture: A Global Movement Starts Locally, from Wall to Table” with George Irwin, Tom Ferraro, and U.S. Congressman Tom Reed from our inaugural 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit on greenroofs.tv and our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube.

We’re happy that George is an editorial contributor to Greenroofs.com as The Green Wall Editor (2008).  Outspoken and sometimes even a bit brazen, he always shoots from the hip and writes from the heart and George has become a true friend and staunch supporter of ours.  With George’s excellent work combining his greenroof and greenwall systems with education for youth and the underprivileged plus his implementation of vertical food farms, I felt he would make an excellent leader of a panel on the subject.

This panel of experts addresses how urban agriculture is on the rise globally – up the walls and on rooftops.  Fresh, local crops benefit the entire community for many reasons.  U.S. Congressman Tom Reed from the 29th district of New York, Tom Ferraro, CEO of Foodlink – a national network of 200 food banks – and George Irwin, CEO of Green Living Technologies International (GLTi), provide interactive conversation and commentary concerning the impact of education, economics and opportunity around local food production with green walls and roofs.

Rochester-based GLTi started in New York City and has since grown nationally and internationally through education and collaborative hands-on projects with local youth, the underprivileged and disadvantaged in New York and Los Angeles and with business partnerships in Santiago, Dubai, and beyond to include their Food Factory and more.

George Irwin is founder and CEO of Green Living Technologies International, LLC (GLTi), a privately held company manufacturing patented Green Living Walls and Green Living Roofs, and is a global pioneer in vertical agriculture.  Prior to founding GLTi, George was a landscape contractor for two dozen years.  He holds a degree in education and his mission is to help create sustainable solutions to the challenges of food insecurity and the dearth of job opportunities for at risk youth throughout America’s inner cities. His efforts have earned him recognition as an official education partner for the New York City Department of Education and additional higher education facilities, with the development of a GLTi-dedicated degree track in “Green Tech” education at secondary schools in multiple states.  The first high school is scheduled to open in September of 2012.  George is also a contributing editor on Greenroofs.com (2008); he is The Green Wall Editor and talks about his own experience as well as industry happenings within the field.

George is the Moderator for “Vertical Agriculture: A Global Movement Starts Locally, from Wall to Table.”

Tom Ferraro is Executive Director of Foodlink.  Founded in 1978, it has grown to serve a 10-county area in the Greater Rochester area.  As a founding member of Feeding America, Foodlink is part of a national network of 200 food banks whose mission is to provide hunger relief, eliminate the root causes of hunger, improve health and promote economic development.  They do this through the distribution of food to a network of agencies and by empowering individuals through nutritional and agricultural programs.  Foodlink’s vision is to build a hunger-free community and sustainable regional food system in which every individual has access to nutritious food and is empowered with the tangible skills to lead a healthy and productive life.  Locally, they rescue and redistribute over 11 million pounds of food annually to a network of 450 programs.  Today, the food bank’s network of agencies serve 102,000 meals each week, or over 5 million meals annually to an estimated 125,000 different people.

U.S. Congressman Tom Reed was elected to represent the 29th District of New York in a special election held November 2, 2010.  He took office during the “lame duck” session of the 111th Congress and began his own full two year term in the 112th Congress on January 5, 2011.  In June 2011 Congressman Reed was recently appointed to the Committee on Ways and Means and serves on the Human Resources and Oversight subcommittees of Ways and Means.  Tom previously served on the Rules, Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.  He graduated from Alfred University in 1993 with a degree in Political Science and from the Ohio Northern University College of Law in 1996.  Tom says, “Job creation and the nation’s financial health are the most important challenges facing the country and upstate New York.”

After the presentation on the second day of the 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit, George Irwin and Tom Ferraro were available for the live Q & A session; the transcript was available archived for 30 days for participants of the Virtual Summit – unfortunately, we do not have it available now – one of the reasons to participate in this year’s Virtual Summit!

Enjoy!  Visit greenroofs.tv to see “Vertical Agriculture: A Global Movement Starts Locally, from Wall to Table” or click below:

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

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 17th installment from the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011!

~ 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 23rd, 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 23rd, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is the WaterShed House, built in 2011 in Washington, DC.  This prototype solar house entry from the team at the University of Maryland won the U.S. Department of Energy 2011 Solar Decathlon – an award-winning program that challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive.  WaterShed is a solar-powered home inspired and guided by the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, interconnecting the house with its landscape to promote sustainability and ecosystem protection.  Two rectangular modules form the house, and it is capped by a split-butterfly roof, which is well suited to capturing and using sunlight and rainwater.

Key features of the house include a greenroof to retain stormwater and reduce the volume and velocity of run-off, and constructed wetlands to filter stormwater and grey water for reuse.  The south module of the WaterShed House has an extensive greenroof supplied by the LiveRoof® Hybrid Green Roof System with LiveRoof Lite modules.  LiveRoof modules feature the company’s Soil Elevator™ and Moisture Portal™, horticultural innovations that establish a greenroof as a cohesive ecosystem.  The LiveRoof design unifies the entire installation into a naturally functioning biological system.  Natural function maximizes plant health, long-term sustainability, rooftop aesthetics, roof membrane protection, and environmental benefits.

What’s New

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

- Watch our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 15: ”E = MC2 of Green Roofs: Ranking Energy Benefits by Mission, Climate and Construction” by Christopher Wark.

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

- Advertiser Press Releases:

- Tremco Headquarters Renovation Receives Cleveland Engineering Society Award.

- Tecta America Corp. Announces Enhancement of Tecta Green Website.

- LiveRoof® Launches Overburden Removal Warranty Program for its Green Roof System.

- Work and relaxation on a pitched roof: functional roof landscape at SOLON SE in Berlin-Adlershof by ZinCo.

- Joblinks

- Sika Sarnafil USA is seeing an Inside Sales Representative in Canton, MA.

- Industry News

- The District of Columbia is a national leader in the total amount of Greenroofs constructed – second only to Chicago, IL in the total area of greenroofs per capita.  The District’s Green Roof Rebate Program is the perfect way to fund your greenroof – and it’s now back in full swing.  Anacostia Watershed Society is offering $5 per square foot on a first-come, first-served basis for qualified DC buildings of any size!

- Guest Blogger

- Read our guest blog post, “Greening the District with Green Roofs,” by Laura S. Washington, Green Roof Rebate Program Coordinator, of the Anacostia Watershed Society.  And also our guest feature article, “Portland Builds Over 100,000 Square Feet of Greenroofs in 2011,” by Casey Cunningham, Landscape Architect with the City of Portland’s Sustainable Stormwater Division.

- Sky Gardens Blog

And over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “CitiesAlive Call for Papers Extended to March 29, 2012,” “Greenroofs.com’s “This Week in Review” on GreenroofsTV for March 16th, March 9th, and 2nd, 2012” respectively, and “Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 15: E = MC² of Green Roofs: Ranking Energy Benefits by Mission, Climate and Construction.”

- “Upcoming Events”

- March 23rd & 24th: is the Open House & Plant Sale, Good Earth Plants & GreenScaped Buildings, in San Diego, CA.

- March 23rd-25th: is the Better Living Show – Home, Garden & Lifestyle, in Portland, OR.

- March 29th-30th: is the 10th Annual New York State Green Building Conference, in Syracuse, NY.

- “In the News”

- Richard Lee, of the Danbury News Times, reports on “LaurelRock adds ‘green walls’ to its offerings.”  Earlier this week, LaurelRock, a Wilton-based landscape design and installation business, hosted George Irwin, CEO of Green Living Technologies International [and one of our contributing editors], where he demonstrated how his company creates green walls.  LaurelRock is the exclusive installer of GLTi’s patented panel technology in the company’s service area.  LaurelRock President Burt DeMarche believes gardeners will be interested in GLTi’s “edible walls” concept, because they can produce fruits, vegetables, and herbs in an easier way for gardeners who want to grow their own food but don’t have the time or energy to do it the “old-fashioned way.”

At the Millstone Farm presentation, George stood by a 2×6 foot frame holding plants including moss, waffle leaf, palm, ferns and more; and he said, “this wall has light indoor plants which are relatively low maintenance.  They provide an incredible opportunity to clean the air in the room” and that his “idea was to mimic Mother Nature.  It provides an opportunity for roots to migrate from cell to cell.”  Green Living Technologies International developed a program with the Innovation Charter School in Harlem, where students learn the technology, preparing them for work a companies like LaurelRock.

- Bill Marken, of Garden Design Magazine, talks about “Green Roofs.”  He reflects on the evolution of greenroofs being just an “eco-fantasy” to becoming the current “eco-solution.” He says greenroofs have become natural fits for many public buildings, thanks to the environmental and financial benefits like energy efficiency, storm-water management, sound insulation, while also being habitats for birds, bees, butterflies, and other insects and animals that help our environment.  Residential greenroofs will accomplish most of the same environmental goals but the financial benefits will take longer to realize.  There are do-it-yourself kits nowadays but developing a sustainable green roof usually calls for someone who knows the structural demands, assembly systems, drainage, local conditions, plants, and maintenance.

To explore the possibilities of having a greenroof of your very own, author Ed Snodgrass, and contributing editor here at greenroofs.com, suggests starting out with a doghouse or a birdhouse.  He says, “starting with a birdhouse is a good first step to getting your feet wet and understanding the limits – and opportunities – of growing plants in such a shallow root space.”  And from there, there’s no place to go but up!

- 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 23rd, 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.

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 16th, 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 16th, 2012 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is the Soleil @ Sinaran built in 2011 in Singapore.  These 36-story twin towers offer trendy professionals and young couples a 50 meter lap pool, two spa pavilions and eight entertainment pavilions – all are covered with extensive greenroofs.  They also have themed lounges and expansive sky gardens, with gymnasiums on the 20th floor of each tower.  The Soleil @ Sinaran has been awarded the BCA Green Mark Gold showing collaborative effort on its part to achieve sustainability in the built environment.

Elmich’s greenroof system contributed substantially to the condominium’s green initiative and the 1,150 square meter greenroofs give the condos a resort-like ambiance while protecting and prolonging the waterproofing membrane on the rooftops and mitigating Singapore’s urban heat island effect.  The Elmich Greenroof is both lightweight and easy to install and was the ideal system for this project.  Elmich Greenroof is comprised of a VersiDrain® 25P water retention and drainage layer, a geotextile filter layer and EnviroMix® GR – a primarily inorganic soil-less lightweight planting media – and drought-tolerant plant species that require little or no maintenance.

- To learn more about the Soleil @ Sinaran, 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 14: “The Work of ATVBrasil” by João Manuel Linck Feijó.

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

- Advertiser Press Releases:

- Sika Limited is gearing up for its biggest Ecobuild exhibition yet as it prepares to demonstrate its ‘Solutions for a Sustainable Future.’

- Plant Connection Installs Living Wall That Helps Patients Heal.

- Joblinks

- Roofmeadow is now hiring a Project Field Specialist and a Landscape Designer in Philadelphia, PA.

- Industry News

- The American federal government spends about $500 billion per year on services and products and about almost half of it is allocated to use services and buying products from small businesses in America.  Did you know that you can now search for opportunities to install and maintain “green roofs?”  If you have business in our industry, you might be asking yourself if the American federal government wanted your products or services.  There aren’t any charges to register or join up and the procedure to be part of it is pretty simple.

- The Society of Environmentally Responsible Facilities (SERF) announced this week it’s launched into the Chicago market.  The East Lansing, Michigan-based green building certification organization brings affordable, streamlined and accessible environmental certification to the metro’s building owners, managers and developers.  As part of SERF’s Chicago launch, it is certifying two Chicago buildings: the office portion of the iconic 330 North Wabash building, and the Norcon Construction headquarters. Additionally, the organization established a Chicago office and appointed a regional director to oversee operations and outreach efforts for the region.

- Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) and The Horticultural Society of New York (HSNY) are pleased to announce the return of the popular Green Roof Boot Camp training series to New York City, from March 22nd to the 25th.  This event will include a tour of the NYC Parks & Recreation Department’s greenroof laboratory on Randall’s Island – a unique opportunity to examine over 25 different greenroof systems side-by-side.  The Parks Department’s 29,000 square foot greenroof is one of the only projects in the country to feature such a vast array of different systems.  You can read about this project in depth in the June 2011 Guest Feature Article by Artie Rollins and John Robilotti from NYC Parks and Recreation – see our Archives section.

- Sky Gardens Blog

- Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest post: “Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 Episode 14: The Work of ATVBrasil.”

- “Upcoming Events”

- From March 3rd through April 22nd: is The Orchid Show – Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Gardens, in The New York Botanical Gardens, New York.

- March 16th-25th: is the National Home Show, in Toronto, Canada.

- March 20th: is Reinventing the Connecticut Garden Lecture, in Wilton, CT.

- March 20th-21st: is Water & Environment 2012, CIWEM’s Annual Conference, in London, England.

- March 20th-22nd: is Ecobuild 2012, in London, England.

- Also March 20th-22nd: is the North/East Roofing Contractors Association’s Convention & Trade Show in Mashantucket, CT.

- March 21st-25th: is the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, in San Mateo, CA.

- And March 23rd: is the Low Impact Development (LID) Expo 2012, in Sarasota, FL.

- “In the News”

-  A News Release from AHS.org says “The American Horticultural Society has announced the winners of its annual book awards.”  Each year, the American Horticultural Society recognizes outstanding gardening books published in North America with its annual Book Award.  One of those is ”Small Green Roofs“ by our greenroof colleagues Nigel Dunnett, Dusty Gedge, John Little and Edmund (ED) C. Snodgrass, one of our contributing editors here on Greenroofs.com.

Judge Greg Williams says its “a real trailblazer because it is the only in-depth guide to do-it-yourself green roofs, with plenty of case studies to build confidence and provide ideas for homeowners.”  Another judge, Fiona Gilsenen was impressed with the authors’ “approach, ethos and emphasis on using green roofs to encourage biodiversity, plus making it doable in a wide range of places.”  Congratulations, guys!  Check our greenroof bookstore for more info on this book and other greenroof and greenwall related books and magazines.

- Jennifer Maloney of the Wall Street Journal talks about what’s “Fun for Kids, Good for the Waterways.”  She says New York City has enlisted trees, greenroofs, and massive tanks in its effort to reduce the untreated wastewater that overflows the city’s waterways each year and now it’s looking at schoolyards.  The city’s Department of Environmental Protection is developing a plan with the national non-profit group, Trust for Public Land, to build up to 10 green playgrounds that will capture the first inch of rain in every storm.

Five proposed schoolyards in Brooklyn and Queens are going through soil tests and if they are picked, will be transformed into public playgrounds with features like rain barrels, raised gardens, porous pavers and an under-layer of gravel that holds water during a storm then seep gradually into the ground.  A recent project, at P.S. 164 in Borough Park, Brooklyn, served as a pilot of sorts for the new initiative, because it includes some of the same rainwater-retention features, including a greenroof.  The first few new playgrounds should be open to the public by the end of next year.

- 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 16th, 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.

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.

Today we have the pleasure to air the panel presentation “Wind. Water. Heat. Grow. Greenroofs.” from our inaugural 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit with Dr. Bill Retzlaff, David Aponte, Kevin Songer, and Joe Webb on greenroofs.tv and our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube.

A couple I’d known for years and the others were newer aquaintances, but I was very excited to get these four professionals together – with their combined years of experience designing greenroofs in high-wind prone areas across the U.S., I knew we’d have a great discussion:

Aramis and I met Dr. Bill in 2006 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville when I was invited to speak there through Kelly Luckett, AKA The Green Roof Guy – the president of Green Roof Blocks, a contributing editor of ours, and a good friend.  Kelly had been collaborating with Dr. Bill and his G.R.E.E.N. program – a relationship of trialing different aspects of greenroofing, including wind testing in June 2009, that has lasted for quite a few years now.  Although he hasn’t shared anything new in a few years, Dr. Bill is also a contributing editor of Greenroofs.com; you can read about his work here.

I met architect Joe a few years ago at one of the Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conferences when he talked about his emphasis on sustainability and presented on one of his greenroof projects, Cheyenne I (251 Medical Center Blvd.).  In 2008 the building with its new greenroof came through Hurricane Ike, which barreled through Houston, unscathed.

We met fellow Latin, David, in Singapore in November, 2010 when we both spoke at the International Skyrise Greenery Conference.  David talked about the similarities and differences between the climates of tropical Singapore and sub-tropical Puerto Rico.  Of course, his island is known for its prime location during hurricane season.

We still haven’t met Kevin in person (but hope to!), but were very impressed with his knowledge and experience with greenroofs in Jacksonville, Florida, having corresponded with him as well as read his blog posts and discussion board posts on native plants and wind trials.

This panel of experts say that greenroofs are impacted by wind, water and heat on an unrelenting basis.  Through wind trials and real hurricane survival stories in Houston, TX, Jacksonville, FL, Edwardsville, IL, and Puerto Rico, we have met those challenges and will discuss various projects’ responses and successes to Hurricanes Ike and (any others?). Drought, hot winds, and unseasonable 100° days can also quickly desiccate or kill greenroof plants.

Dr. Bill Retzlaff moderates discussing wind studies and plant trials for greenroofs at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.  Joe Webb talks about his project which endured 110 to 120 mph winds and 11” of rain in 24 hours and shares water mapping and Living Building Challenge Water requirements.  Kevin Songer talks about the Outdoor Turbine Hurricane Simulator at the University of Florida, water conservation through ‘nature-based irrigation design,’ and the importance of biodiversity.  David Aponte speaks to his experience of engineering and designing greenroofs with the correct growing media and plants in hurricane-prone, sub-tropical Puerto Rico.

Bill Retzlaff, PhD, Co-Director of G.R.E.E.N., Chairman of the Research Committee of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Biological Sciences Professor and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), has conducted wind tunnel testing of green roof systems and contributed research data for the new green roof wind uplift standard.  In addition, a 16,000 sf green roof on the SIUE campus has just experienced a wind “event” with no uplift or damage.  Dr. Bill is also a contributing editor on Greenroofs.com (2006); he is the G.R.E.E.N. Editor and talks about the various trials at the SIUE Green Roof Research Center.

David L Aponte, MSCE, GRP has a Master’s of Engineering in Water Resource Engineering and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Environmental Engineering with several years experience in green roof design and the construction industry.  He is founder of PR Green Design, Inc. (PRGD) which is responsible for 80% of all the green roofs built in the island of Puerto Rico.  Projects range from small ecological roof to big scale intensive greening.   Since 1996, more than 150,000 sf of green roofs have been installed in Puerto Rico, but not all have survived the harsh environment of the tropics, especially in the extensive category.   As this new wave of green roof construction is reaching the Caribbean market many doubts and misconceptions have taken over local designers.   Should green roofs be designed here equally to those in northern climates?

Kevin Songer’s passion is restoring ‘volumetric green’ to the urban core, designing green roofs for MetroVerde.  MetroVerde’s green roof designs are structured for cyclone and hurricane impacted areas with native plants.  He holds a B.S. in Biology and a Juris Doctor in law (environmental and land use).  Kevin writes a daily green roof blog, Living Green Roofs.  He is a LEED BG+C and an ISA Certified Arborist & Municipal Specialist Arborist.  Follow @kevinsonger on twitter.

Joe Douglas Webb, AIA, is the principal of a small Houston based architecture and planning firm, Webb Architects, that specializes in commercial architecture, planning and city design projects.  Registered to practice architecture in 14 states, he is currently chair of Blueprint Houston, a past president of AIA Houston, a member of APA, USGBC, ULI and a NCARB Certificate holder.

After the presentation on the second day of the 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit, Dr. Bill, David, Joe, and Kevin were available for a live Q & A session; the transcript was available archived for 30 days for participants of the Virtual Summit – unfortunately, we do not have it available now – one of the reasons to participate in this year’s Virtual Summit!

Enjoy!  Visit greenroofs.tv to see the Panel Session “Wind. Water. Heat. Grow. Greenroofs.” or click below:

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

Episode #11: Episode 11: “GreenRoofs in Australasia” by Matthew Dillon.
Episode #10: “The Vertical Garden – from Nature to Cities: An Interview with Patrick Blanc” by Patrick Blanc and me with an introduction by Caroline Menetre.
Episode #9: “Sloped and Complex Green Roofs” by Richard Hayden.
Episode #8: “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.
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 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 13th installment from the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011!

~ Linda V.