Today we have the pleasure to air Lluís Recasens Pahí’s “Sustainability in Plant Production” from our inaugural 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit on greenroofs.tv and our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube.

We first started corresponding with Lluis early last year when he contacted us very enthusiastically about the in depth work he is doing in the Catalan region of Spain.  He wanted to submit a Guest Feature Article with us about his plant research and testing yet once we decided on hosting the Virtual Summit, I felt this would make a great topic.

Although Lluis speaks Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Italian and English, he preferred to present his video in Spanish.  So you will find this is our first video presented in another language, Spanish, with English subtitles (translated by me) - Chinese being the second (not translated by me!), coming up soon.

Lluís Recasens Pahí lives in Tarragona, Spain, is a horticultural engineer, and co-founder of the first Escuela de Horticultura y Jardineria de España (Horticulture and Gardening School of Spain), 1982-1988.

Lluis has worked in various high level managerial positions within the fertilizer (controlled and slow release fertilizers) and ornamental horticulture industries for The Scotts Company and Nosterra Ibérica S.A Europa.  Presently, Lluís is Profesor de Horticultura (Professor of Horticulture) at the Institut d´Horticultura i Jardineria de Reus (Institute of Horticulture and Gardening of Reus) in Catalonia, Spain, and he also is a consultant on various projects including maintenance of greenroofs and greenwalls.

In Lluís’ very informative video presentation, sustainable crop production is addressed with a focus on greenroofs and walls in the areas of Reus, Ampurias, Guadalajara, Tarragona, and Barcelona, Spain, utilizing plant selections with minimum agronomic requirements (low demands on maintenance, water intake, and disease control) as well as contemplating the use of environmentally friendly and respectful materials.  Using these technologies will ensure more sustainable parterres, greenroofs, and greenwalls through their material selection and plant diversity.

He says that by using biodegradable materials and encouraging recycling and biodiversity, we reduce our water requirements and the maintenance program is respectful of the environment and the ecosystems, plus we contribute to the implementation and popularization of these sustainable processes.

Enjoy!  Visit greenroofs.tv to see “Sustainability in Plant Production” 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 18th 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 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 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.

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.

Today we have the pleasure to air Christopher Wark’s video presentation “E = MC2 of Green Roofs: Ranking Energy Benefits by Mission, Climate and Construction” from our inaugural 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit on greenroofs.tv and our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube.

Chris has been an editorial contributor to Greenroofs.com as The Energy Editor since 2010.  In April 2011 he completed his seven-part series entitled “Cooler Than Cool Roofs: How Heat Doesn’t Move Through a Green Roof.”  He and his wife, Wendy, have been great friends of ours since we met them in 2003 in Chicago, at the first Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards & Trade Show.  Here they are on the Highline when we visited in New York City back in May, 2010:

Christopher Wark has 23 years of multidisciplinary engineering experience providing mechanical, analytical, and electronics support and services to manufacturers, universities and national labs.  For the past 10 years, he has focused his efforts on the development and promotion of technical solutions in architecture and construction.  Chris is currently an Associate with WSP Flack + Kurtz, managing their building analysis group.

Before joining WSP Flack + Kurtz, Chris was a Senior Energy Analyst for Viridian Energy & Environmental. Previous to that, he provided energy analysis and LEED consulting services for several companies, including subsidiaries of the Integral Group, and served as Technical Sales Manager for Mentor Graphics Mechanical Analysis Division (formerly Flomerics Inc.), offering energy and air flow analysis solutions for architectural engineers.

In 2002, Chris established SHADE Consulting/Green Roof Innovations with his wife Wendy.  With SHADE/GRI, Chris developed and marketed several innovative modular eco-roof systems, a roof system heat transfer and cost computer program, and conducted green roof system heat transfer analyses for 5 major cities and organizations.  In 2010, he developed a modular planting system in partnership with Guiyang Chuangjia High-Tech Accelerator Co. LTD in Guiyang, China.

Chris has also been involved in other thermodynamic related work, including advanced engine research and fuel cell system development at Caterpillar Inc. and laser development at Lawrence Livermore National Lab and 2 private research laser development companies.  He has presented at numerous conferences, has several articles published on a wide variety of engineering topics, and has had the privilege of working directly with several universities, including Stanford’s Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE) program.  Chris holds Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering (with a minor in Materials Science) from Washington State University.  His graduate work focused on thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and combustion.

In Chris’ video he discusses how the amount of energy savings from a green roof is determined by a combination of its mission:  How the building spaces are used; climate:  Where in the world, where in the neighborhood; and construction:  Building size, shape, and internal design.  Best and worst candidates are examined.  During the Virtual Summit, Chris’ video presentation was followed by a live 15-Minute Live Q & A; 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 “E = MC2 of Green Roofs: Ranking Energy Benefits by Mission, Climate and Construction” 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 xth installment from the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011!

~ Linda V.

Today we have the pleasure to air João Manuel Linck Feijó’s “The Work of ATVBrasil” from our inaugural 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit on greenroofs.tv and our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube.

An agronomy engineer, João hails from Porto Alegre, Brazil and has been a part of the greenroof scene for quite some time now.  We met him in 2006 in Boston at the 3rd Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards & Trade Show (now CitiesAlive).  He had an innovative modular greenroof system, Ecotelhado, which since then has blossomed into other products and has done quite well in Brasil and neighboring countries, and is now in Mexico as well.  His non-profit work has helped establish greenroofs and walls within Brazil.

Principal of Ecotelhado, João Manuel Linck Feijó’s firm offers green infrastructure solutions through the manufacture of green roof and green wall systems and consulting services.  He is also the Director of ATVBrasil, a non-profit organization working to promote green infrastructure in Brazil, which has been disseminating green roof and wall information in many cities and proposing projects of law for green roofs all across the country since 2005.  João is a World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) board member.

ATV Brasil is a non profit association whose objectives are to promote the construction of green roofs and vegetated walls in Brazil whose mission is to supply background information for legislation, to incentivize research, and to show the impacts of vegetated roofs in urban ecology.

I’m sure you’ll love the scenery and energy in this lively video of lovely Brazil!

Enjoy!  Visit greenroofs.tv to see “The Work of ATVBrasil” 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 #13: ”Green Roof Policies – An International Review of Current Practices and Future Trends” by Wolfgang Ansel.
Episode #12: ”Wind. Water. Heat. Grow. Greenroofs.” Panel Session with Dr. Bill Retzlaff, David Aponte, Kevin Songer, and Joe Webb.
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 15th installment from the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011!

~ Linda V.

Today we have the pleasure to air Wolfgang Ansel’s ”Green Roof Policies – An International Review of Current Practices and Future Trends” from our inaugural 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit on greenroofs.tv and our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube.

Wolfgang Ansel is a biologist who studied at the University of Hohenheim, Germany.  He is currently the Director of the International Green Roof Association (IGRA).  IGRA`s targets include the worldwide promotion of the ecological green roof idea, an international knowledge transfer in the field of green roofs and the stimulation of international standards for good practices and reliable green roof technology.  Wolfgang Ansel is co-author of different green roof books.  During the last year he was an invited speaker at congresses in Europe, North America and Asia.  One of his main areas of work is implementing green roof policies and guidelines on an international level.

In Wolfgang’s presentation he says that green roof policies are one of the basic key factors for the successful development of a green roof market.  Longstanding experiences and case studies from different countries and municipalities are creating a source of ideas that can be adapted and modified according to the needs of the local green roof stakeholders.  His video highlights success stories and failures likewise.  Information from Europe, North America and Asia will be merged into a “Best Practice Guideline for Green Roof Policies.”

Enjoy!  Visit greenroofs.tv to see “Green Roof Policies – An International Review of Current Practices and Future Trends” 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 #12: ”Wind. Water. Heat. Grow. Greenroofs.” Panel Session with Dr. Bill Retzlaff, David Aponte, Kevin Songer, and Joe Webb.
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 14th installment from the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011!

~ Linda V.

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.