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Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video. Here’s the transcript covering May 20 and May 13, 2011 from our daughter, Anjuli – click on the photo below to see the video, or here. Enjoy!
– Hello, I’m Anjuli Velazquez and welcome to This Week in Review for May 20th as well as for May 13th, 2011, on GreenroofsTV since we took a week off.
– Our project of the week is SeQuential’s Biofueling Retail Station built in 2006 in Eugene, Oregon. This biofuel station is an example of realistic, feasible, and sustainable technologies demonstrating real world solutions that reduce energy usage and local water quality impacts. These features include solar panels on the fuel pump canopies, passive solar design of the convenience store, and a vegetated roof that is part of a site-stormwater system including bioswales and a detention pond. Habitats staff, who were also project managers, designed the fuel station site plan, landscape and stormwater features, and designed, installed and planted the vegetated roof, which contains over 4,800 individual plants in 5 inches of soil.
– Last week we featured Aqua, the winner of our “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest. Designed to comply with LEED certification, Aqua is a mixed-use residential skyscraper overlooking Harbor Park on the shores of Lake Michigan and is setting new heights for innovation and beauty among Chicago skyscrapers. Each floor of the 82-story tower has an architectonic facade of curvaceous white concrete balconies, and the 80,000 sf intensive Greenroof-Roofscapes ® System roof garden by Barrett Company caps Aqua’s three-story podium roof, providing a naturalistic, eco-friendly landscape. And an International Leak Detection (ILD) system was installed to protect against membrane damage as well as other electric field leakage problems.
– To learn more about SeQuential’s Biofueling Retail Station, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage, and for Aqua, go to the Projects Database landing page and under Keyword > Project ID # > simply type in “1136.”
– “What’s New“
– Joblinks: Apex Green Roofs is looking for an Office Administrator/Manager in Boston area, MA. You can go to greenroofs.com/joblinks.htm more information on this job and other Green Roof Job postings.
– Advertiser Press Release: Bel Air receives its first Green Roof donated by local green roof design firm Green Roof Service.
– Green Roofs for Healthy Cities is pleased to announce that it is now accepting submissions for the 2011 Green Roof and Wall Design Awards of Excellence, presented at CitiesAlive: the 9th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference in Philadelphia, PA November 30th through December 3rd, 2011.
– Make sure to check out our latest Guest Blog post on the Sky Gardens Blog, “Rainwater Harvesting on Greenroofs?“ by Steve Williams.
– And while at Sky Gardens, read Linda’s latest posts about the last two GPW’s for “SeQuential’s Biofueling Retail Station“ and “Aqua;” “Dr. Karen Weber Receives NEWIEE Achievement Award;” and “Greenroofs.com’s “˜This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: May 6th, 2011.”
– “Upcoming Events“
– -Today and tomorrow, May 21st: is Green Living Technologies International (GLTi) Certification Training in Detroit, MI.
– And on May 22nd: is GLTi Urban Farming & Edible Walls in Detroit, MI.
– May 21st-22nd: is Green Festival – A Joint project of Global exchange & Green America in Seattle, WA.
– May 23rd-29th: is the 3rd Annual High-Performance Building Week, in Washington, DC.
– May 23rd: is ARCSA’s 100-Level Workshop, Introduction to Rainwater Harvesting in Athens, GA.
– And May 24th-25th: is the 200-Level 2-Day ARCSA Rainwater Harvesting Accreditation Course in Athens, GA with the 300-Level 2-Day ARCSA 2-Day Design & Construction Workshop on May 26th-27th.
– May 24th-28th: is the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London.
– For more Upcoming Events visit our homepage.
– “In the News“
– Bobby Tanzilo of OnMilwaukee.com reports on “Central Library renews environment via green roof.” Instead of going for a conventional roof last year when the library needed to replace its 25-year-old roof, a 30,000 sf greenroof was constructed and 132 solar electric panels were added to generate about 36,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. On the first floor, there is an area dedicated to the greenroof initiative and the library’s public services manager, Christine Arkenberg, says “everyone’s very enthused about it.”
– The Norman Transcript announces “University of Okla. receives EPA Award.” The University of Oklahoma was among winners of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awards presented earlier this week at the state Capitol. The university received the 2010 Performance and Innovation in the State Revolving Fund Creating Environmental Success in EPA Region 6, because of its experimental green roof project that reduces stormwater runoff and blocks solar radiation.
– The Clemson Newsroom releases “Clemson University institute to study ‘vertical farming’ feasibility in Charleston.” Research elements of the proposed vertical are water and energy self-sufficiency by incorporating elements of alternative energy sources and gray water collection and reuse; greenroof and vertical garden technologies; sustainable production of high-quality organic foods within a reduced urban footprint; enhanced hydroponics; rooftop and vertical wetlands for water quality treatment; and community-based sustainable development education.
– Blair Kamin of the Chicago Tribune reflects on “A mayor who left his mark on Chicago’s cityscape.” His (Mayor Richard Daley) record-setting 22 years in office led to an urban legacy and dramatic changes including mega-projects like Millennium Park, former commuter railroad tracks which now arguably houses the world’s largest greenroof. In total, Chicago now boasts more than 7 million sf “” more than any other city in America “” of planted roofs.
– To learn more about these stories and new ones posted daily, go to our In the News or newslinks section of our website.
– Have something you think we should know about and post on our website? You can send us your green articles, videos and images to editor@greenroofs.com.
– Stay up-to-date with what’s going on at Greenroofs.com by subscribing to our greenroofsTV channel on YouTube, following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook and being a member of our network on LinkedIn.
– This has been This Week in Review for May 20th and May 13th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV. I’m Anjuli Velazquez 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.
Fort McNair Horsechestnut;
– Preston Moretz of the Temple University News talks about “Sustainability projects advance throughout Temple.” He says, “At Temple, environmental responsibility is continually being woven through the campus fabric; everywhere from academics, to research, to everyday business practices.” On the Main Campus, the redesign of Pearson and McGonigle Halls were to include a new upper level, which will feature the installation of approximately five 12-foot wind turbines on the roof. The turbines could generate between 16-18 kilowatts of power, which will be returned to the building’s power grid, reducing Temple’s energy costs. Temple’s Ambler Campus is home to the university’s first green roof, which was installed in 2005 through a grant from PECO Energy and occupies three-quarters of the 5,000-square-foot roof atop the Intercollegiate Athletics Field House.
– Tom Oswald of MSU News reports on “MSU students to present green-roof technology at EPA event in Washington.” A team of Michigan State University students travels to Washington, D.C. to take part in a competition that could get them a federal grant to continue research into technology that would allow green roofs to be used on sloped roofs. The students, who are in the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction, are participating in the National Sustainable Design Expo, which is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s celebration of Earth Day 2011. Jeremy Monsma, a graduate student in the SPDC who is heading up the project says, “The majority of residential roofs, especially here in the north, are sloped because of snow,” and “the goal of our work is to answer fundamental questions relating to the performance of extensive green roof systems when applied to more conventional pitched roof systems.” One of the goals of the team is to develop a construction manual which will assist with all future greenroof installation on steep slopes.
– Elisse Lorenc of Iowa State Daily announces, “Students Society of Landscape Architecture recruits by building green roof VEISHEA display.” Located in front of the College of Design, SSLA spent 6 months planning and constructing a display to demonstrate the uses of green roofs. The display has three miniature roofs or modules, each displaying a different type of green roof. The group hopes to grab students’ attention at VEISHEA, but also alumni to get the word out about green roofs, answering student questions and demonstrating the uses of a green roof.
Year: 2008
– Nicole D’Alessandro of examiner.com, says “Greenroofs are growing.” The West Woods Nature Center served as the pilot green roof project for the Geauga Park District to study the benefits of greenroof construction and technology and the list of greenroofs across Northeast Ohio is growing with projects like the Cleveland Environmental Center in Ohio City, which included a portion of green roofing, and with the help of its Environmental Science students, the Cleveland State University’s Recreation Center got a 7,000 sq ft greenroof. There are many benefits to green roofs like: decreased stormwater runoff; decreased impermeable surfaces, which helps reduce the urban heat island effect; and increased insulation in cold climates and absorption of heat in hot climates, which affects a building’s energy use. Greenroofs can be beautiful and offer a wonderful habitat for wildlife while also extending the life of a roof. Any concern of installing a greenroof can be taken away with the help of professionals.
