Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 12/05/11
The Ramona Apartments
Portland, OR, USA
31,600 sf. Greenroof

Year: 2011
Owner: Turtle Island Development, LLC
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Building Type: Multi-Use
Type: Extensive, Test/Research
System: Custom
Size: 31,600 sq. ft.
Slope: 2%
Access: Inaccessible, Private

Project Description & Details

The Ramona Apartments is a new mixed-use, LEED-Gold certified midrise apartment building consisting of six stories of wood-framed construction over a concrete podium.  It includes 138 affordable apartments and ground floor facilities leased by Portland Public Schools and the Zimmerman Community Center.

The Ramona’s roof holds both a 30kWh photovoltaic array and 64 solar hot water panels over the ecoroof, receiving the City of Portland’s Ecoroof Incentive which funded $5/sf.  Two different soil types were installed, each 3.5” deep, and 26 species of potted succulents and grasses were planted.  The City of Portland provided flumes at two of the roof drains and will monitor the amount of stormwater released to the storm system.  In the summer, the soil and plants are expected to keep the surface of the roof cooler and reduce the build-up of heat in the attic space and improve PV panel efficiency.  Low irrigation rates will be tested on different zones by the City because it’s anticipated that the solar arrays will provide enough shade for the plants to sustain themselves.

Designers/Manufacturers of Record

Landscape Architect: Viridian Environmental Design, LLC
Architect: Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects
Sustainable Design Consultant: Harper Houf Peterson Righellis, Inc.
Sustainable Design Consultant: AECOM
General Contractor: Walsh Construction Co.

Additional Info

The Ramona is 6 stories with 138 apartments and 14,444 square feet of ground floor community facilities.  Subject to income guidelines, the Ramona has affordable apartments that are large enough for families with children, a school and community center on the ground floor, and free underground parking for most apartments.

Apartments here are available to households earning up to 60 percent of the Median Family Income (MFI) for the Portland metropolitan area – income levels are published once per year by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

It’s centrally located close to shopping, parks, the Portland Streetcar, coffee shops, and bike trails in the Pearl District near downtown Portland, Oregon.  Because of its close proximity to schools, public transit and many other amenities, the Ramona has a Walk Score rating of 91 (out of 100).  And the apartment complex is focused on meeting the Architecture 2030 goals for reducing energy use.

“The Ramona’s carefully engineered envelope and mechanical systems are not only good for the planet, but they also translate into lower monthly utility bills and make a healthier living space for you and your family.  We believe you will be proud to live here.” ~ The Ramona Apartments Greenbuilding Features

Click on each to learn more about some of the green features of the Ramona:

• Insulation and air tightness
• Energy-efficient equipment and fixtures
• Air-quality and ventilation systems
• Renewable energy
• Water efficiency
• Stormwater strategies

Of course the large greenroof, or ecoroof as they’re more popularly known in Portland, falls under the stormwater strategies section, which also includes various landscaping, planters, and filtration systems to cleanse and reduce or slow down the runoff; and an infiltration swale half a block long on Quimby Street.  All in all, these strategies are expected to treat 100% of the property’s stormwater.

The Ramona’s roof is the largest continuous ecoroof in the City of Portland at 31,600 sf (The Meriwether has several ecoroofs that total 41,400 ft²).

It also holds both a 30kWh photovoltaic array, expected to generate enough energy to run the Ramona’s elevators and hallway lights, and 64 solar hot water panels over the ecoroof, which will supply approximately half of the building’s hot water.

Since the building is a wood-frame structure, weight was a big factor here, as evidenced by the shallow growing media depth of only 3.5”.  The custom designed ecoroof is a test or research greenroof monitored by Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services for the two types of soil mixes along with stormwater issues and more.

Here are some observations from the design and construction phase from the Ramona Apartments Ecoroof Final Report of April 18, 2011:

“We first installed an eco-roof about 10 years ago on Buckman Terrace Apartments. The level of knowledge in the field has changed dramatically since then. However, it still has a long way to go. In designing this roof, we encountered widely varying opinions among the city, the designers, the manufacturers, and the installers about the best products and methods to use. BES needs to continue its efforts to collect data, share results, and foster communication in the industry.” ~ Ramona Apartments Ecoroof Final Report

The greenroof’s total cost was $384,130 and under nine dollars per square foot, including structural modifications to accommodate it. Completed on April 1, 2011, the Ramona received the City of Portland’s Ecoroof Incentive, funding $5/sf of that amount (BES Grant Request of $157,985).

Did we miss something?  We’d love to hear from you!  Click here to see more information about this project in The International Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.  See how you can submit yours here.

Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!

~ Linda V.

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 from October 28th and 21st, 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 October 28th, 2011 as well as last week, October 21st on GreenroofsTV.

- Projects of the Week

-  Our project of the week is the PECO Main Office Building built in 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The rooftop garden, on the top of an eight-story section of the building, holds growing media up to 8 inches thick, and the vegetative covering will reduce rainwater runoff by up to 70 percent and provide better insulation. With an anticipated investment of $15.3 million, the initiative also includes the opening of PECO’s first green building in West Chester, replacement of the landmark Crown Lights messaging system atop the company’s Center City headquarters, energy efficiency upgrades at many of the company’s offices and service centers across the region to comply with LEED certification, as well as community and customer support for energy efficiency and environmental benefits. Mayor Michael Nutter has recognized the roof as a step forward in his quest to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America. In the effort to encourage a critical mass of enlightened Philadelphians to support the development of urban roof top landscapes, the PECO green roof is proving to be a key player. Roofmeadow and the Philadelphia Horticultural Society closely track the native plants to identify those that are best able to endure the harsh conditions of a windy, riverside rooftop.

- To learn more about the PECO Main Office Building greenroof, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

- Our project of the week last week was the Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Vertical Extensive Green Wall Testing Facility built in 2009 in Singapore. The Landscape Design and Horticulture programme from the School of Life Sciences and Chemical Technology at the college embarked to develop simpler green walls for high rise buildings where 90% of residences are dwellers. Then they evaluated shallow rooted plant species for their growth habit, disease susceptibility, nutrient deficiencies and maintenance requirements. The 2-year research on sustainable plant species for the green wall involved 40 students from the Landscape Design and Horticulture programme and the outcome was a 12m x 2.5m vertical extensive green system uniquely designed for the climate in Singapore.

- And to learn more about the Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Vertical Extensive Green Wall Testing Facility, search project id number “1330” in our Projects Database and/or check out Linda’s blog post about it at Sky Gardens.

“What’s New”

- Industry News Update

-The next round of ecoroof incentives is now open & the City of Portland is again offering FREE technical workshops.

- Green Roofs for Healthy Cities’ Awards of Excellence Winners Announced – congratulations to all the great projects and winners, in particular to one of our Contributing Editors, Patrick Carey of hadj Design as the Green Roof Designer, who won in the Green Roof Extensive Residential category for the Hood Canal Project, a private residence in Quilcene, WA.  The greenroof on this coastal residence is a perfect example of a small-scale project with an even smaller development impact.

- The EPA asked ASLA to collect case studies on projects that successfully and sustainably manage stormwater. ASLA members responded with 479 case studies from 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada – by the way, one of the projects where Linda was the greenroof design consultant is included – Rock Mill Park in Alpharetta, Georgia.

- The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection reached a draft agreement to reduce combined sewer overflows into area water bodies. The agreement modifies New York City’s approach to improving harbor water quality, under which the city will invest an estimated $187 million in green infrastructure projects by 2015, part of a planned $2.4 billion public and private investment over the next 20 years.

- Guest Feature

Read “Welcome to the 9th Annual CitiesAlive Green Roof and Wall Conference: Restoring Urban Water: Philadelphia Takes the Lead” by Steven Peck.

-Contributing Editor

- Also, read Christine Thuring’s latest article “GREEN ROOFS ON THE CURVE Virtual Conferencing: WOW it’s NOW!”

Advertiser Press Release:

- LiveRoof® Hybrid Green Roof System Selected for Five New Green Roof Projects in North Carolina.

- Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “Vote for Colombian Greenroofs in ‘Innovadores de America’ – Innovators of America by November 7!,” “GreenRoofs in Australasia’s Greening Cities Conference 2011 in Sydney,” “Are You Going to the International Green Technology Symposium in India?,” “Fall 2011 Portland Ecoroof Opportunities,” “GREEN ROOFS ON THE CURVE 2011,” “Watch the Highlights Video of the ,” “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: October 14th, 2011,” and our GPWs for the PECO Main Office Building and Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Vertical Extensive Green Wall Testing Facility.

- “Upcoming Events”

- Today is the last day to participate in our Archived Mode of the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011, so be sure to watch whatever video you haven’t watched yet or you’d like to watch again as well as download info from our sponsors Tremco and American Hydrotech and all of the exhibitors and associates!

- October 26th-29th: is the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association Conference Rosemont, Illinois.

- October 28th-30th: is a Green Living Technologies – Green Roof/Green Wall Installer and Maintenance Technician Certification Training in Penfield, New York.

- October 29th-30th: is a Green Roofs Course, Brighton Permaculture Trust in Brighton, United Kingdom.

- October 30th-November 2nd: is the ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting & EXPO in San Diego, California.

- October 31st-November 2nd: is WGIN’s International Green Technology Symposium 2011 in Indore, India.

- November 3rd-6th: is a GRHC Green Roof Boot Camp in San Francisco, California and on the 4th, there’s a GRHC Advanced Green Roof Maintenance in Chicago, Illinois.

-  Check out our homepage for more Upcoming Events!

- “In the News”

- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries announces that the “Tamachi Building Co. Invites Kindergarten Children to Potato Dig At Company’s Rooftop Garden.” They are offering a fun learning opportunity about the environment as a corporate social responsibility activity. They say, “Within the rooftop garden, a 21.5 square meter vegetable garden has been used for potato cultivation. Sweet potato was selected for planting because during the summer season it offers a high green coverage ratio, thereby providing excellent heat insulation; also, sweet potatoes offer good opportunities for children to dig and taste. The remainder of the garden is being utilized primarily for planting grass, flowers and evergreens.”

-  AnnMarie Costella of the Queens Chronicle, reports on “Queens gets a bit cooler with another green roof.” She says the “Jamaica Wastewater Treatment Plant is [the] latest location [to] be outfitted.” A variety of large and small flowering plants have been planted on this 6,000 square foot building, which will be able to absorb up to 13,000 gallons of rainwater and lessen the amount that gets dumped into the sewer system that leads to the Jamaica Bay. This green roof is part of the NYC Green Infrastructure Plan, which calls for $2.4 billion worth of green projects over the next 20 years in order to reduce combined sewer overflows and increase buildings’ absorption of ultraviolet light. Green roofs also improve insulation, interior cooling and energy efficiency.

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

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

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

- This has been This Week in Review for October 28th and 21st, 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.

Matt Burlin tells us that Portland, Oregon’s Pedalpalooza is coming up very soon, and the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services is taking part this year with an Ecoroof Bike Tour.  The tour will take place on this Saturday, June 19th, from 10 am – 1 pm and includes viewings of North and Northeast Portland residential ecoroofs.

Space is limited, and in fact is almost full!  Please RSVP to BESEcoroof@portlandoregon.gov, and you’ll receive confirmation via email.  You can also reserve via phone by calling 503.823.7914.

Make sure to stay up to date with Portland, OR, ecoroof hapennings at their Ecoroof Blog on the Portland Online website – there are lots of new project reports, photos, and related articles getting posted every week.

Happy pedaling and greenroof sightseeing!

~ Linda V.

Known as “The Rose City” for its famous yearly Rose Festival and The Grand Floral Parade in early June, Portland Oregon could also be easily known as “The Eco City” or perhaps even “The Green City” because of their ongoing commitment to preserving their magnificent waterways and forests while promoting sustainable design and development through progressive urban policies and public outreach.  The last time we were there was for the 2nd Annual Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards & Trade Show in 2004.  And we spent some time here in late 2003 when I was compiling info for my Sky Gardens ~ Travels in Landscape Architecture column on the area.  Such a beautiful city!

On March 12-13, the lovely City of Portland will be sponsor and host to their annual free Ecoroof Portland.  What an amazing city for supporting greenroofs – or ecoroofs, as they refer to them here.  Currently with about 200 projects within the city, ecoroofs cover about 10 acres, leading the U.S. in total area greened after Chicago.  And they were one of the first, if not the first, municipality in the nation to offer incentives.  As part of the Grey to Green Initiative, the City of Portland is offering an incentive of up to $5 per square foot for ecoroofs towards a target of 43 additional acres by 2013.  In the past year, the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) awarded the incentive to 50 projects for a total of over 4 acres.  Read more in Industry Support and the City’s Incentive Project Page for more information. You can visit ecoroofs and other sustainable stormwater projects in Portland with these self-guided tours, and the City maintains an Ecoroof Blog, which is very informative, too!

The premier champion there of stormwater mitigation, and ecoroofs in particular, is Tom Liptan, ASLA.  I’ve known Tom for over 12 years, when I first contacted him about greenroofs back when I was a landscape architecture student at UGA a had “discovered” them myself.  Gracious, kind, and accommodating, he nurtured and fueled my passion for this earth-friendly sustainable technology.  And Tom has always put his money where his mouth is – he installed one of the first ecoroofs in Portland atop his garage in 1996.  The now famous Liptan Garage Greenroof served as early a demonstration project and testing grounds for a variety of factors – read more in the profile.

Designed to inform a varied audience of professionals and homeowners, the lineup of speakers will educate and inspire you to consider a greenroof on your next project.  A Vendor Fair with over 60 professionals and organizations will be on-hand both days to share their ecoroof experience, products, and services.  Featured speakers include Dr. David J. Sailor, Ed Snodgrass, and me!  Dr. Sailor is a full professor at the Mechanical and Materials Engineering faculty at Portland State University, Member Faculty of the Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center (Oregon BEST), and directs Portland State University’s Green Building Research Laboratory.  Ed Snodgrass is co-owner of Emory Knoll Farms/Green Roof Plants, a fifth generation farmer and nurseryman specializing in plants and horticultural consulting for greenroofs.  An accomplished speaker and writer (“Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide”), he’s also our Plant Editor who writes his occasional column “Ask Ed“  – read my “From Llamas to Greenroofs: An Interview with Ed Snodgrass.”  See full profiles here and a complete list of all the speakers and Agenda here.

See Ed on Friday at 12:00 pm at the Welcome and Keynote Address where Environmental Services Director Dean Marriott will welcome attendees and introduce Ed as the Keynote Speaker.  His presentation will focus on the role of ecoroofs in sustainable cities.  On Saturday at noon, Commissioner Dan Saltzman will welcome attendees and introduce me – I will be presenting “Hot Trends in Greenroof Design,” a compilation of my favorite international projects from our Top 10 Lists from the past with a look at some of the new, innovative, leading vanguard and projects for 2010.  On Saturday at 4:00 pm Ed will be part of a panel where you can get some help getting started on your own ecoroof project – “The Ecoroof Doctors are IN,” along with Tom Liptan, David Elkin, and Alice Meyers from BES, and Patrick Carey of hadj design, a Green Roofs for Healthy Cities trainer, and our Architecture Editor.  Patrick writes an occasional architectural column entitled “A View from the Sky Trenches,” where he selects and discusses pertinent greenroof industry topics.

Don’t miss Ecoroof Portland!  It will run on Friday and Saturday, March 12 & 13, 2010 at the Leftbank Annex, located at 101 N. Weidler St in downtown Portland.  It’s very close to the Rose Quarter – you can find directions by clicking the following link.  Learn all about Ecoroof Portland 2010 at the City’s BES website.

If you can attend, please stop by and say hello!  Happy greening,

~ Linda V.