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 December 2nd, 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 December 2nd on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

-  Our project of the week is the Free Library of Philadelphia Parkway Central built in 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Free Library is one of the most visited educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia and consists of 49 branches, three regional libraries, the Parkway Central Library, and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.  On September 29, 2008, Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter cut a green ribbon and officially unveiled the Parkway Central Library’s new greenroof demonstration project atop the four story 1927 Beaux-Arts building. The green roof was made possible through generous support from H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest, PECO, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Quita W. Horan.

The 5,000 square foot greenroof is protected by an EPDM waterproofing membrane and includes 100 cubic yards of rooflite growing median and more than 5,400 plants. The Library’s greenroof demonstration represents the first greenroof on a city-owned building and is part of the Mayor’s initiative to make Philadelphia one of the greenest cities in the country. The accessible greenroof offers a beautiful view of central Philadelphia from the terrace. Green Roof Technology, formerly Green Roof Service, was also a consultant on the project.

To learn more about the Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central greenroof, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

“What’s New”

-  Make sure to read our latest articles. Ralph Velasquez, our Guest Contributing Editor, asks, “Are those products you buy really Green? Or are you a victim of Greenwashing?” in his latest column, “The Six Sins of Greenwashing.” And Andrés Ibáñez Gutiérrez, Faculty of Architecture for the University of Hong Kong and Biotectonica S.A.S, Colombia, talks about “Pioneering Vegetated Architecture in Colombia: From Research to Regulations,” in his guest feature article.

Advertiser Press Releases:

- $2,000 is Available Toward School Garden Projects: Green Living Wall School Garden – Green Living Technologies Mobile Edible Wall Unit Qualifies.

Industry News Update

-  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) have joined forces to promote the Federal Green Challenge Initiative in New England federal facilities.

-  New York City’s Green Infrastructure Program will give out up to $4 million more in grants to build greenroofs, rain gardens, rainwater harvesting, right-of-way bioswales and other projects to reduce and manage stormwater.

-  Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “Hope to See You @ CitiesAlive 2011 in Philly This Week!” and our GPW.

- “Upcoming Events”

-  Going on now through Saturday, December 3rd: is Green Roofs for Healthy Cities’ CitiesAlive 2011 9th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

-  December 6th: is an Ecoroof Seminar for Professionals, City of Portland, BES, in Portland, OR.

And December 6th-8th: is the Ecobuild America Conference in Washington, DC.

- “In the News”

-  Denise Piper of the Whangarei Leader, talks about “Living roof concept `great branding.” She quotes Dusty Gedge, president of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations, about living roofs when he spoke to 40 people as one of four talks in New Zealand last week. He says “living roofs could be great branding for Northland,” and that “Hundertwasser [Austrian painter and architect who embraced the living roof concept] obviously loved this part of the world. Living roofs could add subtly to the tourist route.” The Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa are well known for their grass roofs. The Hundertwasser Art Centre proposed for Whangarei to have a living roof park, ramping up from the ground to the top of the building.

-  Will Parsons of Environmental Data Interactive, reports on “Green wall unveiled at Edgware Road Tube station.” The 200 square meter green wall was completed this week with a ceremony that saw the Mayor of London’s director of the environment, Kulveer Ranger, add the final piece into place. The project took only a month to complete and is part of the London Clean Air Fund, financed by the Department for Transport; and the 15 varieties of plants used in the wall will improve the air quality by trapping particulate matter coming from traffic emissions. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said of the green wall: “Delivering cleaner air for London is a top priority for me and this ingenious green wall traps harmful pollution on one of our busiest roads, helping to cleanse the air at this popular spot as well as helping to soften and beautify the local environment.”

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 December 2nd, 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.

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 November 18th, 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 November 18th on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

-  Our project of the week is the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Rooftop Healing Gardens built in 2010 in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. The 90,000 sf LEED-Gold certified facility has other sustainable building elements besides the “wellness” area rooftop garden, including an array of over 200 solar photovoltaic panels that provide the hospital with 45 kilowatts of power and a Connection to the Natural World, Places of Healing and Respite. “Martha’s Vineyard Hospital was able to meet this innovative credit by incorporating many Planetree patient-focused elements into the new facility that enhanced patient healing; including views, natural light, privacy, and access to healing gardens.” Weston Solutions’ Northeast GreenGrid team provided a plant mix including grasses, perennials, and sedums that are proven to be reliable in the Northeast climate and that bloom at various times during the season, creating an always welcoming space for hospital visitors, patients, and staff.

To learn more about the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Rooftop Healing Gardens, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

“What’s New”

-  Our new 2012 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ 12 Month Wall Calendar will be available soon for purchase, so check back and get a fun gift for you, your family, friends, staff and clients!

Industry News Update

-  The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) just released a new report, “Rooftops to Rivers II: Green Strategies for Controlling Stormwater and Combined Sewer Overflows.” It looks at 14 cities that are choosing to use green infrastructure as a cost-effective means to reduce the flooding and water pollution caused by both extreme and everyday storms.

-  Over at Sky Gardens, check out Linda’s latest posts: “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: November 4, 2011,” “This Week in Review” for October 28th, 2011 and our GPW.

- “Upcoming Events”

-  November 16th-23rd: Dusty Gedge will have Living Roofs Presentations & Workshops in various locations in New Zealand.

-  November 28th-December 9th: is a Conference of the Parties COP17 2011 Climate Summit in Durban, South Africa.

-  November 30th: is a Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Green Roof Professional Exam in Philadelphia, PA.

-  November 30th-December 1st: is the GOVGREEN Conference and Exposition in Washington, DC.

-  November 30th-December 3rd: is the CitiesAlive 2011 9th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference in Philadelphia, PA. Greenroofs.com will be there – will you?  Linda and Haven Kiers will be presenting their Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design on Friday, December 2, so don’t miss it!

-  And December 1st: is a Green Wall and Roof Forum by Green Living Technologies in Philadelphia, PA.

- “In the News”

-  Gail Johnson of Globe and Mail, talks about how it’s “Easy to be green when your roof saves you money” in Port Coquitlam, Canada. She says, “Thousands of hand-planted sedums and succulents cover the roofs of Walmart and Canadian Tire, anchor tenants at the Onni Group’s Fremont Village shopping centre.” The newly opened outlets abide by the Canadian bylaw that requires buildings of more than 5,000 square meters to use greenroof technology. Mayor Greg Moore realizes that there was some resistance from developers to the city’s new sustainability initiative but the shift to green roofs is a sign of things to come. Developers are now expressing interest in using environmentally sound technology in smaller structures as well. We know that greenroofs help reduce stormwater run off and help offset the urban heat-island effect which they can do through daily dew and evaporation cycles, allowing plants to cool cities during hot weather. Energy savings continue throughout the life of the building, which typically would be twice as long as a traditional roof.

-  Craig Welch of The Seattle Times, reports on “Vancouver, BC, works to be greenest of all.” Vancouver has announced its desire to become the greenest city in the world by 2020. Welch says, “The city is moving to reduce solid waste by 50 percent, cut residents’ carbon footprints by a third and dramatically increase public transit, walking and bike use. It is packing citizens in more densely, trying to encourage more locals to grow food and generally urging lighter living on the land.” One example of how the city is striving to be the greenest is in its drive to substantially cut the waste it sends to landfills. Canada is increasingly making industries take responsibility for disposal of the products they sell, which means that citizens can drop unwanted goods off at facilities paid for by their manufacturers. Vancouver has already achieved success as it continues to get attention from around the world for its efforts to be an eco-leader; and it is inspiring a new generation of innovators.

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 November 18th, 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.

Well, folks, it’s that time of year again – the end of 2011 – when we start looking ahead and planning for the next!

What better way to stay up to date with greenroof and greenwall happenings around the world than with our brand new 2012 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ 12 Month Wall Calendar?  Now in our fifth year of publishing, the Calendar combines two of our most popular destinations on Greenroofs.com: The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database and Upcoming Events.

We’re very happy with the beautiful projects highlighted and hope you will be, too.  See the Press Release here.

The 2012 Calendar has 78 events posted from across the globe and the cover features the luscious, top to bottom plant-enveloped Private Brussels Residence Vertical Garden & Greenroof by Patrick Blanc and Philippe Samyn.  Inside you’ll find full color glossy photos of projects from Honolulu, Long Island City, Chicago, Culpeper, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Atlanta, San Francisco, Delft, New York City, Beachwood, and Baltimore.

Special thanks go to our participating Sponsors of the 2012 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Calendar:  Barrett Company, Green Living Technologies, Green Roof Blocks, GreenGrid, International Leak Detection, LiveRoof, rooflite®, Roofmeadow, Saul Nurseries, Tremco, Xero Flor America, and ZinCo-USA.

And thanks to these Greenroofs.com’s Sponsors who weren’t featured this year - American Hydrotech and Conservation Technology - but whose support also makes our website possible (along with all of you who are listed in The Greenroof Directory)!

By the way, if you’d like to see all the previous years’ calendar projects, click here.

The 2012 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Calendar will make a perfect holiday gift for you, your staff, and your green architecture like-minded friends and family, so order now in time for all the upcoming holidays and the new year.

Enjoy and happy greening!

~ Linda V.

Our vision of producing and sharing the virtual experience to our industry with our inaugural Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 was successful, and we couldn’t have done it without the great support of many people, in particular our main patron, Rare Earth Sponsor TREMCO, along with Emerald Sponsor American Hydrotech.

Thanks again also to our Exhibitors Grant Associates, Green Living Technologies, Green Roof Blocks, GreenGrid Roofs, Green Roof Plants, ILD, J-DRain, and Roofmeadow – although the lifeblood of any conference is its speakers, the sponsors and exhibitors make it happen – none of this would have been possible without their financial support!

We are so proud to have put together the most amazing community of talented international speakers that you could have asked for – all leaders in their fields.  See the Speakers page and read all about them and their presentations.

Speaking of our Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Speakers, I’d like to stress that although the 2 live days have passed, the end of the Virtual Summit is on October 28 – if you missed out on September 27 & 28, you can still register until October 28!

You can’t beat the price of only $49 – or $25 for students/faculty/government professionals - to access all 32 of our great panel sessions, interviews, presentations, and live Q & A commentary plus see the latest from manufacturer/supplier and organization/government exhibitors.

Visit all of our truly unique and innovative areas within the virtual environment: the Rare Earth and On Demand Auditoriums, the Tremco Meeting Room, the Sky Terrace Networking Lounge, the Media Lounge, and the International, North American & Associates Pavilions at the Expo – did you know you can still chat with your fellow online attendees either in a public or private via video, audio, or text while logged in?

We’re putting together an awesome Highlights Video of our wonderful participants to give you a taste of what you are missing – look for it soon!  We hope to see you still in Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011!  Register here.

Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!

~ Linda V.

Greenroofs.com’s inaugural Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 was simply awesome!

Thank you to our Rare Earth Sponsor, TREMCO, for making it a reality, especially Ralph Velasquez!  Ralph, Executive Director of Sustainability with Tremco, was one of our Keynote Speakers and created a wonderful video presentation about CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility.

Also, we are very grateful to the support of our Emerald Sponsor, American Hydrotech.  Richard C. Hayden, RLA, ASLA, CLARB, is the Garden Roof Department Manager at American Hydrotech and shared some amazing projects and experience with “Sloped and Complex Green Roofs.”

As you already know the winner of our first iPad2 given away for early bird registrants was James Neville of Neville Environmental Services from Vancouver, B.C., Canada…

Without further ado, the winner of the second Apple iPad2 is…

Kira Udo, Student at Georgia Perimeter College!

Kira lives in Roswell, Georgia, just a stone’s throw from us here in Alpharetta. She is studying French with a concentration in Business Administration.  She’s interested in greenwalls and loves the work of Patrick Blanc.  Congratulations!

All of the content of the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2011 is available online through October 28, 2011. That includes the:

Tremco Meeting Room;
Tremco Booth in the International Pavilion;
American Hydrotech Booth in the North American Pavilion;
All of our other Exhibitor Booths in The Expo Pavilions including Grant Associates, Green Living Technologies, Green Roof Blocks, GreenGrid Roofs, Green Roof Plants, ILD, J-DRain, and Roofmeadow;
The Associates Booths at the Associate Pavilion;
The featured presentations and expert panel discussions with live Q & A records in the Rare Earth Auditorium;
and the rest of our stellar cast of international luminaries in the On Demand Auditorium.

It’s certainly not too late to register and see all of these amazing speakers and their interaction with our audience!  Registration will be open through October 28, 2011.

Here’s what one attendee had to say afterwards:

“Thank you for hosting the Virtual Summit 2011.  The event was extremely useful to me.  I’ve been working with green roofs here in Florida since 1995 and feel I learned more in two days than in most years since the time I first started growing plants way back, on a tin roof.

Most importantly though, the enthusiasm and success of others was so very important.

Here in Florida we lag behind the rest of the nation and the world.  But that is changing.  I know green roofs here will evolve just as beautifully and successfully as elsewhere.

Just seeing the inspirational work of others gave me the boost I needed.  Thank you and Aramis and the staff and speakers.  The Greenroofs.com Virtual Summit 2011 showed the world the importance of your outreach and informational organization.” ~ Kevin Songer

Thanks, Kevin!  If you weren’t able to join us live, we hope you will still sign up and enjoy the 32 presentations at your leisure through October 28!

See you at a physical conference somewhere in the world soon, and remember,

Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!

~ Linda V.

Hi all – Linda and I have just returned from Green Living Technologies‘ Professional Installer Certification Training in New York City this past weekend, January 15-17.

We were guests of George Irwin, Chairman / CEO Green Living Technologies LLC (GLT).  George is also known to most of you as the Green Wall Editor here at Greenroofs.com.  George wanted us to see firsthand how their green roof and green wall training can benefit underprivileged youth and under-served adults getting into or returning to the work force, providing practical hands-on experience resulting in green collar jobs.  And as designers ourselves as well, we really wanted to learn more, too.

Part of the GLT Institute, the training certification is backed by the future degree track diploma being developed by The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education for the new Hunts Point High School for Sustainable Community Initiatives in the Bronx, New York City.  This four-year high school degree track centers on green technologies including a base curriculum around the GLT technologies.  Supported by the New York Department of Education as part of a CTE (Career Technical Education) program, the GLT Training is the precursor to its core curriculum, and aligns with New York State and National Learning Standards. 

This course was obviously also developed to meet the preliminary objectives for professionals to become a Certified GLT Installer, and provides the intellectual property and know how to receive more advanced hands-on supervision for their patented products.

So far, GLT has trained over 750 representatives around the world and in seven countries.  George says the certification course is unlike any other green roof or wall training available since it encompasses extensive knowledge about all aspects of green roofs and walls – waterproofing, urban agriculture, edible walls – and provides hands-on learning, continued support, and much more.

The training was held at the Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School and led by George.  His dynamic personality and commitment to learning, developing, and teaching the latest technologies in the field are a direct testament to the success of his company.  Their recent project with Impacto Verde (their licensed South American manufacturer and distributor), is the Hotel InterContinental in Santiago, Chile, which boasts the world’s largest modular Green Living Wall at 17,000 sf (maybe the world’s largest overall?  I’m not sure).

Green Job Training

The certification was attended by industry architects, landscape architects, designers, general contractors, landscape contractors and installers, educators, from the U.S. and abroad, and also about 30 students, including several from Discovery High School in the Bronx, NY.

Part Bronx activist and part youth advocate, these students are fortunate to have Steve Ritz of Discovery High School as their classroom teacher.  The Teacher/Administrator says, “Green is the new black!”  The older ones were the first student class to have graduated from this GLT course last year, and are now helping with the younger group.

Mr. Ritz’s enthusiasm for the program – and passion for teaching his students – is infectious, and it was inspiring to hear him speak on the opportunities and rewards of the program.  The success of his classes is what has has propelled the GLT program into the core degree track for the new Career Training School in the Bronx, to open in 2011.

We learned that Steve met George on the set of Good Morning America last June when GLT products were featured along with Steve’s outstanding students.  Their innovative public-private partnership started when George later taught a 40-minute class at Discovery High School.

This led to a GLT-funded scholarship program that took the students from the Bronx to Boston for formal training with GLT affiliate Cityscapes, Inc.  Following their graduation from this intensive training, they returned to the Bronx extremely excited!  After receiving their certifications from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., the students and faculty had the opportunity to meet New York  Mayor Michael Bloomberg and celebrity chef Rachel Ray, who praised their work and commitment.  The best part is that while the students are growing fresh organic vegetables they had grown from seeds in their classroom using GLT walls (and taking them home), they’re actually getting paid real living wages as installers while learning practical job skills outside a traditional classroom setting.

Hands-on and More Hands-on

Friday centered on greenroofs and their different systems and options, and the highlight was the mock installation of the GLT modular panel greenroof system.  All the young people (and anyone else who wanted to participate) formed groups of five and collaborated to ensure safety, preparation of the job site, good communication skills, and quality control while installing the green roof materials.

On Saturday we covered a lot more material on greenwalls, and then received more hands-on work.  We placed the proprietary growing medium (GLT bioSoil) into several stainless steel greenwall units, and then planted them with a variety of vegetable seeds including different types of lettuce, radishes, carrots and chives.  This edible greenwall will be placed in Steve Ritz’s classroom in the Bronx as part of their urban crops learning – they not only cook their freshly grown vegetables for the school cafeteria on special events, they also sell their harvest at the local farmer’s market and then reap the profits, too.  Steve incorporates GLT’s philosophy of “zero miles” – from farm to table with indoor and outdoor edible walls for growing fresh fruits and vegetables in urban environments.  The new GLT Mobile Edible Wall® (MEW) Urban Food Production Units (pictured at left) and commercial A frames are designed to advance urban food production and edible wall technology, and work great in schools because they are on wheels and can be rolled from classroom to classroom as needed.

But the day’s highlight was the actual hands-on installation for the greenwall at the school where attended the class – the Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School.  Everyone gathered around as George took us through the installation process, step by step.  The students eagerly participated and took turns wearing safety goggles, measuring, using a level, pre-drilling, drilling and installing the modules.  The easy drip irrigation that is part of the modular system had been discussed previously, but here it wasn’t necessary because this greenwall will be hand watered from the top, with excess water falling into the catch basin at the base.

These GLT greenwall units were donated by GLT and pre-grown at Parker Nursery and have a selection of gorgeous tropical plants.  A total of six units were installed to create this living tapestry, and the end result was fantastic.  What a great sight to see when you come through the school lobby!

On Monday, we heard from Tom Walsh, GRP, of Parker Nursery and Parker Urban Greenscapes, licensed GLT distributor, who spoke to us about many important items to consider about design and maintenance - from water needs to plant health, he covered variables such as irrigation, plant selection, light, temperatures, and a rigorous maintenance schedule.

Great People

We met such great people from all over, who all share the same passion in this exciting field.  Here Linda and I are proud to be pictured with some new friends – all great professional, inspiring, talented women in their own right.  At right we are from left to right:  Lynn Torgerson, Liz Holloway, Caroline, Linda, and Naomi Person at Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School.

Some extra-curricular activities of the conference weekend included some excellent New York food (of course) at nearby restaurants, and a great evening out after class on Sunday at a neighborhood jazz-supper club with George and friends.  We saw the fantastic KJ Denhert and her band at Smoke.

It was great to meet Mike Bucci and Angela DiPrima-Bucci, too, the talents of G-Space, a Philadelphia architecture and design/build firm.  Perhaps you have seen their spectacular PNC Bank greenwall in our 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World Calendar™ – featured this month for January.  They shared stories about the trials and tribulations of erecting the 10-story high green wall in Pittsburgh – the largest in North America at the time in 2009, at 2,380 sf:

   
Also we enjoyed the visiting after hours with Chris Wark, Energy Editor at Greenroofs.com, and his lovely wife, Wendy.  On Saturday, Linda and I enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvres with them in their beautiful Manhattan home and then out to dinner afterwards.  Below is the incredible view from our gracious hosts’ apartment.

They even took us up on their rooftop for equally spectacular views of the city, below.  There’s nothing better than having New Yorkers show you around their city, and hearing all their great stories about the area – things you could never know as being just the occasional tourist to the city.  It was such a treat to meet them!

Our flight was soon after our final half-day class on Monday, but Linda and I crammed in a quick trip to the NBC Experience Store to see that much talked-about green wall that Steve Ritz’s students had installed last November (visit NBC’s Green is Universal website for more information).  It was beautiful, and I’m glad that we had just enough time to see it before heading out to the airport.  (I rather liked that greenwalls took precedence over shopping in NYC.)

See this fantastic YouTube video from NBC – it’s all about corporate and personal passion and commitments, showing Steve Ritz’s for his students, George Irwin’s for this private-public relationship, and NBC’s overall belief that Green is Universal!  You can see the students (many of whom who were in our class) installing the NBC Experience Store greenwall, too. 

All in all, it was a wonderful learning experience – really invaluable information that I feel very fortunate to have been a part of, and I’d like to personally thank George for that.  Also we’d also like to thank Steve Ritz and his wife Lizette (great lady!) and the students for their hard work in making everything run smoothly (and feeding us).  Great City, Great People, Great Training Event!

And finally, I’d like to express my gratitude to Linda and Aramis – not only for the opportunities and experiences I’ve had because of them – but also for their friendship.  I first interned with Greenroofs.com a couple of years ago during my career change, and since then have continued to work with them occasionally as a marketing and design contributor, and also working with Linda on several local projects.  I’ve learned so much from their dedication to sharing everything there is to know about the industry through their invaluable website, and through them, I’ve also met the best people in the industry, and acquired some great new friends along the way.  So thanks, guys!

~ Caroline

The Greenroofs.com 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Calendar is ready for sale!  Download our Press Release here.

As you know if you’ve been following us for a while (this is our 4th year of printing), the Greenroofs & Walls of the World 2011 Calendar™ combines two of our most popular destinations on Greenroofs.com: The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database and Upcoming Events.  It’s a great way to showcase fabulous projects and our website Sponsors, our highest level of advertising.

Newly redesigned by Caroline Menetre, 2011 has a sleeker look ~ her years in graphic design have helped us present a more streamlined calendar that is still bursting with colorful glossy photos of awesome projects plus all the international green events you could ever plan on attending in one year.

Also new for 2011 is the inclusion of greenwalls ~ the newest architectural darling in the living architecture world.  And as always, our Calendar is eco-friendly, printed on 50% recycled paper with 25% post consumer waste using soy inks.

Building types are represented with projects from single and multi-family residences and the corporate world to an airport cargo facility, botanical garden, hospital, community college, municipal, federal research library, and even an elevated green street!

Check out the projects highlighted for 2011:

Pricing: Only $12.95 which includes free shipping within the contiguous United States and Canada – and we have discounts for orders of 11 calendars and above.  Remember that shipping rates will vary with international destinations.  Visit our Calendar page for all the specifics and ordering information here.

If you’re attending the the 8th Annual Green Roof and Green Wall Conference – CitiesAlive! in Vancouver, B.C. on November 30 – December 3, 2010, the first 50 visitors to stop by the Greenroofs.com booth (#416) will receive a free Calendar, so make sure to stop by early!  When we’re out we’ll be offering them for sale at a special Conference rate of only $10 – first come, first served.  Afterwards, of course, the Calendar will be available for purchase and shipping at any time.

Special thanks go to our participating Sponsors in the 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Calendar:  Barrett Company, Express Blower, Green Living Technologies, Green Roof Blocks, GreenGrid, LiveRoof, Roofscapes, Saul Nurseries, Tremco, Xero Flor America, and ZinCo-USA.

And thanks to all of the rest of Greenroofs.com’s Sponsors who weren’t featured this year, but whose support makes our website possible (along with all of you who are listed in The Greenroof Directory):

American Hydrotech, Conservation Technology,
and International Leak Detection

The 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Calendar will make a perfect holiday gift for you, your staff, and your green architecture like-minded friends and family, so order now in time for all the upcoming holidays and the new year.

Enjoy and happy greening!

~ Linda V.

In all the hustle and bustle of editing feature articles, posting news stories, upcoming events, industry news and project profiles, amid other publisher duties, I sometimes forget to acknowledge the outside accomplishments (from Greenroofs.com) of our contributing editors…  This oversight will be addressed as one of my upcoming New Year’s resolutions, but for now let’s start with George Irwin, our Green Wall Editor:

George Irwin, C.E.O. of Green Living Technologies, discusses the design of an A-frame planter his company makes.

George was recently interviewed for the “Business of Green” article by Ken Belson titled “The Rooftop Garden Climbs Down a Wall” that appeared in the Energy & Environment section on nytimes.com of November 18 and the New York Times print version on November 19, 2009.  One of his Green Living Technologies‘ living wall products was featured when NYC architect Brad Zizmor had an edible wall installed on the backyard deck of his first-floor Manhattan apartment. 

The article really delves into the “Business of Green” – costs are included and Barthelmes Manufacturing Company, the sheet metal fabricator, was also highlighted as well as Kari Elwell Katzander, a landscape designer who designed the 3-panel green wall.  Although the author points out that these small greening solutions can be costly, he refers to another of George’s collaborations, the Urban Farming Food Chain green wall project in Los Angeles, and says:

“Mr. Irwin has shown that edible walls can work on a larger scale. At four locations in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles, there are walls with more than 4,000 plants growing: tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, spinach, leeks, even baby watermelon. At one location, a homeless shelter, residents tend to a six-foot-high, 30-foot-long wall, eating some food they harvest and selling the rest.

The project, urban farming advocates say, is just the start of something larger.”

Make sure to also click on the slide show “Edible Walls of Green” – there are 12 awesome photos of the Zizmor wall, a living wall at the College of Applied Sciences and Technology at Rochester Institute of Technology, and cool manufacturing shots, with just a few below:

Oh yeah, while I’m am it, I should tell you that George Irwin won the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Award of Excellence in the Green Walls category this year.  Presented on June 5, 2009 at the 7th Annual Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards, and Trade Show at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, he won for his involvement and contribution to the Urban Farming Food Chain green walls, truly a dedicated community affair of residents, manufacturers, students, professors, activists, and designers.  We were very proud of him, of course, and I should have blogged about this very prestigious accomplishment after the conference, but somehow didn’t.

You can read more about this award from the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities website, and see each of the initial four green wall sites of the Urban Farming Food Chain in The Greenroof Projects Database:  Skid Row Housing Trust’s ‘The Rainbow’; The Weingart Center Association; Miguel Contreras Learning Complex and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Green Wall.

I should also probably mention that because of his work with this project, George has also been on Good Morning America and invited to the White House, too.  I am a forgetful editor, indeed!  George writes about this exciting, worthy, and humbling experience in his upcoming Green Walls column, which should be up very soon.  Kudos, George!

~ Linda V.