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 August 12, 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 this week, August 12th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

-  Our project of the week is the BCIT Green Roof Research Facility built in 2003 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The British Columbia Institute of Technology designed a dedicated Green Roof Research Facility with the support of regional government, organizations, industry associations and material suppliers to help address the major barriers to market penetration of green roofs in BC. The BCIT Green Roof Research Facility was constructed to evaluate green roof performance for stormwater source control and thermal efficiency.  It has three independent roof surfaces – one reference roof and two green roofs – each with their own weather poles to measure climatic parameters. In addition to researching stormwater source control and thermal performance of green roofs, the BCIT Centre for the Advancement of Green Roof Technology also conducts product performance testing, serves for demonstration, and offers research-based education and training across disciplines. The Centre is a leading sustainable initiative that will help re-define how buildings are designed, and how land and water can be more effectively managed.

-  To learn more about the BCIT Green Roof Research Facility, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

“What’s New”

-  Due to a series of unexpected events, we have rescheduled our Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2011 to September 27th & 28th. We are very excited about our exceptional line-up of speakers and exhibitors and the extra time will ensure that the event will be a unique experience like no other. The extra time will be well worth it in the end to allow our speakers more time to prepare their presentations, people to be back from vacations, and for all of us to start spreading the word! So, our Early Bird Pre-Registration has also been extended and now you have until September 9th to pre-register and be entered to win an iPad2!

-  Advertiser Press Releases:

-  AIA Credits Available at Boston GreenFest for the GLTi “Green Roof Installations” Lecture with George Irwin.

-  Community College of Philadelphia Selects LiveRoof® for Two New Green Roofs at its Main Campus.

- Industry News

-  The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) has agreed to make extensive improvements to its sewer systems & treatment plants, at an estimated cost of $4.7 billion over 23 years, to eliminate illegal overflows of untreated raw sewage, including basement backups; and to reduce pollution levels in urban rivers and streams.

-  Over at Sky Gardens, read Linda’s latest posts: “Date Change for the Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2011,” TWIR for 8.5.11 and our GPW.

- “Upcoming Events”

-  August 16th: there is a Green Roofs for Healthy Cities – GRP Exam in Washington, DC.

-  August 16th-18th: is Ag Progress Days, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences in Rock Springs, Pennsylvania.

-  And August 18th-20th: is Boston GreenFest 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts.

-  And check out our homepage for more Upcoming Events!

- “In the News”

-  Darah Hansen of The Vancouver Sun talks about “Car dealership buzzing with sweet activity.” In 2007, the 62,000-sq.-ft. Auto West BMW dealership in Richmond opened with more than $1 million in sustainable features, including a 16-meter-tall wind turbine, solar panels, a geothermal heating and cooling system, and a rooftop garden. Honey bees came two years later, following the rise of alarming news articles on the global collapse of honey bee colonies. The rooftop garden includes more than 3,500 bee-friendly plants, from lavender, wild strawberries and red currant to pink carpet roses, blueberries and apple blossoms. The project is also part of a study led by York University exploring how the urban environment affects the nesting habits of honey bees.

-  The Your News Now, web staff says “Downtown building gets new green roof.” The roof of the Monroe Building in downtown Syracuse now has a new environmentally-friendly roof with stormwater management capabilities projected to capture more than 90,000 gallons of water each year. The building’s owner applied for and received help from Onondaga County’s Green Improvement Fund, which is part of the county’s Save the Rain campaign. Its goal is to help reduce storm water pollution and clean up Onondaga Lake. The Green Improvement Fund covers several areas in the City of Syracuse.

- 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 August 12th, 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 July 22, 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 this week, July 22nd, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is the San Francisco Residential Living Wall built in 2010 in California.  A newly remodeled modern house sits on a bottom of a hillside in Pacific Heights with a notable retaining wall at the back of the property.  The backyard is sunken into the hill edged with three large, tall concrete walls surrounded by greenery.  The owner/designer’s mission was to create a striking display of vertical gardens that would take advantage of the walls to their greatest potential.  The goal was to show a living wall that brings biodiversity, beauty and enjoyment to the owner’s lifestyle.  This planting display is modeled after a natural vertical garden similar to a woodland cliff on a north facing hill in California.  The vision of a mixture of subtropical plants with northwestern ferns and fern-allies gives the wall its lush looking state.  The framework of the wall uses Tournesol Siteworks modules and bracket systems and had been in planning for six months prior to the installation of the 96 VGM modules with 1,536 plants used to cover the back yard.  The planting was based on a planting plan developed from a sketch drawn by the homeowner and designer Michelle Bond of Thumbellina Gardens; and the plan has over 75 varieties of shade loving plants which were appropriate for the north facing hillside of the site.

- To learn more about the San Francisco Residential Living Wall, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

“What’s New”

– Pre-Registration is now open for our Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2011! Connecting the Planet + Living Architecture: People, Projects & Design, a Greenroofs.com Virtual Conference and Expo will be held on August 23rd & 24th of this year! Pre-Register by the Early Bird Registration date of August 10th and you’ll be entered to win one of two iPad2’s that we’ll be giving away!

- Advertiser Press Releases:

- VGM green wall modules by Elmich Australia have been installed at Fujitsu headquarters in Melbourne to create an internal north facing green wall.

- Plug Plant Sale Now on at Sedum Master!

- LiveRoof is the First Green Roof System to be FM Approved fulfilling the highest standards for performance, safety and quality.

- Joblinks:

- The University of Sheffield is looking for a Marie Curie Experienced Researcher in Green Roof Stormwater Management in Sheffield, United Kingdom.

- Over at the Sky Gardens Blog, check out Linda’s latest posts about “The Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2011 from Greenroofs.com!,” and how to Win an iPad2 by Pre-Registering by August 10, “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: July 15th, 2011” and our GPW.

- “Upcoming Events”

- July 25th: is the Skyrise Greenery Awards 2011 Deadline!

- July 26th: is a Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Advanced Green Roof Maintenance Course in Toronto, Canada.

- And August 23rd & 24th: is our Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2011 held online around the world!

- “In the News”

- Ana Lisa Alperovich of the Inhabitat Blog, talks about “RIBA Award-Winning Dental Practice Rises From The Lush British Countryside.” Going to the dentist can be a stressful and unsettling experience for some, maybe most, people and the sterilized white dental surgery rooms don’t seem to help the situation. David Sheppard Architects wanted to change that and created Brown’s Dental Practice, a relaxing woodland double-height dental practice that incorporates local materials like stone, wood and glass, while blending in with the lovely Ivybridge countryside. The dental surgery center also features a sloping green sedum roof and a range of photovoltaic panels which produce renewable energy used throughout the building. Also, this project was recently awarded this year’s Royal Institute of British Architects Award.

- Lisa Law of Americus Times-Recorder, reports on “Medical center to feature ‘green’ rooftop.” The new Phoebe Sumter Medical Center’s anticipated opening date is December 17th, later this year and with its opening, patients will enjoy the largest green rooftop in the southeastern United States. The director of marketing and public relations, Marcus Johnson, says “the roof is 26,000 square feet and the primary goal of the roof is to provide not only beautiful scenery, but provide a holistic environment for patients as well as visitors.” He also says it’s been proven that patients heal better when surrounded by plants, and the greenroof is eco-friendly offering other benefits like, providing thermal insulation, cutting down on dust, along with reducing energy costs. The greenroof will feature sedum and delosperma in a vast variety of colors of reds and yellows; and will serve as a sanctuary for butterflies, wild bees, beetles and more.

- 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 July 22nd, 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.  After a summer vacation, here’s the transcript from June 24 which also covers the weeks of June 17 & 10, 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 this week, June 24th 2011, as well as for the past two weeks since I was gone for a little summer break, on GreenroofsTV.

- Projects of the Week

-  Our project of the week is the Hotel Ushuaïa Low-Tech Vertical Garden built in 2011 in Ibiza, Spain.  Situated in the Hotel Ushuaïa de Ibiza, the four panel eco.bin greenwall acts as a sound barrier between the open air disco, which is located in between the hotel’s central courtyard and the surrounding guest rooms.  The garden wall consists of rows of ceramic terra cotta containers whose circular openings are individually filled with growing medium and planted. Each interconnected planted ceramic has its own substrate and vegetation, and works together to create this sound-absorbent garden space.  This is the first such type of greenwall garden system in the world.  Also, the designers have selected a variety of native plants which can adapt and thrive in these Mediterranean conditions; and as you can see, they provide a multitude of colors during the year.

-  Our project of the week last week was the NYC Parks Five Borough Administrative Building built in 2007 in Randall’s Island, New York, New York. In response to Mayor Bloomberg’s visionary 2007 PlaNYC initiative, the Five Borough Technical Services division began a program of installing green roofs of various designs, realizing that they could contribute significantly to the city’s sustainability effort.  To date, the division, together with Parks’ Green Apple Corps and others, has installed 24 systems covering over 29,000 square feet of roof on the west wing of the building including Green Paks, GreenGrid, BioTrays, Bioroof, Xero Flor, and many custom designs. Five Borough’s is the only known green roof in the U.S. to feature such a vast array of distinct systems side-by-side, which vary by types of growing medium, depth of growing medium, and plant selection.  And there are also other non-traditional green roof systems here including a green wall, container systems, a “walkable” atrium system, as well as planters on top of parapet walls.  By the way, look for a very in-depth look at this roof as our Guest Feature Article coming very soon!

-  Our project of the week for June 10th was the Ruthven Garage built in 2010 in Tacoma, Washington.  In 2010, Jenny Ruthven was a horticulture student at Oregon State University, and after graduating found employment within the green roofing industry and wanted to design and install her own greenroof, and her parents’ garage was the perfect spot.  With the help of family and friends, they had to first add some additional structural support to the garage and replace the 29+ year old shingles. Then, they used a custom made blend of soil which ended up consisting of about 52% inorganic and 48% organic.  Inorganic was all pumice, with a bit of perlite thrown in. Half of the organic component was cedar grove compost, and the rest was coconut fiber, peat moss, mushroom compost, chicken compost, and steer compost. They planted 432 plants, with about 60 different species and varieties total.  Looking back now, Mom Sandra says that she figured that she’d really like her greenroof, but had never  anticipated how much.

-  To learn more about the Ruthven Garage greenroof, type in project ID #1150 in our Projects Database, the NYC Parks Five Borough Administrative Building greenroof, project ID #787 and as always for our current project of the week, this week being the Hotel Ushüaia Low-Tech Vertical Garden, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.  And, you can also always go to our Sky Gardens Blog and read Linda’s expanded post about our project of the week every week!

“What’s New”

-  Advertiser Press Releases:

-  LiveRoof® Adds an Architectural Specialist, Michael R. Selleck, in Chicago to Support Sales of the LiveRoof® Hybrid Green Roof System.

-  Tremco Headquarters Completes Comprehensive Green Renovation, Becomes a Showcase of Sustainable Construction Technology.

- Registration is now open in Ottawa, Canada – for a Green Living Technologies International (GLTi) Green Wall Seminar.

-  Skyland USA is pleased to announce the launch of a new rooflite® certified growing media website.

-  Joblinks:

The University of Sheffield is looking for a Hydrologist or Urban Drainage Marie Curie More Experienced Researcher in Sheffield, United Kingdom.

-  You can go to greenroofs.com/joblinks.htm more information on this job and other Green Roof Job postings.

-  Make sure to check out our latest Guest Feature Articles and Blog Posts:

-  Christine Thuring gives us her latest report on the 1st International Green Roof Students Conference in Sheffield, UK.

-  And Steven Peck fills us in on a Green Roofs for Healthy Cities’ 2011 CitiesAlive Conference update.

-  Over at the Sky Gardens Blog, catch up on all of Linda’s other posts about Chris Wark’s 2011 7-part Green Roof Energy Series is now available on PDF, and the Greenroofs.com’s “TWIR” on GreenroofsTV for June 3rd, 2011.

- Industry News

-  Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway announced the 15 winners of Department of Environmental Protection’s 2011 Green Infrastructure Grant Program. Selected from a total of 52 applications, the 15 winners will share approximately $3.8 million of funds to build green infrastructure projects that will reduce combined sewer overflows and improve water quality in the New York Harbor.

-  Green Roofs for Healthy Cities announces co-host agreements with the City of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society for its 9th Annual CitiesAlive Green Roof and Wall Conference November 30th – December 3rd, 2011.

-  The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) has selected 13 educational and cultural facilities for this year’s CAE Educational Facility Design Awards.

-  “Upcoming Events”

-  June 21st-25th: is the 2011 APGA Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

-  June 27th-29th: is the 48th International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) World Congress in Zurich, Switzerland.

-  And on June 29th-30th: is Greenbuild EXPO Exhibition & Conference of Sustainable Building in Manchester, United Kingdom.

- For more Upcoming Events visit our homepage.

-  “In the News”

-  Julia Johnson of the Ottawa Citizen reports on “Old film treasure preserved in federal news archives building.”  Earlier this week, Library and Archives Canada unveiled its new $14.7-million preservation facility for nitrate film on the government’s Shirleys Bay campus.  The new building now houses 5,575 reels of nitrate film dating back to 1912.  Archivist and librarian of Canada, Daniel Caron says that the new facility was also designed to be environmentally friendly, including efficient mechanical systems, insulated walls and a greenroof.  And Mario Gasperetti, the archives’ manager of strategic accommodation adds that the greenroof helps with keeping the vault cool by reducing heat exchange and instead of using manicured grass on the roof, it is designed to look exactly like the meadow landscape surrounding the building.

-  Julie Young of the Richmond Times-Dispatch talks about “Burnt-out home goes from ashes to awesome.”  She says a few years ago, the 1920s row house on Grove Avenue was an “architectural corpse.  Its skeletal remains consisted of a disfigured facade, broken bones and devastating internal damage.”  Then along came Dr. Susan Miller and her husband Dr. Kenneth Kendler to the rescue.  In 2008, they signed on to breathe life back into this burnt down home.  Over the next two years, “The Phoenix” was reborn and filled with green eco-friendly sustainable features like their own greenroof, the 25 foot tall green wall located in the home between the dining room and great room, thirty photovoltaic  roof panels, solar panels, concrete countertops flecked with reclaimed glass and rocks their now-adult children collected as kids, and much more.  The living wall ecosystem was designed by Scotty Guinn Dilworth of SG Designs and installed by Capitol Greenroofs who also installed the roof-top garden.

-  Ted Kortan of NewsNet5.com announces “Tremco Incorporated headquarters dedicated in Beachwood.”  Tremco Incorporated, a building products and solutions company, and subsidiary of RPM International, dedicated its renovated 40-year-old corporate headquarters last week.  Tremco said the project has resulted in a “high performance” building that is substantially more efficient, cost effective, and sustainable than the previous headquarters, with features like their vegetated roof with almost 1,600 plants and the area’s first solar powered electric car charging station.  Joining with company officials at Tremco’s Green Road campus for the dedication were Ohio Governor John Kasich, U.S. Senator Rob Portman, U.S. Congresswoman Betty Sutton and Beachwood Mayor Merle Gorden.

-  Sandy Bauers of Philly.com says “A tiny step forward for green roofs in Philadelphia” includes “a cheerful puff of plant life atop a bus-stop shelter.”  Tiffany Ledesma Groll, the project’s coordinator said, “We basically see this project as an opportunity to inspire homeowners.  A lot of the green roofs that are really fabulous and gorgeous are on high-rises” – which most people never see.  She goes on to say, “We thought it would be fun to bring it down to eye level.”  Last week, workers from Roofmeadow, a Philadelphia green roofs company that did the installation pro bono, were busy topping the shelter with its “mini-oasis.”  They planted a fuzz of pink dianthus, multicolored portulaca, and sedum and Roofmeadow also has committed to maintaining the roof for its first two years.  Charlie Miller, president and founder of Roofmeadow, said the roof “will give people a sense of familiarity…how it contributes to the quality of life.”  His son, Ari, designed the installation so it could be replicated as a “kit” for other bus-stop roofs in the city.

-  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 June 24th, 2011 as well as June 10th and 17th 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 May 27, 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 27th, 2011, on  GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

-  Our project of the week is the Unilever Corporate Headquarters designed by HDR, Inc,  built in 2009 located in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.  The greenroof project is a 16,000 sq ft membrane roof retrofit over a 4-story office building, and the existing roofs needed to be replaced because they were leaking and showing signs of deterioration. Unilever desired a roofing system with an enjoyable appearance, considering its high level of visibility from the next door conference room space.  A new ‘Hydrotech’ monolithic membrane system with an extensive ‘LiveRoof’ pre-vegetated tray system was used.  A large variety of 15 types of Sedum and one Delosperma was planted.  To learn more about the Unilever Corporate Headquarters greenroof, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

“What’s New”

-  Joblinks:  Robert Ebl Inc is looking for a part-time Intern in the western suburbs of Chicago, IL.

-  You can go to greenroofs.com/joblinks.htm more information on this job and other Green Roof Job postings.

-  Advertiser Press Release:  Thanks partly to Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance, Local School and Students of The Kenton County School District in Kentucky have benefited from the state’s Largest Solar Electric Installation.

- LiveRoof and GreenFeathers, Inc. Announce Jenny Ruthven as the New Regional Sales Representative in the Pacific Northwest for the LiveRoof Hybrid Green Roof System.

-  Manufactured by VAST Enterprises, Firestone SkyPaver™ Composite Roof Pavers were Selected for Projects in Illinois, Nebraska and Ohio.

- Alumasc Provides ZinCo Green Roof for Pioneering Eco-Spa.

-  Make sure to read George Irwin’s latest article “The Next Add-On Service for Green Roofs and Green Walls” where you can read about his “take on the latest profitable service for landscape contractors, roof garden and green wall professionals and garden lovers alike.

-  Over at the Sky Gardens Blog, check out our new Guest Blog post by Matt Burlin, the Outreach Coordinator for Sustainable Stormwater Management with the City of Portland Environmental Services. He reminds us that June 1 is the deadline of the sixth round of the Ecoroof Incentive. Also see Linda’s latest posts for our GPW, the Unilever Corporate Headquarters, and last week’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV.

-  “Upcoming Events”

-  May 1st – July 31st: is the Integrated Habitat Design Competition (IHDC) 2011 in London, United Kingdom.

-  May 27th – 29th: is ROOF INDIA 2011 in Mumbai, India.

-  May 28th: is ARCSA’s 100-Level Workshop, Introduction to Rainwater Harvesting in Atlanta, Georgia.

-  Also May 28th: is the Call for Papers Deadline for the WGIN’s Internationals Green Technology Symposium 2011 in Indore, India.

-  May 28th – 30th: is Resilient Cities 2011 – World Congress on Cities & Adaptation to Climate Change in Bonn, Germany.

-  June 1st: is the Application deadline to submit projects to the City of Portland Green Roof Incentive program.

-  June 1st – 4th: is Growing Local – 19th Annual Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) in Madison, Wisconsin.

And also June 1st – 4th: is the Green Roof for Heathy Cities – Green Roof Boot Camp in Chicago, Illinois.

- For more Upcoming Events visit our homepage.

-  “In the News”

-  Lorna Thorpe of The Guardian talks about “British Land – offering urban shelter and habitats for insects and rare birds.” She says, “British Land won over the judges for its contribution to local biodiversity – urban habitats that provide shelter and foraging for insects, rare birds and plants in the heart of London.”   In one of the most effective ways to enhance biodiversity, British Land is setting the standard for biodiverse green roofs at many of its buildings; and over the past few years they have installed green roofs on all of its most recent office developments in central London, along with retrofitting them to some existing buildings.

-  Andrew Michler of Inhabitat.com says that “Green-Roofed Minneapolis Central Library is a Civic Lesson on Eco Design.” Minneapolis has one of the greenest libraries and the third largest library collection per capita in the US. The Minneapolis Central Library by Pelli Clark Pelli hosts a huge atrium that splits the building into layers of light-filled spaces to help encourage visitors to find a nice book and stay awhile. A series of greenroofs, advanced cooling and heating systems, and low-energy lights cuts the library’s energy use by nearly a third, teaching everyone by example exactly how deep green design benefits everyone.

-  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 27,  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.

Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 5/23/11
Unilever Corporate Headquarters
Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA
16,000 sf. Greenroof

Year: 2009
Owner: Unilever
Location: EJ, USA
Building Type: Corporate
Type: Extensive
System: Custom
Size: 16,000 sq.ft. 
Slope: 1%
Access: Inaccessible, Private

Google Map: http://goo.gl/maps/7KkH

Project Description & Details

HDR was commissioned to assist Unilever in the relocation of approximately 400 employees to their campus at Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.  A major renovation of the facilities would be required to support the consolidation and maintain the Unilever Headquarters image. The green roof project was an outgrowth of updating the facility and promoted Unilever’s proactive stand on sustainability.

The Unilever Green Roof Project is a 16,000 SF membrane roof retrofit over a 4-story office building.  13,000 SF of the green roof resides over the 3rd floor and the remaining 3,000 SF resides between two open atriums over the 2nd floor.  Specific project challenges involved high visibility from adjacent conference and executive office space; existing railings that did not meet current building codes; existing roof leaks; minimal roof slope; concrete waffle slab structure; and existing load capacity.  A new Hydrotech monolithic membrane system with an extensive LiveRoof pre-vegetated tray system including 15 types of Sedum and one Delosperma was implemented.

Designers/Manufacturers of Record

Architect/Engineer: HDR, Inc.
Modular Greenroof System: LiveRoof
Waterproofing Manufacturer: American Hydrotech
Waterproofing Contractor: Grandview Waterproofing Inc.
Greenroof Contractor: Parker Urban Greenscapes
LiveRoof Grower/Nursery: Creek Hill Nursery
Rooftop Pavers: Hanover Architectural Products
Edge Resistant Systems: Permaloc

Additional Info

HDR, Inc.’s work included a full renovation of a 1970’s vintage office space, as well as 24,000 square feet of new construction for modern office areas.  They also created a central campus conference center and renovated the 16,000-square-foot 700 Campus cafeteria.

Special emphasis on the design was placed on developing interaction among the various business groups; “engagement areas” allow employees to come together and explore product innovations and marketing strategies; site planning also included a “vitality trail” around the campus.

See the Unilever roof below before the greenroof, during the waterproofing phase, and after.  Read HDR, Inc.’s case study here.

This is not the first commitment from Unilever to green architecture.  In fact, their European headquarters located in Hamburg, Germany’s HafenCity on the Elbe River, is considered much more than an office complex. Designed by Behnisch Architects, the vision is for it to act as an extension of a new burgeoning city core.  Envisioned like a vertical village, the huge inside atrium embraces tons of natural light, supplemented by super efficient LED interior lights.  Read more about this at Inhabitat: “Unilever’s Energy Efficient Office is One of the Greenest in Europe.”

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.

Our daughter, Anjuli, has been writing, filming and editing our “This Week in Review” video since August, 2010 and each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com.  Here’s the transcript for March 25, 2011 - 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 March 25th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

-  Our project of the week is the Chicago Botanic Garden, Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center built in 2010 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.  When the Botanic Garden opened its new Center, its goal was to “Save the Plants, Save the Planet.”  This 38,000 square-foot building serves as a state-of-the-art research facility and laboratory dedicated to plant conservation and public education.  Designed by Booth Hansen Architects, it was awarded LEED Gold rating.  In addition to serving as a research area, the roof also functions as a living example of sustainable technologies.  One of the low-slung building’s main “classrooms” is its North and SouthGarden Roof, which features an overlook with interactive panels explaining the benefits of rooftop gardens and greenroofs.  The Chicago Botanic Garden placed a white, energy efficient roof system over the atrium part of the building, anda scrim-reinforced waterproofing membrane under the garden roof, both from Sika Sarnafil.  And the waterproofing system includes Electric Field Vector Mapping® from International Leak Detection, or ILD.  The roof has both built in place greenroofs as well as an area planted with the modular GreenGrid system.

-  To learn more about Chicago Botanic Garden Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center greenroof, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

-  “What’s New”

-  Advertiser Press Release: LiveRoof Introduces RoofStone: the Integrated Pave Solution for the LiveRoof Hybrid Green Roof.  Engineered to Integrate with the Dimensions of LiveRoof Modules, RoofStone Offers a Complementary Accessory for Rooftop Walkways and Patio.

-  Read our newest Guest Feature: “What’s Greener – White Roof or Green Roofs?  Find Out in Washington, D.C. at the Living Architecture Symposium” by Steven Peck and Jeffrey Bruce.  They will be focusing on the continuation to build the government green roof and wall market with presentations focused on bottom line benefits, new research, and a trade show featuring new products and services.  Don’t miss the Living Architecture Symposium on April 11th & 12th hosted by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and see the beautiful National Cherry Blossom Festival there in Washington, D.C., too.  Visit wdc.greenroofs.org for more information and to register today.

-  Joblinks Update:  LiveRoof is seeking an Architectural Product Rep based in Chicago and a Sales Specialist based in Indiana.  Go to greenroofs.com/joblinks.htm to apply to these jobs and check out our other Green Roof Jobs postings.

-  Check out Linda’s latest Sky Gardens Blog posts:  “Earth Hour is Upon Us!”  At 8:30 PM tomorrow, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour; GPW: Chicago Botanic Garden Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center; and “Call for Papers: WGIN’s International Green Technology Symposium 2011.” Organizing Secretary Professor Suresh Billore has issued an open invitation to attend and participate in the World Green Infrastructure Network International Green Technology Symposium 2011, which will be held in Indore, India on October 31st through November 2nd later this year. If you’re interested in presenting a paper, you can submit your extended abstract by May 28th to info@greenindia2011.org.

-  And did you know that now you can read my This Week in Review transcript?  You can, on the Sky Gardens Blog every Saturday.

-  “Upcoming Events”

-  Tomorrow, March 26th: the entire world will be coming together to celebrate Earth Hour.  At 8:30 pm, local time wherever you are, Earth Hour will celebrate a worldwide commitment to ongoing change for the betterment of the one thing that unites us all – the planet.  Your journey can start here by signing up and adding your voice to the hundreds of millions across the globe who have already spoken with their actions.  Check out the inspiring Earth Hour 2011 video to see what the planet’s voice looks like.  What will you celebrate for Earth Hour 2011?

-  March 28th: is the Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology Research Seminar in Singapore.

-  March 30th – 31st: is GLOBALCON – Energy, Power & Facility Management Strategies & Technologies in Philadelphia, PA.

-  Also on March 30th – 31st: is the BuildingsNY/GreenBuildingsNY 2011 in New York, NY.

-  March 30th – April 1st: is Design-Build for Water/Wastewater Conference in Kansas City, MO.

-  And on April 1st: is the Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition: One Day Training Workshop in Grand River, ON Canada.

-  “In the News”

-  Doug Mayer & David Horn of the North Carolina News Network Blog talk about “Bill would provide incentive to install green roofs.”  A bill introduced in the House of Representatives would give a 75% tax credit for the cost of installing a green roof.  Rep. Susan Fisher said the State Capitol is already leading by example with its own green roof and also says, “We have a garden up there.  We have a system of rain collecting instruments that help us to conserve water.”

-  Jessica Cheam of the Straits Time announces “Boost to green the Singapore skyline.”  She says, “Singapore’s tall buildings are going green.”  The National Parks Board will subsidize up to half the cost of sprucing up these structures with plants for rooftop gardens or for green walls.  Ms. Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for National Development said there was a “strong support from developers to integrate greenery with their skyrise developments.”  In 2009, the Government set a target for Singapore to have an extra 50 hectares of skyrise greenery by 2030.  It launched the Green Roof Incentive Scheme to encourage developing green roofs on existing buildings and has helped 14 organizations since.

-  Susan DeFreitas of Earth Techling, reports on “Post Katrina Lower 9th Ward Homes Go Green.”  After the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the historic Lower 9th Ward saw more than 4,000 homes destroyed.  Two years later, you’d expect re-construction in the area, but that was not the case when world famous actor andhumanitarian Brad Pitt visited the area.  Frustrated by what he saw, he met with local community groups and families to see what he could do–and shortly after, established the Make It Right Foundation, a non-profit charged with a mission to build 150 green, affordable, high-quality homes in the neighborhood closest to the levee breach: the Lower 9th Ward.  In March of 2008, Make It Right accomplished its first project and since then has completed over 70 new homes designed by 21 local, national and international architects, who donated their designs for single family homes and duplexes.  And because all of the homes built by Make It Right have been certified as LEED Platinum for their energy efficiency and sustainability, this section of New Orleans is now “the largest, greenest neighborhood of single family homes in America,” according to the U.S. Green Building Council.  Green features of Make It Right homes include solar photovoltaic systems; low-VOC paints, carpets, adhesives and finishes; and recycled materials wherever possible.  You’ll also find native plants, rain gardens and even green roofs.  Information on Make It Right’s homes-in-progress is available online, visit this article for the link.

-  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 March 25th, 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.

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.

Lovely Chicago is simply the greenest of the green cities, and there’s no doubt that Greenbuild is the greenest of the green conferences!  See this short and fun video, “Generation Green: Redefining our Future” with tons of cool photos around town.  It asks us to “Re: think Chicago” and is all about the merits of the Windy City - its 25 miles of public waterfront, for example, and how it’s “Re-evolutionizing the Building Industry” by greening everything from to parks and buildings to schools and jobs:

Thousands of building enthusiasts and professionals from across the globe participate at Greenbuild for three days of informative educational sessions, renowned speakers, green building tours, seminars, and various networking events.  Chicago’s LEED-certified McCormick Place West on Lake Shore Drive – with its 96,000 sf Green Roof Blocks™ modular system greenroof that retains about 77,812 gallons of stormwater that would otherwise flow into Lake Michigan – is the host for this exciting annual event.

Held from November 17 through November 19, 2010, retired U.S. General Colin L. Powell kicked off Greenbuild 2010 this morning at the Greenbuild Opening Plenary: 

General Powell inspired the packed room – filled with roughly 12,000 Greenbuild attendees – with messages of leadership and optimism – and a great sense of humor! ~ Greenbuild 2010

Showcasing the latest in innovative products and services, the Greenbuild International Expo is the world’s largest expo hall devoted completely to all forms of green building, including greenroofs and greenwalls!  We try and attend at least the Expo every year, but weren’t able this time because of our heavy travelling schedule (Mexico City in October and Singapore at the beginning of November), but if you’re there you can:

Support Greenroofs.com’s Advertisers by visiting them on the Trade Show floor:

Advanced Building Products, Inc. – Booth# 595
American Hydrotech, Inc. – Booth# 1345
Bison Innovative Products – Booth# 280
CETCO – Booth# 2254
Colbond Inc. – Booth# L1919
Conservation Technology – Booth# 2182
Green Innovations LTD - Booth# 1631
Green Roof Blocks – Booth# 413 – See President Kelly Luckett, also one of our Contributing Editors, The Green Roof Guy
GreenGrid / Weston Solutions, Inc. – Booth# 939
International Leak Detection (ILD) – Booth# 2222
LiveRoof, LLC – Booth# 2279
rooflite / Skyland USA, LLC – Booth# 1588
Sika Sarnafil – Booth# 930
Tecta America Corp. – Booth# 378
Tremco – Booth# 423
VAST Enterprises – Booth# 2094
Xero Flor America – Booth# 781

And Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has had a booth there for several years now, promoting the North American Green Roof Industry Association.  Make sure to visit them at Booth # T24 and pick up a Green Roof Tour Map showing all their members’ booths, and get ready to attend the 8th Annual Green Roof and Green Wall Conference – CitiesAlive! in beautiful Vancouver, B.C. on November 30 – December 3, 2010.

Of course, the International Expo is just one great component of this great green show of shows, so for more information about this wonderful city, the line up of speakers, educational programs and activities for 2010 Greenbuild, please visit: http://www.greenbuildexpo.org/

Happy Greening in Chicago! ~ Linda V.