Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 12/12/11 Orchard Central Mall Greenwalls Singapore 2,207 sf. of Greenwalls
Year:2009 Owner: Far East Organization Location: Singapore Building Type: Commercial Type: Green Façade System: Single Source Provider Size: 2,207 sq. ft. Slope: 100% Access: Accessible, Open to Public
Project Description & Details
Orchard Central Mall is Singapore’s tallest and first vertical pure-retail mall with 11 storeys above ground and two basement levels. Orchard Central boasts multiple outdoor viewing areas with a commanding view of Orchard Road, including three outdoor “green” balconies appealing to alfresco food & beverage outlets. The air-conditioned shopping street discovery walk and the rooftop garden are both accessible to the public 24 hours a day.
The Singapore Institute of Architects and National Parks Board award-winning project features three large living walls and balcony rail on the 11th floor and 2 lower green walls on the 12th floor roof terrace. Elmich Green Wall’s Vertical Greening Modules (VGM) provide the modular system comprising a geotextile bag filled with soil-less lightweight planting media, pre-planted in a nursery environment to allow for plant establishment. The VGMs are encased in metal support frames on-site and mounted onto anchoring pilasters; an automated drip irrigation and fertilization system was also installed. The planted walls complement and create the atmosphere for alfresco dining as well as serve to substantially cool the areas immediately adjacent to the walls.
A city-state of high rise buildings, Singapore is becoming reknown for its ”skyrise greenery” and continuous efforts in making it a “City in a Garden.”
Here, and known throughout Southeast Asia, Orchard Road is the fashion, retail and entertainment hub with shopping centers (more than 40), dining and pubs galore. Orchard Road got its name from the nutmeg, pepper and fruit orchards or the plantations that the road led to in the mid-1800s. Commercial development of the area began in the twentieth century, with a surge in the 1970s (read more in Wikipedia).
Located at the heart of Orchard Road, the new high-end Orchard Central Mall replaced Specialists Shopping Centre and had a soft opening in July, 2009. The mall boasts 160m frontage along this shopping belt of Singapore.
The 12-floor Orchard Central Mall features ‘cluster-concept’ shopping (8 clusters separated by categories) with a wide variety of specialty shops that are not available elsewhere. Hard to imagine, but the mall is served by a total of 52 escalators (including 6 super escalators) and 12 glass elevators -6 express lifts move between 500 and 2,000 ft/min! The super escalator at the front of the entrance, left below, enables shoppers to step off from the street and go straight up into the mall:
In the background of the photo above right you can see one of the flourishing greenwalls on the property. Yet it also showcases a 24-hour public garden at the roof top, complete with tropical landscaping on the ground and various vertical greenery offerings.
In 2009, the Orchard Central Mall won 1st Prize in the Completed Projects category in the Skyrise Greenery Awards for outdoor green balconies and extensive greenery, inside and out. The award aims to promote skyrise greenery in Singapore and to recognize the greening efforts in high rise developments by owners/developers, architects, landscape architects/designers, and landscape contract managers.
“As Orchard Road’s first new mall in four years Orchard Central brings a breath of fresh air with urban green verandas, a 140-metre Discovery Walk on the first storey, and the lusciously landscaped sky gardens on the 11th and 12th storeys.
An extensive green wall up to 13 metres high stretches from the 11th to 12th storeys to create a ‘green blanket’ that is highly visible from Orchard Road.
Adjacent to the restaurant, this sky garden is both beautiful and an inviting green space for patrons and visitors, although locals say there are not enough seats for relaxing.
“Amidst this blanketed green roof, art also thrives. At the foot of the vertical wall is Yayoi Kusama’s colourful Let’s Go to a Paradise of Glorious Tulips (2009), adorned with her trademark polka dots. This sculpture acts as a stark contrast to the grey backdrop of the peaking buildings — a perspective that creates a heightened awareness of visitors’ location.” ~POSKOD.SG by Amanda Fay Tan
Elmich systems are found throughout the multiple levels – Elmich VGM units on the walls with VersiCell in planter boxes and Elmich Landscape Roof gor the greenroof system.
For irrigating the walls, an equal amount of water is injected to the root zone via a Netafim drip system and the greenroofs are irrigated using Netafim UniTechline AS.
Along with tons of other spots, I’m sorry we didn’t get to see the Orchard Central Mall greenroof and greenwalls when we visited Singapore in November, 2010 (when I spoke at the International Skyrise Greenery Conference) but it will be on our list the next time we do!
See the Orchard Central Mall Greenroofs project profile in the Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database here.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
-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.
- 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!
- 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!
Published bi-annually by Singapore’s Centre for Urban Greenery & Ecology, or CUGE, the beautifully designed and illustrated CITYGREEN aims to discuss and highlight issues relating to urban greening and ecology.
In CITYGREEN’s latest issue, Parks – Enhancing Liveability in Cities, articles range from feature projects, best practices on planning, lighting, design and safety to commentaries on the role and evolution of urban parks.
Contributors for the current issue include organizations like Projects for Public Spaces and renowned individuals including Peter Harnik and Martha Schwartz. The full listing of exciting articles for Issue 3 – ISBN: 978-981-08-9764-2 is shown below with selected photos:
“Planning Green Open Spaces for South East Asian Capital Cities”- left Strategies to green up urban open spaces in our region Author: David E. Aldous
“Learning From The Success of The World’s Great Parks” Key lessons from Central Park New York, Luxembourg Gardens Paris and Hong Kong Park, among others Authors: Fred Kent, Kathy Madden and Dana Kitzes
“Encouraging Green Open Spaces: Parks in Shanghai”- left A look at sustainability-driven parks and initiatives in Shanghai Author: Geoff Ng
“An Excerpt: Urban Parks in the 21st Century United States” A Peek at Harnik’s Urban Green: Innovative Parks for Resurgent Cities Author: Peter Harnik
“The Importance of Planning: A City in a Garden”- left Planning, designing and programming attractive parks in land-scarce Singapore Author: Lim You Ling
“A Place for Leisure, Culture and Entertainment: Cairns Esplanade” The redevelopment of Cairns Esplanade into an icon of the place Author: Stephen White
“Past, Present, Future: The Singapore Botanic Gardens”- left The evolution and lasting relevance of our Singapore Botanic Gardens Author: Peter How
“A Walk Through the Years in Singapore’s Parks: Interview With Kong Yit San” Insights into the transformation of Singapore’s parks since the 1980’s Author: Ho Rui An
“The Need to Improve Our Oversight of These Spaces: Playground Area Standards Update”- left Why it is important and how to make public spaces safer for our children and elderly Author: Kenneth S. Kutsa
“Encouraging Public Appreciation: Interpretation and Education in Parks” Methods to help parks reach out to the public and students Author: Janice C. K. Yau
“Adding Value to Parks Through Understanding User Needs”- left Methods of evaluating and improving parks for their users Author: Victor Tan
“Benchmarking Sustainable landscapes: Green Mark For Parks” Using a triple-bottom line approach to assess and benchmark parks on sustainability Authors: Neil Power and Kannagi Sekar
“Small Details, Big Results: Landscape Lighting” – left See several considerations behind light and good lighting design Author: Fernando Rojo
“A Focus on Planning and Design: Facilitating Safety” Thinking about safety and risk issues in good design Author: Michael Behm
“Community Engagement and Health Promotion in Parks and Gardens: Population Health and Nature in the Urban Environment”- left Taking a leaf from initiatives by the South Australian government Authors: Adam Dwyer, Graeme Hopkins and Christine Goodwin
“Ecological efforts in Karori Wildlife Santuary, Kaikatiki Project and Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park” Author: James Wang
“Revisit and Discover: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve”- left A place to learn about Singapore’s mangrove history and Wetlands biodiversity Authors: Sharon Chan and Edwin Lee
“A Landscape Architect’s Vision for Singapore’s City Centre: Orchard Central Park” Imagining green possibilities for the dynamic Orchard Road shopping belt Author: Joerg Rekittke
“The Role of the Public Realm Landscape: The Softer Side of Sustainability and the Hard Working Urban Landscape”- left The challenge to integrate hard and soft systems to design and create meaningful public spaces Author: Martha Schwartz
Last autumn, I was honored to have been asked to write an article about Greenroofs.com entitled “The International Greenroof Industry’s Online Information Portal: Greenroofs.com” for their second issue. The full-color 104-page magazine was included in all the registrants’ bags for the inaugural International Skyrise Greenery Conference 2010.
I have to say that CITYGREEN is a first rate, very high quality publication and worth the cost! I can’t wait to receive my copy.
I hope you, too, enjoy this very informative, glossy publication from CUGE on parks worldwide worthy of your greenroof and greenwall library and coffee table!
Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 10/17/11 Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Vertical Extensive Green Wall Testing Facility Singapore 323 sf. Greenwall
Year:2009 Owner: Ngee Ann Polytechnic Location: Singapore Building Type: Educational Type: Living Wall, Test/Research System: Custom Size: 323 sq. ft. Slope: 100% Access: Accessible, Open to Public
Project Description & Details
Early efforts to green up walls and flyovers vertically in Singapore began about 40 years ago with the use of creepers and ornamental plants to increase the aesthetic values. Current vertical greening planter systems implemented in Singapore were mainly from overseas which tend to be heavy, difficult to install and suited for deep rooted plants.
The Landscape Design and Horticulture programme from the School of Life Sciences and Chemical Technology at Ngee Ann Polytechnic embarked to develop “simpler” green walls for high rise buildings where 90% of residences are dwellers. The 2-year research on sustainable plant species for the green wall involved 40 students and the outcome was a 12m x 2.5m vertical extensive green (VEG) system implemented in 2009. The VEG comprised of 120 polypropylene panels (50 x 50 x 3cm) that were pre-grown with shallow rooted vegetative cuttings and plantlets. Eleven species of grass, bromeliad, creeper and fern on shallow panels filled with cocopeat (2% osmocote) were tested for their long term growth performance.
Designers/Manufacturers of Record
Green Wall Design: Gregory Chow, Ngee Ann Polytechnic Green Wall Construction & Irrigation: Microwet Engineering Pty Ltd Plant Sourcing, Planting & Growing Services: Landscape Design & Horticulture, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Additional Info
Since over 90% of people in Singapore reside in high rise public housing, infrastructure needs are built on this model. For example, public transportation is readily within sight, let alone walking distance, to the vast majority of these high density multi-family dwellings. And greening the built environment is taken very seriously here as well – more so on horizontal spaces such as rooftops, or sky gardens as they are commonly referred to here, sky bridges and other connecting devices.
Above is a shot I took from when we visited Singapore last November (when I spoke at the International Skyrise Greenery Conference) where you can see multitudes of housing blocks, and below notice all the greenroofs already in place:
Greenwalls are becoming another very popular “skyrise greenery” element, as well, and there is a growing industry and government help to support it. And now indoor greening is also getting attention after the success of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Vertical Extensive Green Wall Testing Facility.
After an October 2009 student design competition where students were ”tasked to create a portable do-it-yourself vertical greenery system,” National Parks Board Singapore’s Centre For Urban Greenery and Ecology (CUGE) Research collaborated with the Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Life Sciences and Chemical Technology and School to develop a simple, inexpensive and attractive vertical greening system for residential homes.
Borrowing some of the ideas from student submissions, researchers from CUGE and Ngee Ann Polytechnic lecturers then “put their heads together to draw out some of the good ideas behind the students’ submission and created a product that is user-friendly and practical for home owner.” Long Seen Hui and Gregory Chow continue:
“The final invention consists of a stackable system of modules for the support. Each unit can work singly, or in stacks of threes or sixes. The single units and those in stacks of threes may be free- standing on the floor, while the three- or six-unit system can be mounted onto the wall. The single units can also be displayed as miniature gardens on the table.
The system is simple to assemble, easy to maintain and aesthetically pleasing. Already patent-registered, it is designed to fit in most living rooms, balconies or other suitable locations in the homes. Users are able to arrange series of flexible and modular vertical systems to suit their imaginations when greening their walls to provide a maximum impact.
The self-regulating water requirement in each planting module allows a steady water supply over extended periods. With an efficient drainage system, plant stress due to lack of water or over watering is prevented, thus removing the guess work on manual watering and providing a healthy growing environment indoors.” ~ Vertical Greenery for Interior Spaces Made Easy: DIY Vertical Greenery at Home
The second task at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Vertical Extensive Green Wall Testing Facility was to evaluate shallow rooted plant species for its growth habit, disease susceptibility, nutrient deficiencies and its maintenance requirement.
An instructional DVD along with an instruction booklet is available for purchase at the Garden Shop of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Contact Gregory Chow of Ngee Ann Polytechnic for more information here: ckk@np.edu.sg.
Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 7/4/11 Universal Studios Singapore Singapore 376,737 sf. Greenroof
Year: 2010 Owner: Resorts World at Sentosa Pte Ltd Location: Singapore Building Type: Commercial Type: Extensive System: Single Source Provider Size: 376,737 sq.ft. Slope: 1% Access: Inaccessible, Private
Project Description & Details
Universal Studios Singapore, an integral part of Resorts World Sentosa, is a casino-resort off the south coast of Singapore occupying almost 124 acres. Amid the make-believe world of movies, roller-coaster rides, theme dining and shopping, down-to-earth issues in the Park were not ignored. Sustainable “green” features including solar panels and nearly 35,000 M2 of green roofs were extensively integrated into the theme park’s concept and design, showing its firm commitment to energy conservation and responsible environmental stewardship. Resorts World Sentosa received the Singapore Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark District GoldPlus Award.
Elmich Green Roof was used as the wide structural spans of the immense roofs and fast track construction of the Park demanded that the system selected must be light and easy to install. Elmich Green Roof comprises a VersiDrain® 25P water retention and drainage layer, a geotextile filter layer and EnviroMix® GR, a primarily inorganic soil-less lightweight planting media and drought-tolerant plant species that require little maintenance. For the metal roofs, VersiCell® structural drainage/insulation cells were used to fill the space between the metal ridges to create a level flat surface first, on which a separation sheet was installed. For the concrete roofs, waterproofing is provided by a fully adhered layer of root-resistant Evalon PVC/EVA terpolymer membrane. An irrigation system is incorporated for use during the initial plant establishment and to provide regular irrigation and fertilization on the roofs, especially essential in prolonged periods of drought.
Designers/Manufacturers of Record
Developer:Resorts World at Sentosa Pte Ltd Architect: DP Architects Pte Ltd Landscape Consultant: ICN Design International Pte Ltd Landscape Contract Owner:Nature Landscapes Pte Ltd Green Roof Specialist:Elmich Pte Ltd Designer & Manufacturer of VersiCell®, sub-soil drainage modules:Elmich Pte Ltd Supplier of VersiDrain® 25P, water retention & drainage trays:Elmich Pte Ltd Supplier of EnviroMix® GR, soil-less lightweight planting media:Elmich Pte Ltd
Additional Info
The reported $4.32 billion Resorts World Sentosa offers something for everyone, from business travelers to families in search of the ultimate holiday, and certainly to sustainable design fans looking for a greener vacation!
This unique travel destination is home to six hotels, spa villas, the world’s largest oceanarium – Marine Life Park – Asia’s largest column-free ballroom (which seats 7,300 guests), and the first and only Southeast Asian Universal Studios theme park with its multiple lush yet equatorial hardy greenroofs.
In early 2010 Resorts World Sentosa had a soft-opening, with four hotels and the Universal Studios Singapore, among other features.
The region’s only world-class movie theme park just celebrated its official grand opening on May 28, 2011, and its red carpet event was attended by famous Hollywood and Asian celebrities including Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Vicki Zhao and Paula Abdul.
Unseen by the celebrities and most visitors to the park, except for roller-coaster riders, a real green carpet is rolled out everyday on the rooftops of the park. Amid the glitz and glamour, approximately 377,000 sf of lush vegetated roofs provide beyond just a touch of green to the resort – they offer a cooler environment both inside and outside the buildings.
“The resort integrates three key elements – water, greenery and built form with careful detailing in the articulation of the facades, the use of a palette of natural materials and colours, extensive planting and the consistent treatment of sun shading devices such as overhanging pitched roofs, covered walkways, awnings, trellises and latticework to fuse the resort with the tropical climate context. ” ~ Roof & Façade Asia
The Elmich Green Roof system provides a barrier against tropical temperatures. The top photo below shows the installation of the VersiCell® structural drainage/insulation cells which will fill the spaces between the roof’s metal ridges to create the flat planting level, and the bottom shows theVersiDrain® 25P water retention and drainage layer:
Aside from eco-friendly design, other corporate sustainability efforts have included participating in Earth Hour 2011 – according to the Resorts World Sentosa blog, at the stroke of 8.30 pm on March 26, “the resort dipped into limited electricity mode – with landscape, canopy and non-essential lightings as well as water fountains in areas all across the resort turned off.”
Just a couple of other sustainable initiatives include:
* Lowering energy consumption from air-conditioning across the resort through the use of extensive canopies to reduce ambient temperature and energy-friendly eco-coolers: * Trees that were preserved during construction of the resort (122 of them!) have either been replanted or recycled into benches at the Festive Walk.
Find out more on Resorts World’s corporate social responsibility efforts here. I wish we could have seen some of these spectacular Universal Studios Singapore greenroofs when we visited the lovely island nation of Singapore last November! Singapore has some incredible greenroofs, for sure, and it’s hard to beat the sheer quantity found here within the Universal Studios Singapore:
And finally, for the kid in all of us, watch this spectacular action packed video on YouTube introducing Resorts World Sentosa by clicking below:
If you are an architect who is a member of Arcasia Institutes or the International Union of Architects, then you need to consider submitting a project to the prestigious Skyrise Greenery Awards 2011 which recognizes greening efforts in high rise developments in Singapore and internationally:
“Skyrise Greenery is a concept that integrates green elements into the built environment. As physical living conditions become increasingly stratified, we need to look to innovative Skyrise Greenery to offer a sphere of new possibilities in our physical and social environments. It represents a vision to evolve our ever-intensifying cities into urbanscapes that are dynamic in more environmental and sustainable ways.
The Skyrise Greenery Awards aim to promote and reward greening efforts in urban developments. The Awards recognise architects taking the lead role in provisioning for green elements from the initial design stages, working in conjunction with stakeholders to bring a project to fruition.” ~ International Skyrise Greenery Awards 2011
Jointly organized by Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and National Parks Board (NParks), the objectives of this Skyrise Greenery Awards are:
a) To promote Skyrise Greenery in urban developments by recognising the architect / owner / designer / management team who pays particular attention to Skyrise Greenery.
b) To encourage creative and original landscaping ideas in Skyrise Greenery.
c) To encourage architecture design with innovative use of greenery and landscaping to create a positive environment to live, work and play in.
d) To highlight the importance of team effort in the implementation, carrying through of design intentions and maintenance of landscaping works in Skyrise Greenery.
Jointly organized by Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and National Parks Board (NParks), the Skyrise Greenery Awards 2011 is now in its fourth year. We had the pleasure of attending last year’s ceremony at the International Skyrise Greenery Conference, where I was a presenter (read all about it here).
Below are last year’s winners:
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Singapore received the first place prize, above.
36-38 Armenian Street in Singapore took home the second place prize, above.
The third place winner was “Head for the Hill,” also known as Growing Up and 131 Queen Street in Melbourne, Australia, above.
Prizes & Awards
Winning projects will receive a National Parks Board Skyrise Greenery Award. One plaque will be presented to each of the following:
a) Architect
b) Owner/Developer
c) Landscape Architect/Designer
d) Landscape Contract Manager
Prize money shall also be awarded to the applicant of the winning entry. Nothing to scoff at, that’s for sure:
First Prize: USD$8,000.00
Second Prize: USD$5,000.00
Third Prize: USD$2,000.00
Important Dates
Closing Date for Registration: 25 July 2011
Closing Date for Submission: 1 August 2011
As they say, participate and be recognized in your greening efforts of high rise developments! Click the poster below or visit Skyrise Greenery Awards 2011 to learn about submission requirements, judging criteria, and more:
And are you still planning on attending in awesome Singapore on November 1-3, 2010 but haven’t registered yet? Well, this is probably your last chance to make a final decision – organized by CUGE, a project of the National Parks Board of Singapore, and the International Green Roof Association (IGRA), the conference will be held at the National Library.
Remember that Greenroofs.com is the Media Sponsor and has negotiated a spectacular deal with the organizers, guaranteeing you a special rate package rate that includes the conference, tour excursion and dinner.
The promotional code for registration under the special discounted rate of S$1000.00 (less than $750 U.S.) per conference package for Greenroofs.com readers is: G3P94K04 – compare that to the normal Package Rate of $1,650 U.S.!
Here are just some highlights:
More than 450 delegates from 25 countries have already signed up for the conference, including 70 from China!
Who are attending the conference? • over 120 policy makers • over 60 developers and building owners • over 120 professionals including architects and planners • over 60 contractors and suppliers • over 80 from the academia
A must attend event for all academias, architects, planners, building material producers, city planners, engineering and contracting services, government officials, horticulturists, landscape architects, park owners and managers, project consultants, real estate and property developers, and estate and facility managers. Don’t miss this opportunity to network, share and start new business relationships!
Sign up now and join us from 1-3 November to gain insights from world renowned award winning experts who will share about the latest trends and innovations on green roofs, skyrise gardens and vertical greenery.
Keynote Speakers:
Get Exclusive Access and Be Inspired by World-Class Skyrise Greenery Projects in Singapore:
Seven unique skyrise greenery sites will be offered on the skyrise greenery tour in Singapore. Several of these are usually not open to the public. Learn firsthand from the site architects about the challenges of building a 200m high sky park (the incredible Marina Bay Sands, see the graphic above and actual incredible infinity pool photo below that circulated the Internet a few months ago), be inspired by the ingenuity of developing a low cost patented skyrise greening system that requires minimal maintenance, and more.
Also, from hotels to schools, shopping malls to a dam across a channel – you can visit 13 must-see skyrise greenery sites within the city in Singapore with their walking map.
Organized by CUGE, a project of the National Parks Board of Singapore, and the International Green Roof Association (IGRA), the conference will be held at the National Library from November 1-3, 2010 and will bring together hundreds of participants from around the world. The theme of the 3-day international conference is “Surfaces of Creativity: Spaces of Delight” and will focus on the latest technological developments and new areas of application in the field of green roofs and vertical greenery. An international exhibition offering the latest skyrise greenery-related products and services in the market will be held concurrently with the conference.
Singapore is an island nation brimming with diversity and has a multiplicity of culture, language, arts and architecture – plus lush, tropical greenery with an impressive track record of progressive roof and wall greening! Who can forget the stunning School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University, below?
Come learn from international experts, including these stellar Keynote Speakers:
Emilio Ambasz of Emilio Ambasz & Associates; Patrick Blanc of the French National Centre for Scientific Research; Prof. Dr. Manfred Köhler of the University Neubrandenburg; and Dr. Ken Yeang of Llewelyn Davies Yeang
Take part in the ISGC’s all day tour featuring exclusive access to these six important, exciting projects:
“Learn firsthand from the site architects about the challenges of building a 200m high sky park, be inspired by the ingenuity of developing a low cost patented skyrise greening system that requires minimal maintenance, and more!” ~ ISGC
To see the complete line-up of speakers, register, and learn more, visit the International Skyrise Greenery Conference website. By the way, the fees are listed in SGD, not USD – use this Currency Converter for your particular currency.
One very important date to remember is August 27, which is the deadline for the Early Bird Discount! In today’s challenging economy it’s great to have the opportunity to save money wherever we can, so I encourage you to register soon (go for the package deal!).
Hopefully we’ll see you there – I’ll be presenting the Greenroofs.com 2010 Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design by Haven Kiers and myself. Aramis and I have never been to Singapore, and are really looking forward to seeing some awesome roof and vertical greenery, as well as the beautiful sights and the island’s rich historical heritage.
Singapore’s unique offerings place it in a class of its own and the International Skyrise Greenery Conference’s many educational, professional and networking activities will ensure that you (and perhaps your family?) have an enjoyable conference and holiday.
As we continue to ring in 2010 we hope you enjoyed warm holidays with family and friends and celebrated the New Year with renewed hope for the future. Can you believe we’ve entered a new decade? Shall we call it 2K10, Twenty Ten, or just good old fashioned 2,010? In any case, we’re finally out of the 0’s, now we’re into the 10’s.
Our world economy has been through a lot in the past few years, yet with a promising light hovering just over the horizon. Although development overall has declined, there is continued desire for green buildings from both the public and private sector, and in general our greenroof & greenwall industry has weathered quite nicely. Many of us are taking time to reflect on this passage of time and make New Year’s resolutions (another topic altogether!), and I was thinking of how far we have come since the German experience entered our architectural radar and into our collective consciousness in the 1990’s. Literally thousands of vegetated roofs and walls have been constructed since then in every continent except for Antarctica, with ever growing support from forward thinking multidisciplinary professionals: designers, government officials, organizations, companies, universities, students and other advocates looking to make Earth a little more sustainable.
Sadly, one of those special, innovative people passed away last November 27, the indomitable architect Malcolm Wells. Regarded as “the father of modern earth-sheltered architecture,” he was a staunch advocate of living architecture, known for his way ahead-of-the-times underground earth designs with living roofs starting in the 1960’s, see just one example below. He leaves a legacy of what he referred to as gentle architecture, design that would, in his own words, “leave the land no worse than you found it.”
The visionary Malcolm Wells' design for an eco-gas station, from MalcolmWells.com.
Many inspirational people and organizations have contributed to our current market, and I want to highlight just a few success stories from the past year, personal and global. So in my review, here are my favorite 2009 Top 10 Milestones and Accomplishments for both Greenroofs.com as a company and our international community as a whole:
10) In 2009 Greenroofs.com celebrated 10 years of being in business! We’ve seen a lot of progress and change for the good here as well as across the greenroof world. The fledgling Greenroofs.com – “exploring the ecology of organic greenroof architecture” started out as 60+ pages in 1999 as the result of an independent research study I did at the University of Georgia.
By 2003 we changed our format and grew into Greenroofs.com – “the international greenroof industry’s resource and online information portal,” and contained 600+ pages at the end of 2009 (not counting the hundreds of .php pages from The Greenroof Directory or The Greenroof Projects Database). At present, each month Greenroofs.com receives more than 160,000 unique visits and about 400,000 page views, and we’ve also expanded our presence in social marketing, too, so now you can stay connected with us on: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, eNewsletter (our monthly eNewsletter consists of 10,000 opt-in subscribers) & YouTube, as well as our Blog.
9) The proliferation of living architecture is greatly spreading and permeating into the areas of design, policy, research and education through numerousworld conferences, congresses, expos, trainings, tours, and other events. For example, the World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) – formerly the World Green Roof Infrastructure Network (WGRIN) - held its first CitiesAlive! World Green Roof Congress in Toronto, Canada, with the second scheduled for Mexico City this October, 2010. The International Green Roof Association (IGRA) hosted the 2nd International Green Roof Congress 2009 in Nürtingen, Germany and the 3rd annual Green Roofs Australia Conference 2009 was held at the University of Melbourne. Longevity was evident with the 7th National FBB Green Roof Conference in Ditzingen, Germany and the 7th annual Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards, and Trade Show in Atlanta, Georgia. By the way, look for the 8th annual GRHC conference to occur in Vancouver, B.C. on November 30 – December 2, 2010, rebranded as ”Cities Alive.” Look for many new 2010 events throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, China, Singapore, India and more under Upcoming Events, where you can also access Past Events.
7)Green walls are firmly becoming entrenched in sustainable design,evidenced by high media attention, as much for their green properties as for their edible gardening possibilities. We’ve had tons of news articles posted in NewsLinks, our huge database of global articles, concerning living walls and green façades! In fact, they were listed as #31 in TIME’s 50 Best Inventions of 2009 and Triple Pundit recently proposed: ”Gardens Grow Up: Are Vertical Landscapes the New Green Roofs?“ - both featuring the works of Patrick Blanc. In our business you’d have to be living under a rock not to know who the renowned French botanist is; his often fantastical “murs végétalisés” designs stretch the limits of horticulture and design. Since 1994, he has created over 140 public vertical gardens as well as many private installations, including his most famous, the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, shown below. Read more about green walls from Treehugger, Daily Telegraph, Daily Commercial News, The New York Times, Times Online and CNN.com, just to name a few.
In 2009 Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the North American professional association, established greenwall research projects at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland, and GRHC has included an award category for Green Wall Excellence in Design for a couple of years now. In 2008 Greenroofs.com added our 8th Contributing Editor, George Irwin - aptly titled The Green Wall Editor - to cover this growing vertical gardening field, and new for 2010 we have altered the title of our Greenroof Projects Database to reflect the inclusion of these: The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.
6)Investing in green building and infrastructure makes good economic sense by integrating green building policies into wider economic development goals, and creates a new job market. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has prompted a gigantic increase in federal green spending, providing new money to all levels of government, aimed at stimulating the economy, promoting job growth, and lowering energy costs, providing an unprecedented opportunity for advancing green building and sustainability efforts in the U.S. And last December, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported at least 138 U.S. cities with populations over 50,000 people have green building programs in place (compared to only 92 in 2007). Referring to the economic recession, the AIA said “The downturn has had a devastating effect on construction generally, but sustainable building design continues to maintain and improve its market share.” Read their 2009 in depth study “Green Building Policy in a Changing Economic Environment” to learn more.
American Institute of Architects 2009 Study of Green Building Programs by Cities
U.S. economic stimulus efforts encompass green energy and construction, including greenroofs along with other forms of green building, and just one such example of Recovery Act funds benefit Washington D.C., where the Washington Business Journal says “Nearly $4 million would go toward building more than 100,000 sf of green roofs on city buildings, including libraries, firehouses and a demonstration project atop the parking garage deck at University of the District of Columbia. The stimulus funds would also expand the city’s green roof rebate program to allow residents and small businesses to afford another 20,000 sf of private green roof space.”
And importantly, many green building programs are also creating “green collar” jobs. In late 2009, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Booz Allen Hamilton conducted a study and stated “Green building will support 7.9 million U.S. jobs and pump $554 billion into the American economy – including $396 billion in wages – over the next four years (2009-2013). The study also determined that green construction spending currently supports more than 2 million American jobs and generates more than $100 billion in gross domestic product and wages…The full report can be downloaded at www.usgbc.org/greeneconomy, where one can also find other research, resources, tools and information about green building and its role in the economic recoveries of professionals, businesses and the nation.” According to an analysis by American Rivers and the Alliance for Water Efficiency, the Natural Resources Defense Council reports that a $10 billion nationwide initiative to install greenroofs alone would result in almost 200,000 jobs – the Senate is expected to consider its own version of the bill in early 2010.
5)Green Roofs for Healthy Cities launched the Green Roof Professional (GRP) accreditation for North America. The GRP is a measure of knowledge of established best practices and although a voluntary program, with the designation professionals can distinguish themselves in the marketplace. This association milestone was at least four years in the making! Currently with more than 250 GRP’s in 2009, GRHC hopes to add more professionals in 2010. Check their website for future testing dates, and consider attending one of their Green Roof Boot Camps to refresh and get you ready. See my interview with Jeff Bruce, president of Jeffrey L. Bruce & Company, Chair of GRHC and the GRHC Training and Accreditation Committee, which developed the Green Roof Professional program, to learn why the organization felt this accreditation was needed, how it evolved, and where it’s heading. For more info on the GRP, see “A Video Introduction to the GRP Program” from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.
4)Within the U.S. industry, major contributions were made in the area to develop best practice wind and fire standards for greenroof design. Since 2007, leaders from various organizations have been working hard on prescriptive standards, and in 2009 standards were inserted into the International Building Code from members of GRHC and Single Ply Roofing Industry (SPRI). Read “Green Roof Wind & Fire Design Guidelines: After Three Years, Half the Battle is Won,” written by one of our Contributing Editors, Kelly Luckett, The Green Roof Guy, to learn about this winding road’s development of RP-14 and VF-1. And stay tuned for updates with his column here on Greenroofs.com.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUe) Wind Tunnel Testing in June, 2009.
3) The global Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database surpassed the 1,000 mark in December! So where are all these greenroofs and greenwalls anyway? Let’s continue to work together to grow, update, and share valuable case studies for our communal benefit, for free. Even in today’s openly transparent society (think Google Earth), some people worry about confidentiality issues, and we only post information that is submitted to us by owners/project principals or that which is openly available through various media channels, and we always list owners as “private” when requested. The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database is now searchable by 24 fields, including specifically for green walls. After our Home Page, the Projects Database is the next visited page on Greenroofs.com – make sure your projects and valuable experiences are included here.
2) My albeitly biased personal favorite, Greenroofs.com inaugurated our first episode of the Sky Gardens ~ Greenroofs of the World™ WebTV series. Premiering at Boston GreenFest in September, our new venture followed on the GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube, and next on our own greenroofs.tv, where you can now see it in its entirety at just under 37 minutes. By the way, you can also view our video offshoot, ”Greenroofs 101 from Greenroofs.com” (4:50) in Greenroofs 101 or directly below, which is a great way to introduce the concept to newcomers. Coming soon is episode 2, highlighting the gorgeous Cook+Fox Architects corporate offices in Manhattan, NY. Our third episode is in the works, and more are being scheduled, so stay tuned!
1) 2009 saw some serious support for greenroofs, championed by professional organizations and governmental bodies alike. Global industry support has grown over the years, and many advocates continue to actively promote them worldwide. For example, the City of Chicago, certainly the U.S. leader in greenroofs, now has over 7 million square feet of vegetated roofs completed or under development. New support in 2009 includes:
North America: In addition to offering eco-incentives for greenroofs, currently Toronto has the most progressive policy in North America – last May Toronto became the first city here to adopt a bylaw to require and govern the construction of greenroofs. The new bylaw will be required on all new development above 2,000 m² (about 21,530 sf) of gross floor area and have a graduated coverage requirement ranging from 20-60%. Working with a program budget of $800,000/year, owners of industrial and commercial buildings can apply for grants worth up to $100,000 (Canadian) to build a greenroof. Mayor David Miller predicts the rules and incentives will create 50 to 60 green-roofed buildings per year, in addition to their current 135 vegetated roofs. Green Roofs for Healthy Cities supported the by-law against pressure from developers opposed to the policy. See more details under Industry Support and at the City of Toronto website.
Here in the U.S., in late 2009 ASLA, the American Society of Landscape Architects, worked with Congress to include the Green Act into the House-passed climate change legislation. The Act would require the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to employ greenroofs, tree canopy coverage, and other site planning techniques to help reduce heating and cooling costs in certain HUD facilities. Still pending before the Senate Finance Committee, last January Senator Maria Cantwell (WA) introduced the Clean Energy Stimulus and Investment Assurance Act of 2009 (S.320), legislation geared toward creating high-wage green-collar jobs and revitalizing the economy through clean energy investments. ASLA worked with Senator Cantwell’s office to ensure that a section of the bill was dedicated to green roof tax incentives, and GRHC provided technical support. Under section 506 of the bill, residential and commercial property owners will receive a 30% tax credit for qualified greenroof expenditures.
As you may recall, Congress enacted Section 438 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) to require federal agencies to reduce stormwater runoff from federal development projects to protect water resources and in October of 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13514 on “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance” calling upon all federal agencies to lead by example and address a wide range of environmental issues, including stormwater runoff. Federal agencies can comply with Section 438 by using a variety of green infrastructure / low impact development techniques including living roofs. Prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in coordination with other federal agencies, the “Technical Guidance on Implementing the Stormwater Runoff Requirements for Federal Projects under Section 438 of the Energy Independence and Security Act” PDF is highly detailed and instructive.
State and municipal governments also provided policy support: Former Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine signed three bills promoting incentives in 2009: HB 1975 and SB 1058 authorize localities to grant regulatory flexibility and incentives to promote the construction of vegetative roofs on private homes and businesses. The incentives or regulatory flexibility could include a reduction in permit fees, a streamlined process for the approval of building permits, or a reduction in any gross receipts tax on greenroof contractors as defined by the local ordinance. The third bill, HB 1828, allows water authorities to offer rate incentives for vegetative roof construction, based on the percentage of stormwater runoff reduction. In late fall, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSDGC), and the Office of Environmental Quality created a Green Roof Loan Program utilizing money from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund. OEPA has made $5,000,000 available for linked deposit, below market rate loans to install green vegetative roofs within the service area of MSDGC on residential, commercial and/or industrial buildings.
Already a city offering several greenroof incentives, in October Portland’s city commission approved a Climate Action Plan which calls for a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and an 80% reduction by 2050. According to the Portland Business Journal, “The Plan calls for the city and county to take 93 actions over the next three years. City bureaus must immediately begin implementing 15 of the new climate-related initiatives, such as establishing a tax credit for businesses that install ecoroofs and solar panels together.” And last month, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District invited governments, organizations, school districts, and businesses within the 28 communities it serves to participate in their 2010 Regional Green Roof Initiative Program. Among other prerequisites, proposed projects must minimize impervious roof area and maximize the reduction in the rate and/or volume of stormwater runoff.
The World:Singapore is targeting 50 hectares of skyrise greenery by 2030 and its Urban Redevelopment Authority launched the LUSH Programme (Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises) in April of 2009. Offering financial and planning incentives to developers to provide greenery at the upper levels of high rise buildings, their goal is to make 80% of all buildings in Singapore green by 2030. Quezon City, Phillipines has a new law requiring private and government-owned buildings to green part of their rooftops. New commercial/residential buildings, under the Green Roof Ordinance (Ordinance 1940) signed into law by Mayor Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. last September, should allocate at least 30% of their roof area for plants and trees. In Australia, the Queensland Government signed a “Memorandum Of Understanding” with the Singapore National Parks Board late last year to trial vertical gardens and greenroofs in various cities in an effort to benefit from Singapore’s experience with skyrise greenery.
Dubai Municipality launched a greenroof initiative in line with a Dubai law on green building specifications. The Municipality’s strategic goal is to raise per capita green area to 23.4 square meters by the end of 2011, with the green building project coming under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirate Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. A public awareness campaign for greenroofs was announced last month, committed to the “development of laws and regulations to keep pace with international standards in the field of sustainable development by planting green roofs and facades in the Emirate of Dubai.” Traveling display models and educational publications will circulate residential neighborhoods and shopping centers and markets for a 12-month period. Read more on the Dubai Municipality Portal. One spectacular greening project currently on the boards in Dubai is the self-sustained system “Food City” below, designed by Green Concepts Landscape Architects (GCLA):
The proposed Dubai Food City, conceptualized by landscape architecture firm GCLA.
So here we are at the start of a whole new year – we hope you’re excited and optimistic about it, just as we are! Whatever 2009 offered you, we hope you embraced new friends and opportunities and experienced great personal and professional growth, and we thank you for your readership. What’s in store for our new decade? We’ll see, but as the green building industry continues with positive signs of sustained growth, let’s also continue to collaborate and create a more sustainable world with eco-architecture embracing greenroofs and greenwalls as part of the overall green living architecture strategy.
“I woke up one day to the fact that the earth’s surface was made for living plants, not industrial plants.” ~ Malcolm Wells
Here’s a gentle toast to continued health, love, and prosperity for you, your families, and all of our greenroof associates in 2010!
Year: 2009
Developer: Far East Organization.jpg "Orchard Road by Gabbe, via Wikipedia")
“Planning Green Open Spaces for South East Asian Capital Cities”- left
“Encouraging Green Open Spaces: Parks in Shanghai”- left
“The Importance of Planning: A City in a Garden”- left
“Past, Present, Future: The Singapore Botanic Gardens”- left
“The Need to Improve Our Oversight of These Spaces: Playground Area Standards Update”- left
“Adding Value to Parks Through Understanding User Needs”- left
“Small Details, Big Results: Landscape Lighting” – left
“Community Engagement and Health Promotion in Parks and Gardens: Population Health and Nature in the Urban Environment”- left
“Revisit and Discover: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve”- left
“The Role of the Public Realm Landscape: The Softer Side of Sustainability and the Hard Working Urban Landscape”- left
Last autumn, I was honored to have been asked to write an article about Greenroofs.com entitled “The International Greenroof Industry’s Online Information Portal: Greenroofs.com” for their second issue. The full-color 104-page magazine was included in all the registrants’ bags for the inaugural 
Year: 
Year: 2010
The reported $4.32 billion Resorts World Sentosa offers something for everyone, from business travelers to families in search of the ultimate holiday, and certainly to sustainable design fans looking for a greener vacation!
