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Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on  Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video.   Here’s the transcript for April 29, 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 April 29th, 2011,  on  GreenroofsTV.

–  Project of the Week

– Our project of the week is the  U.S. Tax Court greenroof built in 2008 in Washington, D.C.  The D.C. area is well known for having some of the worst storm water control problems in America and the Federal Government along with the District Government authorities have recognized that greening its rooftops is the most practical and economical means of addressing this issue.  The United States Tax Court, one of a number of notable General Services Administration’s greening projects, was recently re-roofed with a Barrett Company 4 inch extensive “Greenroof-Roofscapes ®” assembly, adding to the growing federal green roof inventory within the Capitol District.  The green roof initiative is reducing the storm water runoff volume while providing the many other environmental contributions that living roofs are known to provide.  Cole Roofing was brought in as Barrett Company’s Greenroof-Roofscape ® installer, who then hired Greg Long of Capitol Greenroofs to oversee installation and maintain the roof.

– To learn more about the U.S. Tax Court greenroof, click on our project of the week photo on our  homepage.

–   “What’s New“

–  Chris Wark, our Energy Editor, wraps up his final installment of his 7-part “Cooler Than Cool Roofs: How Heat Doesn’t Move Through a Green Roof” Energy series. Make sure to read “The Secret and How To Use It.“

–  Did you know you can watch YouTube videos, like our latest Sky Gardens ~ Greenroofs of the World episode, the Cook+Fox Architects Office, on your DirecTV?  Just click on the link on our homepage or go to the greenroofsTV page and follow the directions.

–  Our April 2011 e-Newsletter is out, so catch up on all of the greenroof and wall news from this past month.

–  Don’t forget: our 2011″Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest has been extended until today, so go to our  Facebook page, submit your photos and vote for your favorite until midnight tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow!

–  Read Linda’s latest Sky Gardens Blog posts: “GPW: U.S. Tax Court“ and “Greenroofs.com’s “˜This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: 4.22.11,” and Christine Thuring‘s “See the UK Green Roof Student Conference Programme & Register by 6th May 2011.”

–   “Upcoming Events“

–  April 29th-May 8th: is the WMG Water Harvesting Certification in Tucson, AZ.

–  May 2nd: is the 2nd Annual Massachusetts Sustainable Economy Conference in Boston, MA.

–  and May 4th-6th: is Greenbuilding – International Exhibition & Conference on Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Architecture in Verona, Italy. For more Upcoming Events visit our homepage.

–   “In the News“

–  Tanya Snyder of Streetsblog Capitol Hill Blog talks about “Philadelphia’s Battle Against Impervious Asphalt.”  She says, “In Philadelphia, your water bill used to be based only on your water consumption…now, your bill is a more accurate reflection of your water footprint, including the amount it costs the city to manage stormwater runoff from your property.”  Philadelphia is now the number-two city in the country for green roofs.  And they’re also implementing a multitude of public space improvements that are popular and desirable in urban cities for many other reasons besides stormwater management.

–  Kim North Shine of Metromode Media reports on “Metro Detroit’s Institutes of Greener Learning.”  The students of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield use its green roofs, rainwater collection systems, solar panels and other eco-minded facilities, like the Alfred A. Taubman Student Services Center, as living laboratories.  The student center was built with recyclable materials and has 120 geothermal wells that heat and cool the building as well as a 10,000 square foot green roof that controls and reduces water runoff.

–   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 April 29th, 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 for April 15, 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 April 15th, 2011 on  GreenroofsTV.

–  Project of the Week

– Our project of the week is the Longdrive house built in 2008 in Long Eddy, New York.  This 4,000 square foot home by Alveary Architects was designed to be an extension of existing trails and paths that wind through this beautiful 63 acre property.  A conversation pit with a large stone fireplace dominates and anchors the center of the house.  Radiant-heated stone floors were used throughout the main level while the master bedroom suite and upper stories were floored with reclaimed wood, which was also used for all interior walls.  Next to the master bedroom is a green house separated by pivoting wood doors providing a tropical retreat during New York’s long winters.  The house is covered by a custom designed green roof complimenting the natural setting and the planted roof on three levels blends into the natural landscape and encourages the wildlife to creep in close to the house.  Also, Longdrive was featured on the cover of our 2011  Greenroofs and Walls of the World™ 12 Month Wall Calendar!

– To learn more about  Longdrive, click on our project of the week photo on our  homepage.

–   “What’s New“

– Our 2011 “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest is going on right now, so participate in the fun by submitting a photo on our Facebook page and telling your friends to vote!  You can submit your greenroof or wall photo by next Friday, Earth Day April 22nd, but keep voting until Friday, April 29th and the winner will be announced on Saturday, April 30th!

– We’d like to announce a new Contributing Editor here at Greenroofs.com:  Welcome to John Shepley!  John is co-owner of Emory Knoll Farms/Green Roof Plants based in Street, Maryland and look for his first column coming very soon!

–  Advertiser Press Release:  Green Living Technologies International – or GLTi – has added a Vertical Farming Seminar to its Certification Training: “Food is Not an Option…” The class will provide the knowledge base to implement vertical agriculture ranging from a hobbyist/education to professional grower and for profit opportunity.

– GLTi also announces that Certification Training is Available for Registration in Detroit, Michigan.  The GLTi training is much more than a lecture series; it’s also a hands-on demonstration and application comparing apples to apples.  You will learn to compare other technologies!  Both class sizes are limited so register early!

– The NYC Strategic Alliance for Health honored Discovery High School as the first recipient of its Excellence in School Wellness Award at Bronx ceremony earlier this week, on Tuesday April 12th, 2011.  The Excellence in School Wellness Award recognizes the strides that schools are making in creating healthy school environments as a means to prevent childhood obesity and improve academic achievement.  So, congrats to them!

– Be sure to read Linda’s Sky Gardens Blog posts where you can read how the ASLA, or the American Society of Landscape Architects, has been nominated for their new greenroof page as a Webby Award finalist; learn more about our project of the week on the “GPW: Longdrive“ post; see my script on the “Greenroofs.com’s “˜This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: April 8th, 2011“ post; and, read all about our annual contest with the “Enter the 2011 “˜Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!’ Earth Day Photo Contest“ post – what it’s all about, what you have to do to enter, the requirements, how to vote and more!

–   “Upcoming Events“

– April 16th-17th: Join EPA for Earth Day on the National Mall at Washington, DC.

– April 19th-20th: is the Green California Summit and Exposition in Sacramento, CA.

– April 20th: there is a Garden Roof Course at GOCSI Green Product Show at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, FL.

– And April 22nd: is Earth Day!  Your support enables Earth Day Network to power the environmental movement and ensure a healthy and sustainable planet for all of us.  Your contributions and purchases help mobilize communities, implement environmental education programs and support Earth Day events and actions around the world.  From greening schools in post-Katrina New Orleans to improving water and sanitation services in a refugee community in Ghana, EDN supports and coordinates thousands of Earth Day events worldwide each year.  Earth Day, April 22, is the largest secular holiday in the world, now celebrated by more than one billion people.

– Stay tuned for our latest Sky Gardens – Greenroofs of the World™: The Cook+Fox Architects Office episode in Manhattan, New York coming soon.  In the summer of 2006, Cook+Fox Architects decided to set a greener, healthier example with a roof that absorbs stormwater, lowers surface temperature, and benefits both the local ecosystem and the human environment.  Having grown rapidly, the firm had recently moved to a new office on Avenue of the Americas at West 20th Street.  Located in the 8th floor penthouse of a former upscale department store, in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District, the new space looked onto a sizable terrace-level rooftop.  Though coated in black tar and formally off-limits, the roof held great potential as a platform for promoting urban sustainability.  For more information about this project profile you can search Cook+Fox in our projects database, or visit this link below: (http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/pview.php?id=670)

–   “In the News“

– Preston Moretz of the Temple University News talks about “Sustainability projects advance throughout Temple.”  He says, “At Temple, environmental responsibility is continually being woven through the campus fabric; everywhere from academics, to research, to everyday business practices.”  On the Main Campus, the redesign of Pearson and McGonigle Halls were to include a new upper level, which will feature the installation of approximately five 12-foot wind turbines on the roof.  The turbines could generate between 16-18 kilowatts of power, which will be returned to the building’s power grid, reducing Temple’s energy costs.  Temple’s Ambler Campus is home to the university’s first green roof, which was installed in 2005 through a grant from PECO Energy and occupies three-quarters of the 5,000-square-foot roof atop the Intercollegiate Athletics Field House.

– Tom Oswald of MSU News reports on “MSU students to present green-roof technology at EPA event in Washington.”  A team of Michigan State University students travels to Washington, D.C. to take part in a competition that could get them a federal grant to continue research into technology that would allow green roofs to be used on sloped roofs.  The students, who are in the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction, are participating in the National Sustainable Design Expo, which is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s celebration of Earth Day 2011.  Jeremy Monsma, a graduate student in the SPDC who is heading up the project says, “The majority of residential roofs, especially here in the north, are sloped because of snow,” and “the goal of our work is to answer fundamental questions relating to the performance of extensive green roof systems when applied to more conventional pitched roof systems.”  One of the goals of the team is to develop a construction manual which will assist with all future greenroof installation on steep slopes.

– Elisse Lorenc of Iowa State Daily announces, “Students Society of Landscape Architecture recruits by building green roof VEISHEA display.”  Located in front of the College of Design, SSLA spent 6 months planning and constructing a display to demonstrate the uses of green roofs.  The display has three miniature roofs or modules, each displaying a different type of green roof.  The group hopes to grab students’ attention at VEISHEA, but also alumni to get the word out about green roofs, answering student questions and demonstrating the uses of a green roof.

–   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 April 15th, 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.

 

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 April 8, 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 April 8th, 2011 on  GreenroofsTV.

–  Project of the Week

– Our project of the week is the National Trust Visitor Centre at Portstewart Strand built in 2008 in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.  The National Trust is Northern Ireland’s largest conservation charity and the Strand, nestled amongst a two mile stretch of award winning beach and sand dunes, has been designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest and a proposed Special Area of Conservation.  Meeting the highest environmental standards, the new National Trust Visitor Centre facilities here are designed to maximize energy from natural light.  The structure was constructed with cedar panels from renewable sources and includes a greenroof; the vegetation and the timber will weather naturally to blend in with the landscape.  Sustainability is also key and in accordance with the Trust’s policy of managed coastline retreat, the facility, which is built on sand, is demountable, so it can be relocated with minimal impact.  A ZinCo green roof system from sustainable roofing specialists Alumasc was chosen for the new National Trust Visitor Centre at Portstewart Strand in County Londonderry.

– To learn more about  The National Trust Visitor Centre at Portstewart Strand, click on our project of the week photo on our  homepage.

–   “What’s New“

–  Watch the trailer for the Rooftop Rainforest TV program on Sky 1 HD with  Dusty Gedge on our greenroofsTV page at the link below.  The program follows urban ecologist and wildlife expert Dusty Gedge in his ambitious effort to build an indoor rainforest on top of London’s Westfield Centre in Shepherd’s Bush.  Gedge will face countless obstacles as he attempts to construct a structure to house tropical trees, plants, animals and insects.

–  Our annual Earth Day Photo Contest is upon us!  Starting today, April 8th, you can submit your photos for the 2011 Earth Day Photo Contest.  Go to the Sky Gardens Blog and read, “Enter the 2011 “˜Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!’ Earth Day Photo Contest!“ later tonight and/or our Facebook page at facebook.com/greenroofs for all of the details of entering and voting for this year’s contest!

–  While you’re at the Sky Gardens Blog, check out Linda’s latest posts. Read about our project of the week on the “GPW: National Trust Visitor Centre at Portstewart Strand“ blogpost.  You can also read my script on the “Greenroofs.com’s “˜This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: 4.1.11“ post.  And on the “Join DC Greenworks for their “˜Day Without Oil Reception’ on April 14th“ post, you can read how two leading environmental advocates are teaming up to commemorate the first anniversary of the Gulf Oil Spill and preview the 2011 Earth Day celebrations with a Day Without Oil gathering to promote reduced use of fossil fuels.  You can participate by signing the pledge to: Refrain from using gasoline or other fossil fuels for one day, and donating the value of one day’s oil consumption – $17.40 to an environmental organization on the front lines.  Go to the blogpost for all of the details.

–   “Upcoming Events“

–  April 11th-12th: is the GRHC 2011 Living Architecture Regional Symposium in Washington, DC.  Don’t miss exhibits from American Hydrotech, Barrett Company, Capitol Greenroofs, CETCO, Conservation Technology, Etera,  International Leak Detection (ILD), KISSS, Rooflite, Sempergreen, Sika Sarnafil, Tremco and XeroFlor America.

–  April 12th-13th: is ROOFTECH, The Canadian Roofing Exposition in Montreal, Canada.  Don’t miss exhibits from   A & A Melters, Appian Way Sales, International Leak Detection (ILD), LiveRoof Ontario, Sika Sarnafil, Soprema Canada, and Tremco Roofing.

–  Stayed tuned for our latest Sky Gardens – Greenroofs of the World: The Cook+Fox Architects Office episode in Manhattan, New York coming soon!  Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Cook+Fox Architects LLP Office is that it is the first known modular green roof system to have been entirely removed with new waterproofing installed, and then re-installed in 2008 to great success.  That is what makes this project truly unique – completely dismantling and replacing the roof using the same growing media and plants, without having to dig up a single plant, let alone incurring the cost of a new green roof system!  For more information about this project profile you can search Cook+Fox in our projects database, or visit this link below:  http://greenroofs.com/projects/pview.php?id=670

–   “In the News“

–  Kim Glovas of CBS Philadelphia, gives you the “Guide To Going Green.”  She says, “Today, tree huggers and business tycoons are both involved in the greening of America.  The green movement encourages people to clean up their litter; to use less water; to recycle paper, glass and plastic; and to drive environmentally friendly vehicles, like hybrids and electric-powered cars.”  With Earth Day coming up on April 22nd, many people would like to know how they can help our planet but maybe not where to start.  On this article, you can read and listen to how the average home-owner can help by decreasing their own carbon footprint with things like landscaping: using locally grown plants and flowers to save on fossil fuels, and home energy: like installing your very own greenroof.

–  Nicole D’Alessandro of examiner.com, says “Greenroofs are growing.”  The West Woods Nature Center served as the pilot green roof project for the Geauga Park District to study the benefits of greenroof construction and technology and the list of greenroofs across Northeast Ohio is growing with projects like the Cleveland Environmental Center in Ohio City, which included a portion of green roofing, and with the help of its Environmental Science students, the Cleveland State University’s Recreation Center got a 7,000 sq ft greenroof.  There are many benefits to green roofs like: decreased stormwater runoff; decreased impermeable surfaces, which helps reduce the urban heat island effect; and increased insulation in cold climates and absorption of heat in hot climates, which affects a building’s energy use.  Greenroofs can be beautiful and offer a wonderful habitat for wildlife while also extending the life of a roof.  Any concern of installing a greenroof can be taken away with the help of professionals.

–  Mark Apfelbacher of Water World, asks “Green Roof Professional: What does it mean?”  He says, “With so many accreditations and acronyms floating around in the water industry, it’s an accomplishment equally worthy of certification to identify half the listed designations.”  GRP acknowledges the level of professional green roofing expertise and allows individuals to have the distinction of being someone who has the appropriate knowledge.  We know the vast benefits of green roofs, and they can last a long time when designed and managed correctly; but there are rare cases of failure, like Chicago’s Aquascape, Inc, which collapsed in February.  Although engineers are still investigating the cause of the collapse, Apfelbacher says “it’s crucial to note that the collapse shouldn’t discourage use of green roofs as multi-functional building improvements…green roofs have been installed in much harsher climates with higher annual snowfall levels than that of Chicago and have weathered the elements for decades.”  A GRP accreditation is a valuable title to earn for understanding green roof system design and implementation, and also to help teams understand the challenges of green roof systems and the best practices to go about building and maintaining them.

–   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 April 8th, 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.

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 April 1, 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 April 1st, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.

– Project of the Week

–   Our projects of the week are the Cheyenne I and III (251 & 253 Medical Center Blvd.), greenroofs built in 2007 and 2009 in Webster, Texas.   Developer and General Contractor, Jacob White Construction Company, wanted the buildings to stand apart from all other commercial buildings in the Houston area.   And they did just that when 251 East became the first LEED Gold certified building that side of Austin and 253 West gained LEED-CS Platinum certification in 2009.   The most impressive and ambitious part of these projects are the greenroofs complete with gardens, walking paths, and a lush landscaped area.   On September 13, 2008 Hurricane Ike went across the site as a strong Category 2 hurricane with 120+ mph winds and 11 inches of rain, yet there was no impact on the green roof nor the building.   In both cases, Webb Architects designed a custom system using EnkaRetain & Drain from Colbond with a locally designed growing media mix – the material cost savings alone was in the neighborhood of $250,000 each.   Approximately 73% of all rain water is retained, while the excess is transported to the roof drains that direct it to underground cisterns for storage and that reclaimed water is used for everything from irrigating the grounds to flushing the toilets.

–   To learn more about the Cheyenne I and Cheyenne III greenroofs, click on our project of the week  links on our homepage.

–   “What’s New“

–   Advertiser Press Release:   Metro Green Visions introduces MGV GroRoof Hybrid Green Roof System. MGV GroRoof, a new modular green roof system, is poised to make a strong impact in the marketplace, offering the best of both worlds, it installs like a modular tray system but functions and appears like a monolithic extensive green roof.

–   The American Horticultural Society is pleased to announce that Ed Snodgrass is the 2011 recipient of the G.B. Gunlogson Award.   The award is one of 12 Great American Gardeners Awards that the AHS presents annually to individuals, organizations, and businesses that represent the best in American gardening.   Congrats to Ed, co-owner of Emory Knoll Farms and our very own contributing editor of the “Ask Ed“ Plant Column here on Greenroofs.com!

– Green Roofs for Healthy Cities is pleased to announce the results of its 2011 Annual Industry Survey of Corporate Members which found that the greenroof industry grew by 28.5% over the course of 2010, which was up significantly from the 16% growth recorded in 2009!  The City of Chicago was #1, with Washington D.C. #2 in the Annual Top Ten U.S. Cities List.

–   Read our latest guest feature contributing editor blog post on Sky Gardens by Christine Thuring, “EcoBuild London (March 2011).”   Christine talks about the world’s largest sustainable construction fair, the biggest EcoBuild yet with over 50,000 visitors, over 1,300 suppliers and more than 130 free seminar sessions feazturing over 600 speakers.

–   (Check out Linda’s latest Sky Gardens Blog post about the “GPW: Cheyenne I and III (251 & 253 Medical Center Blvd.)” which has info on research data for the buildings.

–   Joblinks Update:    ZinCo USA is looking for two Regional Account Managers for Architectural/Contractor Green Roof Sales. One is located in Boston, MA and the other on in Philadelphia, PA.   Go to greenroofs.com/joblinks.htm  to apply to these jobs and check out our other Green Roof Jobs postings.    Go to greenroofs.com/joblinks.htm to apply to these jobs and check out our other Green Roof Jobs postings.

–   Industry News: New “Design Guidelines and Maintenance Manual for Green Roofs in the Semi-Arid and Arid West“ are released.  The guidelines are a collaboration of the University of Colorado Denver, City and County of Denver, Green Print Denver and the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District.

–   “Upcoming Events“

–   April 4th & 5th: is the Rooftop Rainforest TV programme featuring Dusty Gedge, which will be broadcast on Sky 1 HD in the UK.

–  April 5th: is a Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition: One Day Training Workshop in Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada.

–  April 6th – 7th: is Water & Environment 2011, CIWEM’s Annual Conference in London, United Kingdom.

–  April 7th & 12th: is Designing with Nature – Compost BMP Design Webinar for Green Infrastructure and LID.

–  April 7th – 12th: is RCI – 26th International Convention and Trade Show in Reno, Nevada.

–  And on April 8th – 9th: is Green Build Cornwall in Cornwall, United Kingdom.

–   “In the News“

–   Ross Dulmaine of IBTimes reports on “Green roof uberwork: Bjarke Ingels’ M2 House.”   He says “from a distance the M2 house looks like just another little rolling hill.   Approach more closely and you find a modern, subtly camouflaged residence whose roof is covered in beautiful, easy to maintain sedum.”   Located in Denmark, the home was designed to blend into its rural surroundings and one side features huge, light-infusing glass sections which provide plenty of natural light to the living and kitchen areas.   Check out the article on IBTimes for some more beautiful photos.

–   Sandy Hingston of Philly Mag’s The Philly Post invites you to “Build A Green-Roof Birdhouse.”   In Longwood Gardens, she took a birdhouse-making class with the most cutting-edge architectural design: a green roof.   Longwood has been experimenting with bluebird houses in its fields for years hoping to attract more but with local summers heating up, eggs were reaching boiling points inside these birdhouses.   Green roofs create a heat differential that aids airflow and reduces interior temperatures.   The sedums used were specially grown at Ed Snodgrass‘  Emory Knoll Farms in Street, Maryland where he focuses on perennial green-roof plants that can stay outdoors year-round.

–   Jeffrey Tomich of stltoday.com asks “Five Questions with green roofer Kelly Luckett.”  He talks about how Kelly Luckett, president of Green Roof Blocks, is taking back one rooftop at a time in St. Louis.   Kelly explains that there are many benefits to green roofs: they soak up about half of the storm water that would otherwise run off into gutters, they keep rooftops cooler, saving energy in the buildings underneath and they provide a habitat for bees, butterflies and birds.   Be sure to visit this article to read Kelly’s answers to questions like how he got into the green roof business, how green roofs are priced and what’s next for Greenroofs.com’s “Green Roof Guy.”

–   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.

–   Coming Soon: Stayed tuned for our latest Sky Gardens – Greenroofs of the World episode, The Cook+Fox Architects Office in Manhattan, New York!

–   This has been This Week in Review for April 1st, 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.

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.

Our daughter, Anjuli Velazquez, 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.     She’s become quite popular, and we thought it would be a great idea to start posting her transcript, too, to make things easier to research.   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 18th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.

– Project of the Week

–   Our Project of the Week is The Department Store, Stephen Marr Hair Salon Greenwall built in 2009 in Takapuna, New Zealand.  In 2010 The Department Store was named top retail concept store in the world by Monocle magazine.   One of the centerpieces of the store is the lush interior greenwall on the top floor.  The double-sided greenwall, designed and installed by Natural Habitats Landscapes, is New Zealand’s first interior greenwall.   The wall is 10 meters long by 2 meters high and boasts well over 1,000 individual plants.  It divides the upper level, promoting unique spaces that can be used for presentations like fashion shows.  The building has had skylights installed to ensure the wall is given as much natural light as possible, and so the use of supplementary man-made lighting is kept at a minimum.   This greenwall is an original and breathtaking piece of artwork, but also offers some incredible environmental benefits, like: increased thermal insulation to buildings, noise dampening, and creating cleaner and better quality air, which means healthier buildings and people.   From a commercial perspective, the greenwall increases the building’s value and has also been found to raise employee productivity.

–   To learn more about The Department Store, Stephen Marr Hair Salon Greenwall, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

–   “What’s New“

–   Check out Linda’s latest Sky Gardens Blog posts about the New Zealand greenwall, and the “CitiesAlive 2011 Call for Paper and Poster Abstracts.”   Green Roofs for Healthy Cities is pleased to be working with the City of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society as co-hosts for CitiesAlive, the 9th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference to be held later this year in Philadelphia from November 29th to December 3rd.   GRHC says they’re looking for papers that display novel ideas on taking a green approach to storm water management through the use of green infrastructure, indoor greening and residential green infrastructure.   All applications are due by April 15th, and for more information you can visit this blog post and/or e-mail Luna Ghose at lghose@greenroofs.org.

–   Do you think green walls can’t survive in the cold; they don’t look good in the winter, they are only viable in the south or indoors”¦ well, think again!   Contributing Editor George Irwin writes about Winter Interest with Green Walls in his latest column and shows some pretty interesting photos of various looks.

–   Advertiser Press Release: Irrigation Water Technologies America, Inc. recently signed an exclusive agreement with Australia-based Irrigation Water Technologies to manufacture and distribute the revolutionary water conserving KISSS product in North America.

–   Green Roof Jobs:   Joy Kuebler Landscape Architect is seeking resumes for a Landscape Architect/Designer with 5-6 years experience for their busy Buffalo, NY office, so make sure to check this job and many others in JobLinks if you’re looking to work in our industry!

–   “Upcoming Events“

–   March 18th – 27th: is the WMG Water Harvesting Certification in Phoenix, Arizona.

–   March 22nd: is the 2011 Green Roof Technology Workshop in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

–   March 23rd – 27th: is the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show in San Mateo, California.

–   March 24th – 27th: is a Green Roofs for  Healthy Cities – Green Roof Boot Camp in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

–   March 25th – 26th: is the GreenScaped Buildings Spring Open House in San Diego, California.

–   March 25th – 27th: is the Better Living Show – Home, Garden & Lifestyle in Portland, Oregon.

–   And don’t forget that on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 8:30 PM (local time, wherever you are), lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour.   With Earth Hour almost upon us, the organization’s thoughts, as well as ours, are with the people of Japan during this incredibly challenging and sad time for their country.

–   “In the News“

–   Kathleen E. Carey of the Delaware County Daily Times reports on “Green LEEDs to platinum: SAP America earns distinction for utilizing environmental sources for newest building.”  The Newtown Square campus of SAP America Inc. in Delaware County is holding one of the highest environmentally sustainable distinctions in the world with its new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum level construction.  Just some of the features that have led to its LEED Platinum certification are: its entry to the building – the passageway features a floor comprised of recycled materials, including seashells and pieces of crushed bottles and glass; glass panels surrounding the building with the goal of directing 90 percent of daylight to reach 75 percent of the employees; underneath the floors are tubes that transfer the natural temperature of the Earth which is generated from the 10 geothermal wells in the rear of the property to the inside of the building; and a rooftop garden that spans more than 1 acre which features lavender, rosemary, sedum and butterfly bushes.

–   Katie Kosier of Care2.com talks about “Removing Barriers to Green Building.”  With the help of Philadelphia based Re:Vision Architecture, Pennsylvania’s largest electric and natural gas utility company, PECO, installed a 45,000-square-foot vegetated green roof on its headquarters in central Philadelphia.  It’s the largest in urban Pennsylvania and the roof absorbs more than 1.5 million gallons of rainwater runoff annually, it reduces air temperature in the summer and   it also provides a beautiful habitat for wildlife.   Principle Scott Kelly of RVA, says “For us, it’s about removing barriers to green building.”   You can find more information about the PECO Greenroof in our International Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database by typing in Project ID number 851.

–   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.

–   By the way, did you know that now you can watch YouTube videos just like this one on DirecTV?  That’s fun!

–   Still haven’t picked up one of our 2011 Greenroofs & Walls of the World 12 Month Wall Calendar yet?   Go to greenroofs.com/calendar.htm and order some today!   Thanks to George Irwin for this great photo!

–   This has been This Week in Review for March 18th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.  I’m Anjuli Velazquez and I’ll see you next week!

*This week’s episode is sponsored by The Greenroof Directory, brought to you by Greenroofs.com.*

Did we miss something?   We’d love to hear from you!

~ Linda V.

Greenroofs.com has been an exhibitor at the annual Green Roofs for Healthy Cities conference for 8 years in a row now – from the first Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities in Chicago  in 2003  to this year’s CitiesAlive! Green Roof & Green Wall Conference  in beautiful Vancouver, B.C.   And each year we’ve held a drawing for a free Premium Listing in The Greenroof Directory.   How are people eligible?   You just have to  come by and visit our Greenroofs.com booth and drop off your business card – super easy!

We are pleased to announce that Anjuli Velazquez, host of our “This Week in Review“ video (also our daughter and mother of almost 2-year old Nicholas), pulled out the following company for our FREE one year Premium Listing in The Greenroof Directory, a $599 value:

Congratulations to annette environmental inc.!   Headed up by two very competent and talented individuals who have been working in this industry for a few years now, we learned this is a new venture for them and that the consulting company  will have two headquarters – Washington, D.C. and Toronto.   You may remember Sara Loveland, formerly with D.C. Greenworks, and Ashleigh Uiska, formerly with  Fishburn Building Sciences Group Inc.  (and previously Green Roofs for Healthy Cities).   We expect great things from this pair of  strong and lively women!   If you want to learn more about them, please  visit The Greenroof Directory in a few days when we’ll have all the information needed to create their full page color brochure.

By the way, if you were a CitiesAlive! conference exhibitor or attendee, we are extending our 20% offer to  you  until December 17th for any advertising opportunity that we have on Greenroofs.com – visit  Advertise  for all the options, from being listed in The Greenroof Directory to Banner Advertising to Sponsorship.
 
Look for some upcoming coverage of the CitiesAlive! Green Roof & Green Wall Conference from a  contributing editor and guest writer and more…I promise to report on this successful Vancouver, B.C. conference with lots of photos of people and places – after I catch up with the  International Skyrise Greenery Conference in Singapore and the WGIN World Green Roof Congress in Mexico City – up next!   Here are some photos of Vancouver for now:

 

 

We hope you enjoyed the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities conference, and look forward to seeing you again next year when it will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!

Happy greening ~ Linda V.

Some of you may recall back a couple of years ago that Greenroofs.com was a semi-finalist in a competition from The Green on the Sundance Channel called “What’s the Big Idea?” Contest with our 60-second video “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!”  While we didn’t win, the tag line stuck with me – simple and direct.  April 22, 2010 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and we are excited to honor Earth Day, really the entire Earth Month of April, with our first photo contest ever!

The “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Photo Contest is designed to be quick, simple, and fun.  Any and all types of greenroofs are eligible, any place on Earth.  Send us* your favorite shot of that special greenroof which graphically epitomizes its relationship to our planet – how it is a living example of loving the Earth.  We’ll be keeping everyone updated on Greenroofs.com with a special page for all the contest photos, and on Twitter.

Tell us how it is a living example in 285 characters or less for the write up on the Love the Earth, Plant a Roof! Voting Page next to your thumbnail photo to let people why they should vote for this particular project and you.  Include a photo source/credit, not part of the 285 count.

For the Greenroofs.com tweet, pare it down to the meat and bones in 120 characters for all to see (we need 20 characters for the link to your photo – so people can click and vote immediately!). Don’t follow us on Twitter yet?  Do so here.

Here’s an example for inspiration – this precious child is my own grandson, Nicky, at The Greenroof Pavilion and Trial Gardens of Rock Mill Park here in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA:

Example tweet @ 120 characters:

Vote Rock Mill Park! The design honors the land & Cherokee heritage with hands-on models & signage for young and old.

The contest is open to everyone, not just the roof owner or the designers of record.  And voting is open to everyone, too, as many times as you like, so tell your friends to vote for your submission!

Entries will be accepted today and voting will be open to everyone until Wednesday, April 28 at 5:00 p.m. EST – but, of course, you’ll increase your chances of receiving the most votes by entering early!  Enter now and rally your forces – don’t delay.

Vote as often as you wish by clicking on your selected photo.  Include your real name and contact info or it will be discarded.

The winner will be announced on the last day of Earth Month, Friday, April 30, 2010, in our Top 10 List for the “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Photo Contest.  The winner will have “their” project highlighted on Greenroofs.com as an upcoming Greenroof Project of the Week and we’ll feature you in a Sky Gardens interview so you can really tell us more about this living roof and why you love it so much.

And, as a humble token of our esteem, the winner will also receive your choice of a $100 gift card to either The Home Depot or Lowe’s for your spring projects or just a good old fashioned check!

Some requirements:

• ~ You can enter as often as you wish, but only one photo per project for the Contest (send more photos and project description for the blog post if you win, but send the contest photo clearly identified as such).
• ~ It has to be a real project, no Photoshopping!
• ~ Didn’t take the photo yourself?  Make sure you credit the source and check for any copyright issues – we’re not liable!
• ~ Don’t break any laws or bones while taking the photos!
• ~ Minimum size: 491 x 367
• ~ And, obviously, by submitting the photo you agree to its being published.

* Include your real name and contact information; a 120-character including spaces description for the tweet starting with “Vote (Name of Project)!…”; a 285-character including spaces (or less) description for the write up including Name of Project, City, State, and/or Country; any additional photos in case you win, but that can come later.

Submit away and good luck – start telling your friends now!  Vote for your favorite here on the Love the Earth, Plant a Roof! Voting Page.

Happy Greening for the Earth, ~ Linda V.