Greenroofs.com Projects - National Institutes of Health (NIH) Library, Building 10

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Library, Building 10

Project Name: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Library, Building 10
Year: 2009
Owner: National Medical Library
Location: Bethesda, MD, USA
Building Type: Municipal/Government
Type: Extensive, Test/Research
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 4400 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Accessible, Open to Public
Submitted by: John Shepley

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Plant Supplier: Green Roof Plants/Emory Knoll Farms
Engineering & Construction: Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR)
Design/Build: Furbish Company
Landscape Architect: Heidi Natura, Living Habitats
Irrigation: KISSS

Photo source: Furbish Company www.furbishco.com

The NIH Library is an open stacks biomedical research library whose collection and services are developed to support the programs of the National Institutes of Health and selected U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies. "This endeavor was the first retrofit of an existing NIH roof with green roof technology. It was a cooperative effort between the NIH Library and the Office of Research Facilities Division of Environmental Protection.

"The 4400-square-foot cement patio area adjacent to the NIH Library in Building 10 has been transformed into a verdant, eco-friendly garden terrace. The project won the HHS Green Champion Award (FY 2009) for Sustainable Buidling Design. The award was granted on June 10, 2010. The NIH Library Green Terrace is an extension of the newly redesigned NIH Library facility and serves as an outdoor green garden oasis for NIH staff and visitors. The Green Terrace environment provides a natural, relaxing setting for individuals and groups to retreat, read, reflect, and rejuvenate. A new entrance from the physical library to the Green Terrace has been installed to allow library patrons easy access to both environments.

"The NIH Library Green Terrace showcases several garden areas which are rooted in engineered soil. Some of the garden areas are drought tolerant, while others are designed for more traditional perennial gardens including an annual zone that features several types of tropical plants currently being researched at NIH for their medicinal values. The walls surrounding the Green Terrace will be softened with several species of vines cascading from roof areas above or twined up on mounted trellises. The combination of garden surfaces and covered walls will help reduce the extreme temperatures in the summer. Green Terrace visitors may enjoy the eating nooks and bench seating under the shade canopies and along the garden walls," (NIH website). See the Plant List here .

De-construction of the existing hardscaped patio began in 2008, and the greenroof was completed in 2009. Tree seedlings were handed out during the ceremony to promote Earth Day 2009. Several sustainable features beyond the vegetated roof surfaces are also incorporated into the Green Terrace design. Solar panels supplement the project's energy use powering the terrace lighting and irrigation pumps. The solar panels are mounted on the roof just south of the terrace. Rain will be stored on site in a 1200 gallon cistern and recycled to irrigate the gardens and reduce the flow to and from the municipal water supply and storm systems. This feature, in combination with the vegetated roof areas, offers important reductions in storm water runoff from the NIH campus, ultimately supporting water quality improvement and conservation goals for the broader Chesapeake Bay watershed. A weather station monitors the current weather on the terrace. It updates the data every 10 minutes. The NIH Library is in the process of becoming LEED Certified as a Commercial Interior.

Additional thumbnail photos:

The NIH Library, Building 10, is located in Bethesda, MD, 20892; 301-496-1080; http://nihlibrary.nih.gov/Pages/default.aspx. Visit the NIH Library Goes Green page here , and read the very informative NIH Library document here .

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