Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center (PEEC)

Project Name: Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center (PEEC) Year: 2004 Owner: The Green Institute Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA Building Type: Commercial Type: Extensive, Test/Research System: Single Source Provider Size: 4000 sq.ft. Slope: 1% Access: Accessible, By Appointment Submitted by: L. P. MacDonagh, The Kestrel Design Group Designers/Manufacturers of Record: Greenroof Designer: L Peter MacDonagh, The Kestrel Design Group, Inc. Landscape Architect: Nathalie M Hallyn, RLA, The Kestrel Design Group Inc. Volunteer Coordinator: Corrie Zoll, The Green Institute Architects: LHB Architects Greenroof System: American Hydrotech Plant Supplier: Green Roof Plants/Emory Knoll Farms

"The Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center (PEEC) is The Green Institute?s flagship and a national model of comprehensive sustainable design. The building was a pilot for and helped inform the creation of the United States Green Building Council?s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (USGBC?s LEED), which has in the last ten years risen within the green building movement as the preeminent national green building standard," (website). The Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center was constructed to serve as a model for comprehensive sustainable green building design. The green roof project provides the opportunity to both demonstrate and research the benefits of green roofs including; reductions in storm water runoff, increased lifespan of the roof materials, and a comparison of temperature above the green roof versus that above a traditional gravel ballast roof. A volunteer group helped to plant species native to Minnesota?s bedrock bluff prairies (a habitat template similar to that found on extensive green roofs) alongside more traditional European green roof sedums in order to compare plant survival and establishment rates. This research will help to identify native plant species that are suitable for green roofs in the American Midwest. Stormwater runoff, roof membrane lifespan, and air temperature 6? above the roof surface are also being monitored on the green roof and an adjacent bituminous roof to quantify the environmental benefits of this green roof system.

Over 150 volunteers participated in the green roof installation during the summer of 2004 (planted in early June). Two plugs were planted per square foot in 2-6? of green roof growing medium. Stormwater runoff and air temperature are being monitored on the green roof an adjacent bituminous roof to quantify the environmental benefits of this green roof system.

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The Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center is located at 2801 21st Avenue South in Minneapolis, and to arrange a group tour of the building, please contact Helen Spry at 612.278.7122, or to learn more about the Green Institute and the project, visit their website. For additional project info, contact L. P. MacDonagh of The Kestrel Design Group at: tkdg@tkdg.net or contact Corrie Zoll of the Minnesota Green Roofs Council at: corrie@mngreenroofs.org. Read about American Hydrotech in The Greenroof Directory here and Emory Knoll Farms here. See an extensive case study including plant lists on pages 158-162 in "Green Roofs in Sustainable Landscape Design," 2008, by Steven L. Cantor.

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