U.S. Tax Court

Project Name: U.S. Tax Court Year: 2008 Owner: U.S. General Services Administration Location: Washington, DC, USA Building Type: Municipal/Government Type: Extensive System: Single Source Provider Size: 5500 sq.ft. Slope: 1% Access: Inaccessible, Private Submitted by: Barrett Company Designers/Manufacturers of Record: Greenroof System: Barrett ?Greenroof-Roofscape?? Extensive Green Roof Architect: MTFA Architecture, Inc. Waterproofing & Greenroof-Roofscape? Installer: Cole Roofing Company, Inc. Greenroof Installation Management & Maintenance: Greg Long, Capitol Greenroofs

It is a well known fact that the Washington, D.C. area has some of the worst storm water control problems in America. Compounding the impact of the problem, the District?s waterways flow to the Chesapeake Bay, endangering its $3 billion dollar a year seafood industry. Slowly but surely, the Federal Government and the District Government authorities have come to recognize greening the District?s rooftops as the most viable and economical means of addressing the storm water control issue. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) describes the benefits of a planted roof as increasing insulation value, reducing storm water runoff, improving water quality, reducing urban heat island effect, conserving energy, reducing sound reflection, creating wildlife habitat, and improving the aesthetics of the typical roof. An often overlooked benefit and one with significant asset management impact is the prolonged life of the roof membrane, from 50 to 100 years. GSA's oldest planted roof was installed in 1975.

The United States Tax Court, one of a number of notable General Services Administration?s greening projects, was recently reroofed with a Barrett Company 4" 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 Greenroof-Roofscapes? are known to provide including increased roofing longevity, carbon dioxide-oxygen exchange, reduced interior noise pollution and reduction of the urban heat-island effect. The project actually has two wings with three green roofs totaling 5,500 sf of vegetated area: two green roofs on the north wing and one on the south wing. Two succulent plugs per sf were used including Sedum album; Sedum spurium ?Fuldaglut?; Sedum kamtschaticum; Sedum sexangulare; Sedum reflexum ?Blue Spruce?; Delosperma nubigenum, and Sedum rupestre ?Angelina?. An erosion control mat was placed on top of the extensive growing media. A 6? gravel strip was placed around the perimeter and 2? pavers were used for maintenance walkways around the roof hatch and access ladders. Not publicly accessible, the U.S. Tax Court?s Greenroof-Roofscapes? provides a visual delight to its high-rise neighbors.

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The United States Tax Court is located at 400 2nd Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20217; visit their website here. Read the case study profile from Capitol Greenroofs here, and read the Sky Gardens Blog post by Linda Velazquez of April 27, 2011 GPW: U.S. Tax Court. The U.S. Tax Court was highlighted for the month of December in the 2010 Greenroofs of the World Calendar?. Learn all about Barrett Company, Waterproofing Consultants and Material Suppliers, in The Greenroof Directory here, as well as Capitol Greenroofs.

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