The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay offered a challenge grant contest in February 2005 to promote the use of green roofs within the greater Richmond metropolitan area. Prior to this project, there were no public green roofs in the Richmond area. SunTrust Bank, Mid-Atlantic was selected as the winning applicant and provided the additional costs for the green roof construction (2005 SunTrust PDF, see below). Quoted in inRich.com (see below), Walter Swartley, facilities manager for SunTrust in Richmond, said of his two-year-old green roof, “To go green is an additional expense, but I think it’s the right thing to do for these large expanses of roof, especially in an urban environment.”This project received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency?s Chesapeake Bay Program at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, via grant agreement number BAY-2004-21-SR. Additional partners include DavisHarris & Associates and International Roofing.

The 11,800 ft2 green roof was installed at SunTrust Bank?s Mid-Atlantic Headquarters in August of 2005 as Richmond?s first public and Virginia?s largest green roof. The roofing consulting firm, DavisHarris & Associates managed the project and International Roofing was the contractor. The existing roof membrane covered with river rock ballast was removed prior to the installation of the green roof. A SiplastTM Green Roof system was installed containing waterproofing and filter layers, soil media and plants. An engineered soil mix was used containing 85% expanded shale and 15% compost. The SunTrust green roof was planted with a mixture of 7 varieties of succulent plants, including sedums, that will mature into a quilt-like carpet, flowering at different times and changing colors with the season (see photos by DavisHarris).Cost: Though initial upfront costs for green roof construction are generally higher than typical roofs, these are offset by the valuable economic benefits gained, including increased roof longevity and building energy efficiency. Green roof costs vary based on the building?s special requirements and the chosen system and design. The cost for a green roof in Virginia ranges between approximately $15-$30/ft2, as compared to typical roof construction at $5-$15/ft2. The total cost of the SunTrust green roof proved to be very economical at a cost of $15.7/ft2 (PDF).