Built in the 1960’s, The Philadelphian Condominiums complex is a luxury condominium located across from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It provides residents with a full range of unrivaled amenities and services, including unparalleled views of Center City, the Art Museum, and beautiful Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River. In 2015 the unsightly, poor draining and leaking black roof was renovated and turned into attractive greenery. As Philadelphia’s old sewer system is undersized for heavy rain events, Philadelphia has developed an innovative 25-year storm water plan.

Among other measures it heavily promotes green roofs by providing substantial incentives to condominium property owners for the implementation of functional Stormwater Management Projects (SMPs) and by reducing their monthly stormwater management service charges. In 2015 United States Roofing Corporation installed the ZinCo USA “Ornamental Sedum” green roof system build-up with Floradrain® FD 40-E on an inverted roof. The substrate was transported to the roof via a telescopic conveyor belt (Telebelt), and most of the roof area was planted with pre-cultivated plant mats to achieve an immediate green effect. In the area around the technical installations different higher growing grasses were planted.

The Condo Association in turn has gained an increased property value and energy efficiency plus a 25 year leak free warranty for their roof. “The roof’s supporters pushed the value of adding to the building’s reputation as a progressive and green building overall, said Joan Batory, who chairs the condo’s green committee. “This is marketability we’re talking about,” she said. “Marketability equals money,”” (The Inquirer, 2015).