# Green Roofs



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*"Green" roof unveiled by U.S. architect group showcases global trend *
By PAUL BURKHARDT 
26 April 2006

More information and photos : http://www.asla.org/land/050205/greenroofcentral.html

NEW YORK (AP) - An architectural organization unveiled a new "green" roof for its own building Wednesday to showcase a trend toward environmentally-friendly technology. 

The leafy rooftop of the American Society of Landscape Architects building in downtown Washington is a model of the techniques used increasingly to cool temperatures, filter air, and lessen the burden on sewers by absorbing rainwater. 

Visitors are surrounded on three sides by a variety of plants, and the aluminum grating that serves as a walkway is suspended over more vegetation. 

Green roofs, first championed in Germany, have grown in popularity around the world, and experts predict more growth as the practice sprouts as far away as China. In North America, green roof space grew 70 percent last year. 

"What you're going to see is a meteoric rise in this industry because it takes serious issues like storm water and offers multiple solutions," said Steven Peck, president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a non-profit industry association. 

Germany, which helped launch the trend beginning in the 1950s, now has 50 square miles (32,000 square acres) of green roof space and adds an additional five square miles (13 square kilometers) per year, estimates Christian Werthmann, an assistant professor of landscape architecture at Harvard's Graduate School of Design. 

Green roofs began to spread when some German cities encouraged building owners to substitute ballast and tar rooftops with vegetation. Werthmann estimates 40 German municipalities require green roofs in at least some cases. 

The United States has only a fraction of the green roof space found in Germany -- but a study this month found U.S. green roof space grew 80 percent last year. North America has a total of 2,150,000 square feet (200,000 square meters), according to the study by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. 

Chicago was the U.S. leader, planting nearly 300,000 square feet (27,900 square meters) of green roof space last year. 

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has described green roofs as part of an effort to make his city "the most environmentally friendly" American city. Chicago, which installed a green roof on its City Hall in 2000, has offered developers more regulatory incentives than any other North American city, Peck said. 

Steven Holl, a leading U.S. architect based in New York, has designed a number of green roof projects, but says the demand is greatest at his Beijing office. 

The Beijing Linked Hybrid project, a self-contained city of linked vertical buildings designed by Holl, includes hundreds of apartments as well as stores and schools, and every roof is green. Storm water collected in rooftops will help feed a self-sustaining water system to protect the buildings against water shortages in Beijing, Holl explained. 

"They want it and they're willing to pay for it," Holl said of his Chinese clients. 

China launched a nationwide drive last month to make energy-saving buildings that help ease fuel shortages and reduce greenhouse gases. The country has also signed an agreement with the United Nations to promote environmentally friendly practices in staging the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

While some advocates say they would like to see more North American cities implement requirements for green roofs, Werthmann warns that forcing developers could result in half-hearted efforts that do little to help the environment. 

"In the states it's all voluntary, so it's a totally different push," Werthmann said. 

The ASLA roof cost $946,000 (euro761,400), but the organization says two-thirds of the budget was to make the showcase roof accessible. 

"The ASLA roof is only 3,000 square feet and to have people and plants together in that amount of space is unique," Werthmann said, adding that typically only maintenance staff make it onto most green roofs. 

Experts say green roof installation can be as cheap as $9 per square foot, and increased property value, energy cost savings and longer life for the roof can offset the investment. 

Over the last six months, Peck said he has seen green roof associations spring up in Mexico, New Zealand and Australia. Next month, he is planning to announce a world green infrastructure association that will work with eastern European and developing nations to adopt green roofs. 

"Green roofs should be treated as necessary infrastructure for a city," Perk said. "Like sewers and streets."


----------



## Quente (Jan 9, 2005)

Excellent article. I was aware of the use of grass on roofs for environmental reasons but was surprised that the Germans have been doing this since the '50's and that they've got over 50 sq. miles of green roofs. I thought the whole green architecture trend was from the '80's. At any rate, it's a brilliant solution. I also like the absurdity of someone having to mow the lawn in an urban area far above the landscape!

Thanks for the article HK!


----------



## Captain Obvious (Sep 13, 2002)

Green roofs are a very neat concept, and I support them, but I think a lot of these articles can be very misleading to people who haven't seen real life, practical green roofs.

These articles and "model" roofs always make it seem like green roofs will be rooftop parks. Or, at worst, that they'll be an attractive cover of bushes and grass. 

In reality, most green roofs usually mean soil, lichen, and maybe some unkept wild grasses. They make perfect sense on an environmental or economic level - but they are rarely a huge asthetic improvement. The cost-effective ones are basically ugly lichen mats.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

The next step will be to introduce urban agriculture to these green roofs.


----------



## TalB (Jun 8, 2005)

When I first read this article, I thought it had to green energy.


----------



## hkia (Oct 15, 2005)

See this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...002-2465977-6736008?n=507846&s=books&v=glance


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Lincoln Center Grows a Green Roof *
26 October 2006
The New York Sun

There wasn't a reflecting pool, and the decrepit warehouse in the background didn't look much like the Met Opera House, but other than that, the miniature lawn installed in a Jersey City parking lot gave a visitor a good sense of what Lincoln Center's future campus lawn –– a grass roof to be installed on top of an as-yet-unnamed restaurant –– will look like. The turf was bright green; the ground, firm and dry, invited sitting or reclining. Except for the chill October wind, it was the perfect spot for a picnic. 

Don't rush to pack your sandwiches, though. The green roof - part of Lincoln Center's $650 million West 65th St. redevelopment plan –– won't be installed until the spring or summer of 2009. In the meantime, the architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro and FX Fowle Architects, in collaboration with a turf expert, Frank Rossi, and a horticulturalist, William Harder, have been testing a mock-up of the lawn, 1/16 the size of the real one, in a little-used parking lot in New Jersey. Yesterday afternoon, the various parties assembled to check on the state of the lawn. 

Over the last year, the architects and their experts have tracked the condition and appearance of three types of grass planted on the mock-up. Mr. Rossi, a professor of turfgrass science at Cornell University, said they're close to declaring a winner. A special variety of the turf-type "tall fescue" kept its color best through the winter. 

The architects also wanted to try out the effectiveness of the irrigation and drainage system they had planned. Although there are many green roofs in Manhattan –– Bryant Park, above the New York Public Library stacks, is one –– Lincoln Center's lawn offers particular challenges. It may be the only curved green roof in the city. Visitors will ascend the 10,500-square-foot lawn from plaza level; at its highest points, it will be 20 feet off the plaza. 

Green-roof technology has advanced dramatically in recent years. Lincoln Center's lawn will be planted on top of what's now a standard 14 inch package of waterproofing, insulation, a plastic layer to stop the roots, a moisture retention mat, a drain mat, and soil. 

So far, on the mini-lawn, the system has worked well. "The whole packaged system has drained much better than we thought," one of the Diller Scofidio + Renfro architects, Pablo Garcia, said. "We've come out after storms, and the ground was dry." 

Green roofs have become popular in cities because they absorb storm water and reduce temperatures that can be up to 10 degrees warmer in urban areas than surrounding rural ones. 

"Everybody acknowledges that it's pretty unreasonable to tear cities down and make a forest again," Edmund Snodgrass, a horticulturalist and author of "Green Roof Plants," explained." The question is how can we get more vegetation in cities, because that's what will cool things down. Sidewalks and roads aren't really options, but roofs are." 

Then there's the visual appeal. "A lot of good environmental practices aren't sexy to look at," Mr. Snodgrass (whose name means "short grass" in Scottish) said. "But a green roof is one of those new environmental features that's very visible and very easy for people to integrate into their consciousness." 

In addition to environmental concerns, the architects wanted to "get two spaces for the price of one" –– by having both the restaurant and a lawn on the same footprint –– Kevin Rice from Diller Scofidio + Renfro said. 

Mr. Rossi said that the timing of Lincoln Center's season –– essentially, fall to spring –– meant he had to choose a type of grass that would look good even in the cold months. For a while, he considered embracing the problem and choosing a grass that would forthrightly go brown in winter."That would have been an extreme look," he said. "It wasn't the look they were going for."


----------



## Erebus555 (Apr 21, 2006)

Fort Dunlop in Birmingham which opens on December 1st will have the largest green roof by area in the UK! Alot more buildings are using green rooves. The International Convention Centre here in Birmingham is to get one to attract back all the birds lost during the construction (even though it replaced mroe buildings). The importance of such rooves is now becming aparent as they can lower energy costs and increase wildlife once again.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Green rooves can do wonders not only for energy conservation, but also be a source of food in an urban environment. Japan has been trying to grow food in underground lit bunkers. It'll be a lot easier to do it at the roof.


----------



## GMAC (Sep 11, 2003)

Fantastic Concept, Ive always wondered why it was not a more popular practice. No doubt the energy saving possibilities are significant, but here in australia we need our normal roofs on all buildings to catch the little rain water we get, and the fact we have so little rain probably would mean that the idea wouldnt work anyway.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

GMAC said:


> Fantastic Concept, Ive always wondered why it was not a more popular practice. No doubt the energy saving possibilities are significant, but here in australia we need our normal roofs on all buildings to catch the little rain water we get, and the fact we have so little rain probably would mean that the idea wouldnt work anyway.


I think it'll be harder to implement in tropical regions since a roof garden can't absorb the downpours during the monsoon season, and that flat rooves pose a leaking risk to the top floors. In more temperate climates, it will make sense. While in colder climates, flat rooves for smaller buildings pose a structural risk when too much snow accumulates.


----------



## Bibelo (Oct 15, 2002)

hkskyline said:


> Chicago was the U.S. leader, planting nearly 300,000 square feet (27,900 square meters) of green roof space last year.


^^?? from http://www.greenroofs.net/

Recognized in 2004 by Guinness World Records as the largest green roof in the world, this green roof covers 454,000 square feet (~10.4 acres) atop Ford's new truck assembly plant. The green roof is a part of a comprehensive effort to revitalize the historic Ford Rouge Centre complex as a model for 21st Century sustainable manufacturing and is a significant component of a site-wide 600-acre stormwater management system. Other design objectives include the establishment of habitat at roof level, reduction in ambient temperatures, and protection of the roof membrane. The roof is key to Ford's visitor education program highlighting environmentally beneficial site and building strategies.

Award Recipients: *William McDonough* + Partners, Concept Design Architects


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

But that is just 1 big project, whereas Chicago has a more widespread coverage with many small projects. While both are good signs, the mass adoption of this concept is key to its success.


----------



## Quente (Jan 9, 2005)

Bibelo said:


> ^^?? from http://www.greenroofs.net/


Looking at this shot I was thinking why can't Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart and the other big box retailers do this?!? It would be a small price to pay for contributing to sprawl. And just think of the good PR for them!


----------



## NavyBlue (Apr 23, 2005)

Parliament House - Canberra, Australia

Designed by Italian Romaldo Gieurgola and situated on Capital Hill.

...built in 1988 costing $1.1 billion...


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

March 23, 2007
*The Window Box Gets Some Tough Competition *
By PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN
New York Times

CARMEL VALLEY, Calif. — It is the green season, when the rains give way to a landscape of renewal, and gardeners clutching copies of Sunset magazine’s Western Garden Book emerge exultantly from their winter dens.

In this place where the political climate, too, is green, it is perhaps not surprising to encounter a hardy new perennial in the world of horticulture — the green roof gardener.

While others nearby toil over grapes and artichokes, Cooper Scollan spends his days hunched over some 1.7 million baby sedum and other native plants destined for hillocks atop the green roof at the new California Academy of Sciences building, nearing completion in Golden Gate Park.

Mr. Scollan, 30, is a green collar worker, responsible for the safety and well-being of what soon will be the largest continuous swatch of vegetation in San Francisco. The academy, designed by the architect Renzo Piano, whom Mr. Scollan has seen only on television, will feature the country’s most technically ambitious eco-roof, the latest example of what is known in highbrow circles as “regenerative” or “living” architecture. 

It is a growing movement that originated in Germany and now includes, to name a few, bottlebrush grasses and wild rye atop Chicago City Hall, succulents on the 10-acre roof of Ford’s River Rouge truck plant in Dearborn, Mich., flowering chives and dianthus on the Bronx County building in New York, and, at an office building for the Gap in San Bruno, Calif., a coastal oak savannah landscape.

Though green roofs are hardly new — think of the fabled hanging gardens of Babylon — eco-roofs may represent gardening’s next frontier, as cities from Los Angeles to Chicago offer incentives, including fast-tracking development, to builders who forgo drab stretches of concrete in favor of a living roof. The reasons are pure Al Gore: the new California Academy of Sciences roof is expected to reduce storm water run-off by half. That water will then be used, instead of potable water, to flush toilets.

The design is also calculated to prevent the release of more than 405,000 pounds of greenhouse gases and substantially reduce the urban “heat island” generated by roads, sidewalks and parking lots.

More poetically for Mr. Scollan, who is fond of comparing his favorite plant, the towering blue “Pride of Tenerife,” to Marge Simpson’s hair, the poppies, strawberries, sedum and other California native plants on the roof will provide a wildlife park in the sky protected from windblown weeds and the vagaries of man. Should all go well, it will also attract the endangered San Bruno elfin butterfly, a coppery brown temptress.

Like meditation, he said, gardening is repetitive yet constantly changing. “Plants, like insects, metamorphize,” he philosophized, “transforming from a tangled mass of cells into a fig hanging in midair.”

As nursery manager for Rana Creek Habitat Restoration, an ecological design firm, Mr. Scollan is one of a growing number of green roof gardeners. According to a survey last year by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a nonprofit industry association based in Toronto, over 3 million square feet of green roofs were planted in North America in 2005, worth about $60 to $80 million. This year growth is expected to rise 125 percent, between 6 and 7 million square feet, said Steven Peck, the group’s founder. 

Gardeners like Mr. Scollan are tackling challenges at once similar and distinct from “terrestrial” gardening, in the words of Ed Snodgrass, a pioneering green roof nurseryman in Maryland who writes an “Ask Ed” column for green roofs.com and is the author of the definitive “Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide” (Timber Press, 2006).

Mr. Scollan checks his brood each morning, when this stunningly pristine valley is still swaddled in mist. The plants’ environmental pedigree does not fend off nature’s whims: Mr. Scollan buys copious amounts of chunky peanut butter to put in mousetraps — 20 traps a week — to discourage mice from dining on mosses or on the prunella, a plant with tubular purple flowers beloved by hummingbirds.

Mr. Scollan personally raised the prunella from seed, hand-collected in Point Reyes, starting with a couple of hundred that, in less than a year, have generated more than 200,000 plants. 

Although his enemies are typical — mites and aphids are high on the hit list — the unusual configuration of the roof has required horticultural derring-do. Mr. Piano’s third-story design resembles the downhill ski run at the Winter Olympics: it includes seven steep undulating hills. (Mr. Piano, who designed the new building for The New York Times, created his first green roof for a project in Berlin.) 

Plants will adhere to the daunting slopes by way of 50,000 “bio trays,” biodegradable planters made from coconut fibers that allow roots to attach the trays to one another and also to the soil. (A waterproof membrane and fabric mats protect the roof from water.). As on all large green roofs, the soil is not dirt exactly but a gravel-like growing medium of granulated pumice, shales, clays and other minerals.

Paul Kephart, the founder of Rana Creek, calls the roof “the most challenging vegetative structure in the world.” The need for gardening ingenuity is likely to increase as green architecture gets ever more sophisticated, Mr. Kephart said. “The cultural idea of a beautiful place now includes ecology, aligning nature’s life cycles to ours,” he said.

Although less prone to weeds than earthbound gardens, green roofs tend to be drier and windier, said Mr. Snodgrass, a fifth-generation alfalfa farmer who saw a market niche and established one of the country’s first green roof nurseries. The logistics of roof gardening — in the case of the California Academy of Sciences, 2.6 million pounds of plants and soil — require immense forethought, especially the issue of weed-hauling.

“You do need to think about how you will get everything on and off the roof,” said Mr. Snodgrass. “It’s a whole different world than pulling up to the sidewalk in a pickup truck.”

Daydreaming while gardening is not a good strategy. “You have to be mindful that there’s an edge,” he said.

If drought-tolerant green roof grasses and other plants are a new American crop, pioneers like Mr. Scollan, who carries a pruner, assorted plastic frogs and a beat-up copy of Scientific American in his Honda, are brave new harvesters. His passion for plants started early: his mother has a green thumb. He first studied ornithology, including a stint in Central and South America with Roger Tory Peterson, who, he recalled, “could hear an Eastern meadowlark a quarter mile away with the radio on.”

Green architecture may one day be the equivalent of medieval cathedrals, but with living things the architectural inspiration, rather than soaring stone and glass.

For Mr. Scollan, creating life for the tops of buildings is “Jack and the Beanstalk” redux, but with an eco-twist. “Plants are the true magicians,” he said. “With just a few seeds sown, a whole new world is grown in the sky.”


----------



## eusebius (Jan 5, 2004)

In Almere (NL, east of Amsterdam) urban renewal is already taking place. New town gets a second chance; an artificial hill:


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Additional resource about the green roof and combating the heat island effect : http://www.epa.gov/heatisland/strategies/greenroofs.html


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Urban gardeners raise their sights *
22 September 2007
Financial Times

With its sunflower-sprouting chimney stacks, prickly pears in miniskirt-wrapped plastic pots and artfully arranged mannequin parts, Anthony Samuelson's contribution to this year's Chelsea Flower Show took the creative potential of the roof garden to its limits. 

In basing his design around the theme of "found objects" - the objets trouves deployed by artists such as Marcel Duchamp - Samuelson, a septuagenarian ex-film industry entrepreneur and gardening novice, cleverly exemplified the tension between urban grit and verdant respite at the heart of the roof garden's appeal. 

Samuelson's scattered objects, as he describes them in his garden plan, were the kinds of things you might find abandoned on a street corner; in fact, he scoured jumble sales up and down the country. There was a clapped-out stove reinvented as a garden grill; old leather travelling trunks packed with a Chinese windmill palm; and a laptop case, rucksack and motorcycle helmet (objects he imagined belonging to the hypothetical owner of the garden, a young bachelor) incorporated into a water feature fed from a rooftop gutter. 

A more or less subtle eroticism crept through the garden, as if a sign of the lasciviousness with which the city has so long been associated. In addition to those ambiguous prickly pears (the official and appropriate name for which is Opuntia vulgaris), the disassembled shop-window dummies formed various suggestive arrangements, while a chandelier-lit table awaited an intimate dinner for two. Samuelson called the whole thing Patio Povera afterarte povera , the radical urban aesthetic movement that emerged in Italy after the second world war. 

The Chelsea judges were so impressed by the design that they awarded it first prize in the roof gardens category, itself entirely new this year. Yet their acclaim was restrained - overly so for Samuelson. Unlike best garden in any other category, his was awarded a silver-gilt medal - not a gold - and he ended up returning it. He said it diminished the work of his 20-strong team. 

The judges' decision smacked of pusillanimity. Perhaps they should have been bolder, for the roof garden appears to be coming into its own. "We have never seen anything like it," says Sarah Bevin of London-based Urban Roof Gardens. Vertiginous property prices in the city mean its inhabitants, some finding moving prohibitively expensive, want to make the most of every inch of potential living space. Demand is so high she is having to turn clients away. 

Many of those who do secure her services are adding to old buildings that were not intended to support a roof garden. That inevitably means planting is restricted. Weight is one issue; trees are probably out unless you want them crashing into your - or someone else's - living room. Exposure to the elements - wind and, in the absence of shading surrounding buildings, sunlight - is another. A roof garden is also likely to be small. 

Yet such factors can be taken as defining the space rather than inhibiting it. Another Chelsea competitor, Freya Lawson, who won a silver medal, entered a roof garden meant as a smooth extension of an urban interior. Four plant beds supported oak benches, providing ample seating for dinner party members drifting through to the outside space; stainless steel panels by the artist Natasha Webb reflected plant forms within the simply laid-out square. 

The typically limited size of a roof garden means "everything has to earn its place", Lawson says. Functional elements might be given a stylistic twist, such as the sculptural oak fencing she used at Chelsea. Plants "have to be real performers, providing flowers, berries and foliage and looking good in winter," she says, as well as being resilient. 

"You do get a lot of weather" is how Andrew Marson, who also won silver-gilt at Chelsea, characterises rooftop gardening. Yet such spaces can, he says, be wonderful to design "because it's just you and the elements. They can also be very private if you're above everybody." 

Marson used the harsh, constricted space of the rooftop to pack his garden entry with meaning. Using the motif of a sun chariot, derived from ancient Nordic beliefs that the solar body was dragged across the sky in such a vehicle, he installed a large oak chair that follows or turns away from the sun at the press of a switch. His sparse planting comprised drought-tolerant species as a comment on our ambiguous relation to the fierce star whose ill effects we - as a species - are increasingly likely to feel. 

Ecological considerations also lie behind changes to urban planning laws around the world that increasingly stipulate that new buildings must have a certain amount of green space. Roof gardens can be an economical and attractive way to fulfil that requirement; it seems that almost no luxury development is now without one. Riverhouse, a new condominium block overlooking the Hudson River in New York City, has 75 per cent of its roof area - the highest proportion in the city, it boasts - given over to gardens. Across the river in New Jersey, a Trump building open for occupancy early in 2008 will be crowned with a 6,000 sq ft "great lawn". 

Such purpose-built gardens allow a far greater depth of soil and more ambitious planting than do rooftop gardens on older residences. They also have considerable environmental benefits: cooling the building, improving local air quality and soaking up storm water that might otherwise cause flooding. 

Dan Gerding of the Atlanta architecture firm Gerding Collaborative says such "green roofs" merely represent a rediscovery of building techniques that have been around a long time. They involve, he says, "relearning the old standards, such as rain harvesting and climate-specific design, forgotten in the era of so-called cheap energy". 

Such roofs might be green but they are, so far, bland corporate plantations, rarely aesthetically challenging. 

It might be time to bring in Anthony Samuelson.


----------



## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

hkskyline: I really appreciate the idea of most of your threads, you put quite a lot effort into this forum, that's magnificent  
But it would be probably a bit more pleasant to the majority, if u could summarize ur intention a bit, so that evrybody who's interested can get the idea of the topic. Thanks in advance buddy 

Btw, here's a good example of a greened roof, perhaps I'm goin to post some more pics later. It's the *New Trade Fair* in *Stuttgart*, Germany:


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Actually, I'd like to see how green roofs are implemented around the world. Bearing in mind planting large trees on roofs may not be suitable due to the lack of deep soils, grass and small potted plants is likely the way to go.


----------



## _00_deathscar (Mar 16, 2005)

Haha this thread reminds me of Yes, Minister!


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Philadelphia Housing Authority building 'green' project *
20 August 2007

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The city's housing authority plans to build its first totally "green" building, a $23.4 million project that officials said will be more efficient in its use of energy, water and other materials. 

Nellie Reynolds Gardens, a 64-unit senior development under construction in North Philadelphia, will feature a "green" roof with natural vegetation. 

The agency plans to install energy efficient appliances and fixtures, while also using environmentally friendly paints, primers and caulking to help preserve the building's air quality, according to the housing authority. 

Executive Director Carl Greene said rising utility costs, combined with a desire to help the environment, prompted the agency to build the project. 

"We know that every dollar we save on energy costs is a dollar we can invest in housing and neighborhoods," Greene said in a statement.


----------



## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

hkskyline, did u actually read my post before? Would like to receive some kinda attention


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

^ post 21.


----------



## Smoker (Apr 5, 2007)

Pittsburgh Convention Center has been certified with a Gold LEED rating by the U.S. Green Building Council.


----------



## YohIMhER (Jul 7, 2007)

i've also heard green roof aren't all that environmental friendly when implemented in areas where rain water are scarce, an example is the GAP corporate hq in san bruno, it cost environment more for them to water the green roof than the positive effect it brings. 

here is a picture:









so when designing green roof, the architect really needs to take the regions's climatic condition into account. 

also when applying light-weight plants that are not


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Definitely. Even for tropical areas, having a rainforest at the roof isn't feasible either. Can't imagine what will happen putting all that weight on the structure.


----------



## Hed_Kandi (Jan 23, 2006)

The new Vancouver Convention Centre will feature the largest green roof in Canada


----------



## ELLIN (Feb 19, 2007)

this green roof is part of a terrace of an apartments building in the centre of Athens.....it is one years old and it has even trees on...(look the olive tree in the pics)
It is 130 square metres....im seriously thinking to make the same in my terrace,the owner of this terrace has 3-5 degrees coller conditions at summer!!!!


----------



## wazabi (Jul 20, 2004)

:lol:


----------



## _00_deathscar (Mar 16, 2005)

I think the thread title said green roofs, not 'rainforests larger than the amazon' roofs.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Environmentally friendly Clinton library builds 'green' roof *
14 November 2007

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - Bill Clinton likes to brag about his presidential library and museum being a "green" building. Soon, he'll have a green roof to go with it. 

Over the past two weeks, workers have been using a crane to hoist 90 species of plants and more than four truckloads of soil atop the former president's library and museum to transform what had been a plain looking roof into a garden surrounding Clinton's penthouse apartment. 

Instead of an expanse of concrete, the glass and steel structure will be topped by the end of this month with, among other things, strawberries, ferns, switch grass and roses. 

"This is just an area he can come in relax in and just enjoy the view," Clinton Foundation Facilities and Operations Director Debbie Shock said in an interview on the roof on a recent afternoon. 

The changes may look pretty, but they're not only for aesthetics. The roof is capturing rainwater that would normally run off onto the soil and a hidden irrigation system cuts down on the amount of water that would be used on sprinklers. 

It represents what Clinton -- who has used his nonprofit foundation to promote sustainable development and environmentally friendly building practices -- would like to see in buildings nationwide. 

Clinton recently announced a program through his foundation aimed at helping homeowners and commercial building owners modernize their buildings to reduce energy use. The scene surrounding his private residence at the library provides a glimpse of what that may entail. 

"When President Clinton built his library here, part of what he wanted was something that would serve as an example to others, both in design and architecture, but also in sustainability and its footprint and its coexistence with the city landscape," Clinton Foundation spokesman Jordan Johnson said. "The purpose was to walk the walk and talk the talk." 

The $165 million library complex already had plenty to tout in terms of ecological features. The library, the first presidential library to earn an award from the U.S. Green Committee for environmental design, includes floors made from recycled rubber tires. Solar panels sit on another portion of the roof, and the parking lot features bicycle racks and charging stations for electric cars. 

When it opened in 2004, the library earned a "silver" rating under the Leadership Energy Environmental Design, the benchmark for environmentally friendly buildings. Last week, it earned a "platinum" certification for ongoing works on its existing buildings. 

On a recent afternoon, Shock and other foundation workers pointed out the benefit of replacing a traditional flat roof with a garden with a depth ranging from 3 inches to 9 inches. 

"All of a sudden, instead of having a roof that water continually runs off of, now you've got a rain mat underneath here that will actually irrigate these plants. It actually becomes a control for your stormwater runoff," Shock said. "It's not only for enjoyment, but it's got a lot to do with the environment and how we control our stormwater runoff." 

And if additional water is needed for the plants, the library will rely on an underground irrigation system that will use 90 percent less water than traditional sprinklers or hoses would use. 

"There will never be any sprinklers up here," said Bruce Hayes, president of Sustainable Engineering Solutions, an Oregon-based firm that is installing the irrigation system. "It just comes up from the ground." 

Shock said the garden won't become a virtual jungle, but will be maintained in an eco-friendly manner. That means no gas-powered lawnmowers or machines, and no chemicals. 

"We're not using any pesticides. All of our fertilizers are organic," Shock said. 

The gardening team also added a sentimental touch by planting the favorite flower of his mom, the late Virginia Kelley. 

"His mom loved yellow roses, and he always gave her yellow roses for any holidays so we're giving back to him some yellow roses," Shock said. 

Though most of the changes will be invisible to library visitors -- the garden and Clinton's private apartment are closed to the public -- Shock said she hopes to add exhibits detailing the roof's features and how they help the environment. 

The rooftop garden will feature some herbs and vegetables, and Shock hopes to share the bounty with library visitors -- if not its sole resident. 

"When the president's here, we'd love to have him throw in some green onions or some scallion in his scrambled eggs," Shock said. "But we're also hoping we can pick some and take it down to the cafe and let them use it and let our visitors experience a little bit from our green roof." 

------ 

On the Net: 

Clinton Foundation: http://www.clintonfoundation.org

Clinton Library: http://www.clintonlibrary.gov


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*In Chicago, a secret garden cools a concrete jungle *

CHICAGO, March 13, 2008 (AFP) - Nestled atop Chicago's neoclassical city hall lies a secret garden hidden to all but those peering out of the windows of neighboring office towers. 

Dozens more dot the rooftops of shops, restaurants, businesses and city-owned buildings in a patchwork of green aimed at cooling the concrete jungle. 

Some four million square feet (370,000 square meters) of rooftop gardens have been planted on public and private buildings in the seven years since the first plants were placed atop city hall as part of a broader effort to reduce the Windy City's carbon footprint. 

Inspired by similar programs in Europe, Chicago now has one of the most extensive rooftop garden programs in the world. 

Corporate America is joining the trend and planting gardens atop a Chicago McDonald's restaurant as well as an Apple store, while other smaller businesses and landowners are converting to green roofs with the help of city grants. 

"Chicago is at the head of the pack," said Amy Malik, regional director of the nonprofit group International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. 

Concrete surfaces -- especially those coated with dark tar -- both absorb and radiate heat which significantly increases a building's heating and cooling costs and contributes to raising urban air temperatures. 

The cooling impact of the gardens is dramatic. 

Thermal images taken of the city hall rooftop on a cloudy summer day found it was the same temperature as the air: 74 degrees F (22 degrees C). The black tar roof next door was a scalding 152 degrees F. 

-- Benefits are 'more than just aesthetic' -- 

"There are more than just aesthetic benefits," said Chicago's Environment Commissioner Suzanne Malec-McKenna. 

In addition to helping cool buildings, the plants also filter the air, reducing pollution and improving surrounding air quality. 

The rooftops also "stress sewers less by gathering rain water and using it," and a green roof can also extend the life of a roof by protecting from the elements beating down on it, Malec-McKenna said in an interview. 

Authorities do not generally open the 36 city-owned rooftop gardens to the public because of safety concerns. 

But more than three dozen species of birds gather amid the 20,000 plants on the city hall garden alone. 

It is a 20,000-square-foot oasis perched on top of an 11-story building in the heart of the central business district which hosts more than 150 species of plants, including purple comb flower, juniper and crabapple trees, bittersweet vine and sedum, a succulent, cactus-like plant ideal for green roofs because of its high tolerance for extreme temperatures and minimal need for water. 

And honey from the beehives kept in two of the city gardens is sold to raise money for after-school programs. 

"A market has been built around this," Malec-McKenna said. "The economics of building green roofs have gotten much better. Now we have more than two dozen contractors across the Chicago region who know how to do this." 

Organic grocery store owner Paula Companio received a 5,000-dollar grant from the city in 2006 to grow produce on her roof which she hopes to eventually sell in her store below. 

The 1,500-square-foot garden covers half of the roof on top of True Nature Foods and produces a small crop of onions, potatoes, herbs and tomatoes. 

Companio estimates that her building has been 15 to 20 percent warmer in the winter, and "noticeably" cooler in the summer since the garden was planted. 

"The experience became such a community project - everyone asked about it," she told AFP. "It showed people it's possible that they can do it too."


----------



## Astralis (Jan 28, 2007)

Green roofs are really nice kay:.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Mexico City plants lawns on roofs to fight warming *

MEXICO CITY, June 5 (Reuters) - Mexico City, one of the world's most polluted capitals, is planting rooftop gardens on public buildings as part of a program launched on Thursday to combat global warming.

The smog-choked metropolis plans to replace gas tanks, clothes lines and asphalt on 100,000 square feet (9,300 square metres) of publicly owned roof space each year with grass and bushes that will absorb carbon dioxide.

The city also plans to offer tax breaks for businesses or individuals who put gardens on top of their offices and apartment buildings.

The vast majority of buildings and homes in Mexico City have flat roofs, making the city an ideal candidate for the roof garden plan.

Left-wing Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has pledged $5.5 billion over five years to reduce greenhouse gases in Mexico City, home to some 20 million people and 4 million cars.

"These are not generic objectives or wishes -- we have a clear goal," Ebrard said at an event to inaugurate the environmental plan.

The aim is to cut carbon emissions by 4.4 million tonnes a year, still a fraction of the 643 million tonnes of gas Mexico produces nationwide each year, ranking it among the world's top polluters.

The mayor has encouraged cycling by providing bicycle paths and some car-free roads on weekends.

His program also aims to capture gas that bubbles up from overflowing landfills and calls for a new subway line and more express bus routes.

Putting plants on roofs soaks up some of the carbon dioxide belched out by cars and factories, one of the main causes of climate change, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says.

So far two buildings owned by the public transportation system have layered soil and grass seed over a mesh drainage system on their roofs.

On top of a school for the children of subway workers, gravel paths now wind through patches of grass and a small garden. Bushes grow around air vents and piping.

Maintenance workers say keeping the garden lush is hard under the pounding Mexican sun but worth the effort, even just for the schoolchildren who now climb up there to play.

"Most of the children don't have access to any green places, this is another world for them," said school administrator Juan Rivero as he surveyed his new urban oasis.

The city boasted blue skies and ample greenery as recently as the 1960s. But it has become clogged by traffic and dirtied by fumes as the population exploded.


----------



## el casanovas (Jun 1, 2008)

That's nice, I guess, although I'd rather use roofs to produce energy whenever it's possible.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Cincinnati officials want 'green' roofs to replace shingles and tar atop buildings*
2 October 2008

CINCINNATI (AP) - Officials want to see more green roofs on building tops in Cincinnati.

The City Council on Wednesday became the first in Ohio with a plan to channel grants and loans to residents and businesses to replace tar and shingles with vegetation.

Supporters of the idea want to see Cincinnati become a leader in green roofs, a European-born movement that has spread to only a few U.S. cities, including Chicago, Milwaukee and Seattle.

They say the greenery not only is pleasing aesthetically but reduces stormwater runoff, filters pollutants and cuts heating and cooling costs.

In Ohio, pastoral roofs grace the tops of the Toledo public library, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency building in Columbus and the Cleveland Environmental Center, home of the Greater Cleveland Green Building Coalition.

"We call it our civic plaza rooftop," Toledo library spokeswoman Rhonda Sewell.

It was installed in 2000.

"We were inspired by what we saw in Chicago during a public library conference," said Charlie Oswanski, who heads the library's facilities and operations. "It's performing very well -- very low maintenance, and it does benefit us in cooling and heating costs."

Chicago has scores of green roofs, including one atop City Hall. Other buildings elsewhere in the United States that are considered green roof pioneers include the Ford Motor Co. Rouge assembly plant in Dearborn, Mich., and the Convention Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City.

The plan approved Wednesday in Cincinnati is the first of its kind in Ohio, said Bob Monsarrat, manager of the environmental planning section of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which directs certain federal grant funds toward such programs.

"We have wanted to support green infrastructure initiatives in the state directed toward improving water quality, so this was a fairly easy sell to us," Monsarrat said.

He said the handful of green roofs in Ohio have generally been on government buildings, while the Cincinnati program is mainly aimed at commercial buildings.

"It's very exciting," said Vicki Ciotti, director of the nonprofit Civic Garden Center, which plans to begin a roof garden early next year. She said the council's plan should jump-start a movement that has taken hold in a few cities but has generally been slow to grow.

"It's been slow just because it's such a new idea for us," Ciotti said. "They've been doing green roofs for years in Germany."

A report by the Green Roof Research Program at Michigan State University estimates that 12 percent of all flat-roofed buildings in Germany are covered with vegetation. It noted several barriers to widespread acceptance in the United States, including lack of government incentives or tax breaks.

"What the city of Cincinnati is doing is the largest effort I have heard of," Monsarrat said. "It will be interesting to watch that and see how it works."

About $5 million a year in below-market-rate loans through the U.S. EPA Clean Water State Revolving Fund will be available starting in 2009 for green roof projects, city officials estimate, along with an undetermined amount of grant money from other EPA funds.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Con Ed installs a 'green roof' on 1 of its New York City facilities to save energy *
28 August 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - More than 21,000 plants atop a Con Edison facility in New York City are helping reduce the building's energy costs.

It is the utility's first "green roof," an energy-saving plant system designed to improve air quality and conserve energy.

Con Ed said Thursday that the plants keep its three-story training and conference facility in Long Island City, Queens, cooler by absorbing heat and reducing the need for air conditioning. It projects that the green roof will save the building up to 30 percent in energy costs.

The plants include 15 varieties of sedum, which can absorb rainwater and is resistant to pests.

Con Ed collaborated on the project with Columbia University scientists.

While the green roof is the first for Con Edison, one was installed at the Silvercup Studios in Long Island City in 2004.


----------



## Eric Offereins (Jan 1, 2004)

In rotterdam, authorities are thinking about a law that every new flat roof should have a garden on top.


----------



## Manolo_B2 (Oct 26, 2007)

Here's the the proposal for the new Zagreb Airport Terminal, made by Foster & Partners... (3rd place)


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

That's a nice roof!


----------



## Henky (Aug 14, 2007)

Who needs green roofs, if you can have green walls?

Sportplaza Mercator, Amsterdam.


----------



## skyscraper100 (Oct 22, 2007)

i love it! so unique


----------



## skyscraper100 (Oct 22, 2007)

chicago city hall green roof


----------



## Oriolus (Feb 4, 2004)

I love the idea of incorporating some greenery into the concrete jungle. Would love to see more of it. Just thought I'd mention this example, from Brisbane, where the Mater Hospital is building a new carpark on the site of a rugby field at St Laurences College, but in return there will be a new rugby field on the roof of the carpark. Apparentely it'll be articficial grass, but interesting none the less. More info at http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=758864


----------



## td05wl563 (Dec 28, 2008)

*aoc*

is aoc power leveling and age of conan power leveling the same mean??


----------



## Mr. Met (Jan 9, 2008)

too bad solar panels and wind turbines weren't included in the "Green Roof" concept


----------



## Mr. Met (Jan 9, 2008)

hkskyline said:


> Actually, I'd like to see how green roofs are implemented around the world. Bearing in mind planting large trees on roofs may not be suitable due to the lack of deep soils, grass and small potted plants is likely the way to go.


what if you plant the trees around the perimeter of the roof and train the roots to grow down through the walls to the ground?


----------



## Puertalian (Sep 30, 2005)

green roof on a house in tacoma, wa.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Toronto developers see red over "green" roof law *

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 16 (Reuters) - Toronto's real estate developers are unhappy about a new law mandating "green" rooftops, arguing the city should have instead offered incentives to encourage the planting of grass and shrubs atop large new buildings.

Toronto last month became the first major city in North America to pass a bylaw requiring that any new development with floorspace of more than 2,000 square meters devote between 20 and 60 percent of its roof to vegetation. The rule applies to residential, commercial, industrial and institutional structures.

"I don't think anybody is warm and fuzzy about having a green roof bylaw impressed on them as a prescriptive method," said Stephen Upton, vice president for development at Tridel Corp, a Toronto high-rise condominium developer.

Supporters argue that green roofs offer many benefits to city dwellers and the environment, including energy savings as grass and foliage reduce the penetration of summer heat and limit the escape of heat in winter lessening the need for air conditioning and heating.

Greenery on roofs, supporters say, can also reduce the quantity of water runoff, so helping stormwater management, and can filter out pollutants from rainwater.

The city council is also being criticized for not considering other approaches to making buildings more environmentally friendly, such as solar panels, and for pushing the cost-raising measure during a recession when buyers are already suffering.

Upton said green roofs could add C$200,000 ($177,000) to the cost of a new building, which would then be passed on to the buyer. On top of that would be ongoing maintenance, replacement and repair costs.

"People start questioning affordability," he told Reuters.

Roofs sporting grass, plants and even trees are popping up in cities all over North America. Chicago likes to boast that it has more than 600 buildings with green roofs. The green roof on Vancouver's new convention center, the broadcast hub for the 2010 Winter Olympics, is billed as the largest in Canada.

"There is a lot of political support for greening the city," said Steven Peck, president of Toronto-based Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a non-profit industry association.

Toronto Mayor David Miller has made the environment a central plank of his term, which has also seen the city offering rebates for low-flush toilets and banning the sale of bottled water at City Hall.

The bylaw takes effect in February 2010 although industrial sites have a one-year grace period and only need to set aside 10 percent of their roof space.


----------



## Taiki24 (Dec 1, 2008)

The museum of natural history in San Fransisco is also a good example. I applaud this initiative, it seems to be a very cost effective way to help fight the warming trend in cities around the globe.


----------



## Huti (Nov 13, 2008)

Sportplaza Mercator, Amsterdam-WOW!


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Sprout it from the rooftops, green's on the scene *
5 July 2009
Boston Herald

The traditional asphalt, slate and tar on Bay State rooftops is beginning to give way to grass, arugula and artichokes - a trend spurring a proposed "green roof" state tax credit.

"We can turn our unused space into a beautiful space with so many functions," said Karen L. Weber, president of Earth Our Only Home, a Boston-based green consultancy that has installed green roofs on private residences and businesses including WGBH. "It's just a matter of saying this needs to happen."

A green roof, which can cost anywhere from $8 to $15 per square foot to install, consists of a series of layers - including a waterproof membrane, a root barrier, a water retention layer, a planting medium and plants - laid atop a traditional roof. The end result is a roof that looks more like a lawn or garden.

Advocates say they protect roofs, provide sound insulation, manage storm water and provide fresh oxygen, reduce ambient air temperature and absorb pollutants.

"I am ecstatic about the roof and it is really more than I expected," said Alex Macalalad, 42, a Newton doctor who had Weber's company install a green roof filled with low-maintenance plants and perennials during a 2007 renovation. "It's great to be out there, and for my kids."

A survey by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, which represents companies that create green roofs, found the number of projects its members worked on grew by more than 35 percent last year, thanks in part to tax credits offered by cities including New York and Chicago. Such credits are backed by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

Menino is "very supportive of green roofs and other forms of sustainable design" and filed legislation in January to establish a green building tax credit for measures that increase energy efficiency, improve air quality and reduce environmental impacts, said spokesman Nick Martin.

The measure is pending before the Joint Committee on Revenue, said Sean J. Fitzgerald, chief of staff to committee chair Rep. Jay R. Kaufman (D-Lexington).

Gov. Deval Patrick has not taken a position on the bill, but "generally supports low-impact development techniques, such as green roofs," said Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs spokeswoman Lisa Capone.

Hub chefs salute the idea of green flecking the skyline of the Hub.

"If you can pick your own peas and serve them in your own restaurant, then you are going to be serving better peas than someone down the street who hasn't grown their own," said executive chef Robert Bean, 28, of Todd English's Bonfire Steakhouse in Boston, who just spearheaded an effort to install a raised bed garden atop the new Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers. Bean grows vegetables and herbs including spinach, arugula, artichokes, garlic chives, sage, scallions and basil.

"It makes me feel good to know exactly where they came from and how they were grown," he said.

Not only diners could benefit, said Weber, citing the creation of green jobs and other economic pluses.

"We have a lot of green space in Boston," she said, "but imagine how many green roofs could exist."


----------



## LoveAgent. (Jun 22, 2009)

Warsaw University Library (BUW), Warsaw


----------



## Juan Pilgrim (Apr 3, 2008)

*GreeNYC*









http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/cook_fox/cook_fox1.jpg





:horse:


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

July 22, 2009
usps.com/news
Release No. 09-063
*U.S. Postal Service Opens First Green Roof
Agency Cements Role as an Environmental Leader*

NEW YORK—The U.S. Postal Service celebrated another example of its environmental leadership as it dedicated its first and New York City’s largest green roof high atop the Morgan mail processing facility.

Built in 1933, the 2.2 million square foot facility located in midtown Manhattan became a historic landmark in 1986. Its roof was constructed originally to serve as an additional mail processing location, supporting 200 pounds per square foot. When the roof was scheduled for replacement in 2007, it was deemed strong enough to support the weight of the soil, vegetation and other requirements of a green roof. The plan fit perfectly into the Postal Service’s commitment to create sustainable spaces and facilities wherever possible.

“The Postal Service is taking the lead when it comes to making a positive impact on the environment,” said Tom Samra, vice president, Facilities. “We’re proud to dedicate our first green roof, and we are pleased to showcase this environmental oasis today in New York City.”

The green roof also addresses practical concerns. The roof will last up to 50 years, twice as long as the roof it replaced. It will also reduce the amount of contaminants in storm water runoff flowing into New York’s municipal water system. The agency projects the reduction of polluted runoff to be as much as 75 percent in the summer, and up to 35 percent during the winter months.

At nearly 2.5 acres, and safely perched seven stories above the city, the Morgan green roof offers a spectacular panoramic view of midtown Manhattan and the northern New Jersey shore. Its 14 orange-hued Ipe Brazilian wood benches are made from lumber certified sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council. Native plants and trees include Calamagrostis, a lush, maintenance-free grass.

“The Morgan green roof is the largest in New York and one of the largest in the country,” said Sam Pulcrano, vice president, Sustainability. “Not only does it provide employees with a beautiful, serene outdoor environment, the green roof will help us meet our goal to reduce energy usage 30 percent by 2015.”

The Morgan green roof is the latest success in the Postal Service’s greener facilities strategy, which includes the use of environmentally conscious building components, renewable materials, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC, low volatile organic compound parts, low-water use fixtures, solar photovoltaic systems, and a LEED-certified facility opening soon in Long Island.

The agency also announced the newest edition to its fleet of hybrid electric delivery vehicles, a 2-ton hybrid electric van. The vehicle, a combined effort of Azure Dynamics, Morgan Olson, Boyer Ford Truck Sales and Ford Motor Company, will be tested in Long Island later this summer and will join 30 other Azure Dynamics pure electric step vans currently delivering mail in Manhattan and the Bronx, as part of a test of the alternative fuel technology.

With the largest civilian fleet in the world — nearly 220,000 vehicles traveling more than 1.2 billion miles a year — the Postal Service consistently looks for ways to reduce the environmental impact of its fleet. The use of hybrid electric vehicles, and other alternative fuel technologies, along with reducing the size of its fleet, will help the Postal Service meet its goal of reducing fuel usage by 20 percent over the next five years.

In the last 12 months, the Postal Service also has expanded its recycling program in New York City to include mixed paper and cardboard, resulting in nearly 400 tons of materials recycled each month. Since last October post offices in New York City have recycled 2,770 tons of mixed paper and cardboard, an increase of 1,861 tons, or nearly triple what was recycled in the same period the previous year.

The Postal Service has been honored with more than 70 major environmental awards, including 40 White House Closing the Circle awards for environmental stewardship, and the 2009 Climate Change Champion of the Year Award for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.


----------



## eddyb (May 10, 2008)

Hi 
The community garden on the roof of Parrahub http://www.parrahub.org.au/index_files/Page337.html could provide vegetables for the top floor restaurant and be a place for lonely residents to exercise their "green fingers" with friends.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Niners' plan for $937 million stadium south of San Francisco includes green roof, solar panels*
15 July 2009

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The San Francisco 49ers have unveiled design details on their proposed $937 million stadium south of San Francisco that would seat 68,500 and include solar panels and a green roof, as they move forward with plans to relocate to the South Bay city of Santa Clara.

Team officials presented the details Tuesday to the Santa Clara City Council, saying it would allow more fans to get closer to the field by expanding seating in the lower bowl.

It would also bring the upper deck closer to the field by stacking suites and clubs on one side, instead of wrapping them around the facility. The stadium, scheduled to open in 2014, would accommodate up to 75,000 people for big events such as the Super Bowl.

Whether the field at the new stadium would be grass or artificial turf has yet to be decided, 49ers spokesman Steve Fine said.

"The goal of the design was to create a true community asset for the city of Santa Clara," Fine said, noting that the stadium would also include more than 100,000-square-feet of meeting space that could be used for other events.

Santa Clara officials agreed to preliminary terms in June with the team for a stadium on part of the parking lot of the Great America Theme Park. The city would cover about 10 percent of the project's costs under that deal. The bulk of the remaining funding would come from the 49ers and the National Football League.

A citywide ballot measure on the stadium proposal is expected to go before voters next year.

Santa Clara city spokesman Dan Beerman said the presentation was well received. City officials are considering March 2, April 13 or June 8 as possible dates for the ballot measure, he said.

An environmental impact report is expected in the next few weeks.

The 49ers announced in 2006 that they had abandoned a decade-long attempt to build a stadium and a commercial and residential development on Candlestick Point, their San Francisco home since 1971, and were committed to moving 45 miles south to Santa Clara.

Team officials cite transportation challenges and the prospect of a decade of construction for their decision to give up on Candlestick Point.


----------



## Fenix1981 (Dec 23, 2006)

Very interesting.


----------



## No1_Saint (Jul 1, 2009)

*Mormon Conference Centre Salt Lake City*

This large building's roof almost covering a full 10 acre city block was landscaped to resemble the mountain meadows of the surrounding Wasatch Mountains. The main auditorium seats 21,000.




























Completed in 2000.


----------



## japanese001 (Mar 17, 2007)




----------



## brain damage (Feb 11, 2008)

japanese001 said:


>


OMG hahaha :lol:


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Green roof takes root at Eglinton West *
4 August 2009
The Toronto Star










In a fresh bid to green the Red Rocket, the TTC has carpeted the roof of its Eglinton West station with an 835-square-metre garden.

The new strip of green offers transit users and motorists a more pastoral view at the Eglinton end of the Allen Expressway.

But the mix of flowering, drought-resistant plants called sedums comes with some invisible benefits too, says Toronto Transit Commission chair Adam Giambrone.

The green roof, the first of many planned for the transit system, will reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality and extend the roof life of the station because the garden protects it from weathering.

Eglinton West was selected for the TTC's first green roof because the station's leaky old lid needed replacement.

A green roof at Victoria Park station, currently under renovation, will be about three times the size of this one. Besides green roofs, solar panels and cool roofs, which reflect the sun, are being considered for the Dufferin station renovation and five new car houses the TTC is planning for its Transit City streetcar lines, Giambrone said.

Green roofs cost more to install but can double the life expectancy of the roof to 40-50 years, according to Jonathan Wilder, the TTC's roofing consultant.

The Eglinton West project, which cost about $850,000, includes about 5,000 plant trays laid out in evenly spaced rows of rectangles, framed by gravel walkways. Installation took five days.

A conventional roof replacement would have cost about $500,000, according to transit officials.

Sedum is a good choice for rooftops because it requires so little water, about 2.5 centimetres a month, and no mowing, said Kees Govers. His company, LiveRoof, supplied the plants, which are grown in modular trays that fit together to create the roof's parterre design.

The plants lower the temperature by several degrees for about a metre above the growth, helping to reduce the urban heat island effect, a dome of hot air that builds up over cities.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Gardens in the sky combat climate change *
9 September 2009
The Courier-Mail

COVERING walls and rooftops with plants, grasses, trees and vegetables could be one way for southeast Queensland to combat climate change and spiralling energy bills.

So says Geoff Wilson, the Brisbane-based founder of Green Roofs Australia who has been granted $100,000 from Brisbane City Council to organise a world congress for living roofs and walls to be held in the city in 2012.

Now Mr Wilson wants the city to follow in the footsteps of Toronto, which this year passed laws to force developers of all large buildings - both commercial and residential - to devote a minimum of 20 per cent of their roof space to greenery. Similar laws already apply in Tokyo.

``These roofs have huge community benefit,'' he said.

``They can help control storm water and if 8 per cent of all the roofs in Brisbane were green, then we could lower temperatures by two degrees.''

Green roofs can be split into two broad types, known as extensive and intensive.

Extensive roofs are covered in greenery and are not designed to be walked on. Intensive roofs are areas, such as the tops of office blocks, which resemble gardens in the sky.

Mr Wilson is co-ordinating a project to build a Green Infrastructure Educational Shed, with a demonstration green roof, on land in Carindale, scheduled for completion early next year. Four similar projects, also in southeast Queensland, are being discussed.

Brad Walker, of green roof and walls company Elmich, said there were now ways to retrofit traditional metal roofs with green roofs.

``With a green roof you get better insulation, reduce storm water run-off and create a habitat,'' he said. ``They also have a cooling effect on the spaces outside the building.''

Councillor Amanda Cooper said there were ``great benefits . . . but the building industry needs to be supportive''.

Take part in the latest environment debate on Graham Readfearn's green blog: couriermail.com.au/greenblog


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Green walls, with similar benefits to green roofs, take root in environmental building design*
12 October 2009

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The next big thing in green building design might be to turn an existing idea on its side. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. recently installed a green wall the size of two tennis courts on one side of its headquarters.

Like green roofs -- their perpendicular counterparts -- green walls are covered in vegetation and provide the benefits of natural insulation and removal of air pollutants. PNC, which provides banking and wealth management services, estimates it will be 25 percent cooler behind the wall than the ambient summer temperatures.

Green walls also can be visually engaging.

The PNC wall features more than 15,000 ferns, sedums, brass buttons and other plants that create a swirling pattern of varying hues of green above the company's logo. They are divided among hundreds of 2-by-2-foot aluminum panels that were anchored onto the building's frame after part of the granite facade was removed.

"We think it's the right thing to do for our community, for our customers and our shareholders," said Gary Saulson, head of corporate real estate for PNC. "We wanted to add greenery to an area that didn't have any. ... We really view the green wall as public art."

Steven Peck, president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a Toronto industry association, said interest in green walls is growing, though the group does not keep statistics. He estimates green roof installations have increased at about 30 percent a year over five years.

Green Living Technologies LLC, of Rochester, N.Y., designed the wall at PNC. Chief Executive George Irwin said the company also has installed walls in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle.

PNC bills its green wall as the largest in North America. The wall covers nearly 2,400 square feet. PNC officials declined to give a precise estimate of its cost. Irwin said that on average green walls cost about $100 to $125 a square foot.

The structure at PNC requires only 15 minutes a week of watering during peak growing season -- less in winter -- provided through the building's plumbing system. PNC has a contract with the installer to prune the plants and replace dead ones if necessary.

Joanne Westphal, a landscape architecture professor at Michigan State University and part of the school's Green Roof Research Program, said the biggest benefit to green walls is their ability to help cool buildings through shading. They also help capture rainwater and release it more slowly into the atmosphere and stormwater systems.

Green Living says also that each of the roughly 600 panels at the PNC headquarters can offset the carbon output of one person a day.

Green Living got into the market several years ago after trying to devise a solution for a customer who wanted a green roof on a steeply pitched building. The walls can also be installed inside buildings.

Irwin said green walls aren't exactly a new idea: The Romans planted grape vines along building walls, resulting, he said, in faster growing and sweeter grapes for wine. The structures are also prevalent in Europe, where modern-day green roofs first took off.

Near ground level of the building where PNC's wall is located, at 1 PNC Plaza in downtown Pittsburgh, a small panel holds some of the plants and a plaque tells passers-by about the wall.

"I think they want to believe it's real," PNC's Saulson said, "and it is."


----------



## hkchan (Sep 24, 2009)

You don't see a lot of green roofs in Hong Kong








Water treatment plant









Most 'green' roofs are fake cuz the climate isn't good enough


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Start Small and Think Long-Term: Saving Energy *
22 November 2009
The New York Times

NEW YORKERS get to feel smug about a lot of things. We have great food, arts and culture, the Yankees. We can also feel good about our relatively low use of energy, thanks to public transportation and our small living spaces. But sometimes -- sometimes -- we fail to notice where there's room for improvement.

Thirty-nine percent of New York City's greenhouse gases come from residential buildings. And there are New Yorkers who have looked hard at their homes, in buildings of all ages and sizes, and found ways to make them more energy efficient. Others are watching their operating costs rise (along with global temperatures), and want to know what to do about it.

''With new developments, it's easy,'' says Marc Zuluaga, a senior engineer at Steven Winter Associates, a consulting firm that works on energy issues. ''But in almost any building, there are low-hanging opportunities.''

Every building is different, and predicting the return on an investment in efficiency can be tricky. Older buildings are not necessarily bigger energy hogs than their newer neighbors, and some buildings that went up in the last 10 years should be ashamed. But the size and age of a structure can tell an expert where to start looking for savings.

''You have to start with conservation,'' Mr. Zuluaga said. ''Once you squeeze every last ounce of efficiency out of a building -- until you can't make it more efficient without knocking it down and building a new one -- then it makes sense to add solar.''

To find out where energy savings might be found in your building, an energy audit is in order. These are available from private consultants or utility companies like Con Edison.

A good place to begin is to make sure that all systems are working as efficiently as they can.

''If you have the right thermostat in place but the temperature sensor is in the wrong place, that can have a huge impact on energy performance,'' said Jeffrey Perlman, the president of Bright Power, an energy consulting group. ''But it doesn't cost a lot to fix.''

From there, you can get more ambitious: you can try to balance the temperature.

''Generally, buildings are heated to the tenant who's complaining the most because they're cold,'' Mr. Perlman said. ''To be more energy-efficient, you want the whole building to get to be roughly the same temperature at roughly the same time. A well-balanced system can work wonders. And it can save money as well.''

Last year, Mr. Perlman worked with Carl Wallman, who owns a 19-unit rental building on East 70th Street in Manhattan.

''For years,'' Mr. Wallman said, ''it really got me to see windows open in the building and the heat blasting away. Surely, I'm interested in the savings, but really having the building run more energy efficiently was important.''

Mr. Perlman's team made some small fixes, like adjusting the controls on the boiler and installing a new thermostat for the ground floor, which had its own heating system and was always cold.

In the 2007-8 heating season, the building used 11 percent less energy than it had the previous year, before the changes. Mr. Wallman spent almost $19,000 on energy bills for all of 2007; if the tweaks had been in place then, he would have saved about $2,000.

''These are small buildings,'' Mr. Wallman said, ''so the savings are not going to be in the tens of thousands.''

But, he pointed out, New York is home to thousands of small buildings. ''These little buildings are going to make a big difference.''

Mr. Perlman charged about $1,500 for the initial energy audit, $1,200 for boiler upgrades and $500 annually for continuing monitoring and maintenance. And with savings of just over $2,000 a year, the project should pay for itself in less than two years.

An enormous amount of energy is spent heating buildings, and an enormous amount is wasted when someone throws open a window to cool off a boiling apartment.

Another way to bring building temperatures under control is to regulate the heat in individual rooms. A gadget called a thermostatic radiator valve attaches to some steam and hot-water radiators and automatically senses the temperature of the room. If it gets too toasty, the valve clamps down.

These valves were installed in a 102-unit co-op building on Fourth Street in the East Village about 10 years ago with the help of Henry Gifford, an energy consultant in New York City. The co-op's yearly consumption of oil has decreased by 15 percent.

''I don't think it was so much an energy conservation thing at that time,'' said Tom Ostrowski, the president of the co-op board. ''It wasn't quite in vogue at that point. But it was just a more efficient way to do it.''

In the years since, however, Mr. Ostrowski's co-op has looked into a solar hot water system and batted around the idea of replacing all the windows and insulating the building. All of these options were deemed too expensive.

So, for now, the co-op is replacing windows with more efficient models one by one, and it has a plan in place to install motion-sensing lights in interior stairwells and trash rooms. But at the moment, No. 1 on the agenda is to finish repair work on the building facade.

''If I was an individual homeowner, I could say, 'I don't care if I make my money back on solar panels,' '' Mr. Ostrowski said. ''But I can't. I can't say, 'Hey, one hundred other people! Follow my dream!' ''

Other buildings have had more success getting larger projects under way.

The Winston Churchill, a large postwar co-op at 2500 Johnson Avenue in Riverdale in the Bronx, is making 12 upgrades, including adjustments to the air-conditioning system, ventilation improvements and new lighting.

To cover the cost, the building secured a $1.695 million loan, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority brought down the interest rate from 6.5 percent to zero percent with a payment of $336,122 to the lender. This program, the Multifamily Performance Program, is not currently accepting new applications while it re-examines the criterion used to evaluate projects. The authority says it will resume the program but does not have a target date.

''We had been working under the assumption that the energy savings would be such that the loan could be paid back by those savings,'' said Steven M. Hochberg, the board president. ''It looks like that is, in fact, going to be the case.''

So far, the building has completed 5 of the 12 planned upgrades. It has, for example, switched to natural gas from No. 6 oil, an extraordinarily dirty fuel. ''It's like the garbage of oil,'' said Mark Singh, the building superintendent at the Winston Churchill.

The co-op has also installed a new mechanism for making hot water, separating that system from the one that generates energy to heat the air.

''Mark would have to run his large boilers all summer long to make hot water for the building,'' said Michael Scorrano, the managing director of the En-Power Group, which is overseeing the project for the co-op. ''It's just way oversized for what you need.''

These new systems were installed this summer, so the building has yet to go through a full heating season. But Mr. Scorrano estimates that in the summer the building will experience a 50 percent reduction in fuel use, which had cost about $700,000 per year. In the winter, he expects that reduction will be closer to 15 percent. The cost of the new hot water system for the 333-unit building was $300,000.

''You read a lot of articles on saving the environment,'' Mr. Hochberg said. ''But most people are only going to save the environment if they can save some money in the process. And it seems to have come together.''

For some people, however, making their homes as green as can be is a goal in itself.

Stephen Vernon is the president of a 112-unit co-op in Inwood called Nagle Apartments that has tried hard to become more environmentally responsible. The residents of the three-building complex started simply about five years ago by upgrading the lighting with motion sensors and more efficient bulbs. Then they moved on to larger projects.

''Our goal,'' Mr. Vernon said, ''was to do green projects that made fiscal sense.''

Almost all of the windows were replaced and new radiator valves were installed, at a cost of about $860,000. To cover the costs of these and other upgrades, the building took out a two-part loan and the development authority brought down the interest, leaving the residents with an average rate of 4.31 percent.

Through a combination of selling apartments that the co-op owned, interest on investments (it owns some Treasury bonds), and energy savings, the improvements were made without an assessment or maintenance increase.

These days, the building's boiler spends a great deal of time resting comfortably on the lowest setting, and gas consumption has decreased by around 40 percent.

Now, the building is looking into putting in a green roof -- layers of plantings and soil.

Green roofs keep the top of a building cool and provide a layer of insulation. They also retain rainwater, which can help keep the city's sewer system from being overwhelmed in a heavy rain. But some consultants say that you'll get more bang for your buck keeping the roof cool with white or silver paint and that a building will be better insulated with traditional materials like fiberglass. Green roofs are, however, much nicer to look at -- and hang out on -- than the alternative.

Another initiative that the co-op is undertaking is environmentally friendly renovations. As rental apartments become vacant, the co-op makes them over for sale. It uses recycled materials where possible, installs energy-efficient appliances and decorates with low- or nontoxic paints and finishes. One of these apartments, a 900-square-foot two-bedroom, is on the market for $359,000.

The sales agent, Matthew Bizzarro of Stein-Perry Real Estate, who also lives in the building, says that he has priced it a bit higher than comparable apartments in the area. Traffic has been good, he says, and has included people who say the green factor appealed to them.

Some energy consultants are skeptical of renovations that focus on using recycled materials rather than the best materials for long-term energy savings.

''It's always good to use paints that are low in volatile organic compounds,'' Mr. Zuluaga of Steven Winter Associates said. ''Where I do sort of take issue with those types of projects is when the focus is on recycling rather than using materials to make a better building.''

At this point, it's hard to say whether people will pay a premium for a home that's been retrofitted to be green.

''I think over time there will be a modest premium associated with this because of the lower operating costs,'' said Jonathan J. Miller, the president of the appraisal group Miller Samuel. ''But right now the reason it's hard to discern whether there's a premium is because it's usually one component of an extensive renovation.''

Lisa Detwiler, a broker at the Corcoran Group, has a listing for a property that matches that description: a town house in Brooklyn Heights. The owner, Doug Mcdonald, gutted it and then put it back together with energy-efficiency in mind.

The house is on the market for $5.95 million, a lot of money for a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights. But Mr. Mcdonald says that he is confident his home will command a premium, in part because he has been able to charge $4,000 a month for its two-bedroom garden apartment, more than comparable places in the neighborhood.

He said he got that price because tenants liked the idea of living in a place that is well insulated and low in volatile organic compounds, chemicals commonly found in paints and finishes.

Throughout the brownstone, the lights, windows and electrical system are all designed to conserve as much energy as possible. The materials used in construction were recycled wherever possible, and the roof is painted white to keep it cool.

The house is also wired for solar power, but Mr. Mcdonald said that while he expected the price of solar panels to come down soon, the economics did not yet make sense to him. And before you worry about making your own energy, he added, you have to be sure you're wasting as little as possible.

Two of the biggest energy savers in the town house involve temperature. Each floor of the five-story house has its own heating and cooling system, so only the areas that need adjustment get a blast of warm or cold.

The insulation is also an energy-saver. Mr. Mcdonald used a spray-on foam called Icynene and a fluffy blue material made from recycled denim called Bonded Logic, and says he usually heats just the bottom floor and lets the warm air rise.

The electric bill for four stories of the five-story brownstone averages $183 per month -- the rental unit is metered separately. And the gas bill, which includes heat and hot water, averages out to $83 per month.

''Waste reduction should be part of the purpose of good design,'' Mr. Mcdonald said. ''It's like in golf: you don't want to waste any energy at all. It's a long sport, and anything you waste ends up coming back and working against you.''

Because You Can't Knit the Building a Sweater

Making an old building more efficient can be a daunting prospect. Here are a few tips:

One place to find energy savings is to avoid venting out more air than necessary -- the boiler will just have to work extra hard to replace the temperate air. A leaky elevator shaft, for example, can act as a chimney, sucking warm air up and out of the building. And in many postwar buildings, ventilation and exhaust fans suck more air out of the building than necessary.

An important part of long-term conservation is using equipment properly. The Thomas Shortman Training Fund, the arm of a building workers' union that provides classes to its members, offers a 40-hour class for superintendents on energy-efficient building management (www.1000supers.com).

Simple, inexpensive adjustments to consider:

Low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators.

Motion-sensor light switches and efficient bulbs.

Thermostatic radiator valves, which keep rooms from overheating by regulating the heat coming out of radiators.

White or silver paint for the roof to keep it cool.

Insulation on exposed pipes.


----------



## massimiliano82 (Dec 14, 2009)

Hi guys! I absolutely recommend the green roof portal http://www.greenroofs.gr Pls also visit the corresponding fb page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Roofs-in-Greece/137225421299


----------



## eddyb (May 10, 2008)

It is now possible to download the Parrahub model in sketchup 3d for a closer inspection of the concept with its community garden on the roof and the 24 inter suburb mini subways at the base of the 15,000 space carpark.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*New building to get Juneau's first green roof *
2 August 2010

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A transportation center under construction in downtown Juneau is getting a first for the city: a green, living roof.

Green roofs contain plants as part of the structure.

Landscape architect Christopher Mertl said the idea is to make something attractive and environmentally sensitive.

Trays of sedums and native Alaska sea thrift cover about 1,000 square feet of the roof.

Mertl said the plants could survive heavy rains, droughts and heat conditions without caretaking. He says the plants would be relatively independent and save in maintenance costs.

Juneau project manager Skye Stekoll said the city fully supports the idea of a green roof.

"We pick and choose what elements go into a project, and we figured this will be something that everyone around here will appreciate," he said.

Mertl said he wanted the plants to include artistic and cultural value. So he designed each side of the roof after Tlingit patterns found in basketry that would tell stories appropriate to their setting. The square trays were ideal for forming such patterns.

The side with red and yellow sedums represents water and tides, a nod to the Gastineau Channel shoreline.

The other side with red sedums and sea thrift stands for "shaman" or "chief," an idea that came from beliefs that the area was a boundary marker to Indian tribes, Mertl said.

The roof is not accessible to the general public, so it must be viewed from above. It can be seen from a four-level parking garage and an adjacent park project.

The greenery acts as insulation, which can save on heating and cooling costs, Mertl said.

The transit center under construction beneath the roof will house a waiting area for the bus line and a police substation and break room for bus drivers.

------

Information from: Juneau Empire, http://www.juneauempire.com


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Central Walk, Shenzhen - Green Roof


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Knoxville gets new transit center*
16 August 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A new transit center officially opens Monday in Knoxville after two years of construction.

The 108,000 square-foot station is at the edge of downtown at 301 Church Avenue by the intersection with Hall of Fame Drive.

It has a bus platform that spans James White Parkway, along with a geothermal heating and cooling system, a green roof, a solar array and a bus tracking system for passengers.

The center is operated by Knoxville Area Transit, which runs the city's bus and trolley system.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Mayoral candidates speak out on green issues *
16 October 2010
The Toronto Star

The issues that have made the headlines relating to the upcoming municipal election in Toronto are without a doubt very important. While they are all worthy of our attention and debate, it seems to me that we are ignoring one very important factor: the investment that our current mayor and his team made in our city over the past seven years.

Whether we like it or not, the truth is that we elected a "green" mayor in David Miller and we gave him a mandate to move the City of Toronto in the direction of a more environmentally responsible model. The results included a new green roof bylaw, a beefed up tree planting and maintenance budget and a growing number of community gardens and allotment gardens among other things of a green nature.

I solicited the top four candidates for mayor and received three responses. Rob Ford did not reply. Here is a summary of the results:

Tree Planting

All of the oxygen that we breathe is produced by the green living world (trees being primary) and urban trees are known to reduce crime, calm traffic, encourage pedestrian traffic, and more (www.lhhl.illinois.edu/crime.htm). Currently the city budgets for the planting of 109,000 trees per year. At this rate the slow decline of the tree canopy will reverse in two years. If planting continues to occur at this rate, Toronto will double its tree canopy by 2050. What is your position on urban tree planting over the next four years?

George Smitherman: "I will continue the recent efforts to restore and expand Toronto's tree canopy. I will also enhance efforts to work with community and neighbourhood groups to plant trees on private and public lands."

Joe Pantalone: "As the city's first tree advocate, I've overseen the rapid growth in our urban forest - 10 years ago we were planting only 9,500 trees a year. I plan not only to continue that growth in our rate of planting, but to see that it branches out, so to speak, and to begin planting 1,000 fruit trees each year in addition to our normal planting.

Rocco Rossi: "I support the city's current position on tree planting. It's an effective strategy to which we're committed. I love the idea that residents can actually order a tree to plant on the city-owned street allowance in front of their property. I think there are ways the city could be more informative about our tree-planting program, so Torontonians and city hall can come together in thinking green."

Green Roof bylaw

The current green roof bylaw sates that at least 60 per cent of a new roof space must be constructed to green roof standards. The intent is to cool the city, increase oxygen and decrease air borne pollutants. What is your position on the Toronto green roof bylaw?

Smitherman: "I support the bylaw. It is well intentioned but should be improved by allowing solar installations to achieve the objectives of the bylaw."

Pantalone: " I championed this new bylaw for just these reasons. . . . I think that it is only the beginning. What we call rooftop today could be living space or farmland tomorrow. I look forward to helping this idea blossom."

Rossi: "Our current green roof policy has actually won an award from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for its sustainable community development. I wholeheartedly support its continuation. It represents the kind of ideas-based policy and progressive projects this city needs more of."

Parks and Green Space

Currently 11 per cent of Toronto is dedicated public green space. This includes about 1,200 parks and over 400 kilometres of biking/hiking trails. Some 44 per cent of public green space in Toronto is tree covered. What is your position on the growth of Toronto's green space and as a budget issue where do you stand?

Smitherman: "A renaissance and revitalization of our parks by creating signature parks (and cleaner beaches) that the whole city can feel pride in. I support expanded community involvement in our parks, creative funding models such as park improvement areas and park conservancies. I support making Rouge Park a national park."

Pantalone: "It is not just about protecting but increasing and enhancing. It is essential that we accelerate the creation of new parkland along the waterfront. I spearheaded the city's successes with the CNE grounds and I will work with the province toward similar success with Ontario Place. We must capture the value of new development and invest it into the creation and rejuvenation of green spaces. We must make sure that our green spaces are cared for even better and make sure that parks staff work in partnership with the local community."

Rossi: "Toronto's green spaces, from parks in the downtown to the natural beauty of ravines in the boroughs, all deserve protection. I believe in smart, respectful development which doesn't compromise the assets of a neighbourhood, and green spaces are assets we cannot lose. Any major new development projects should address the need to expand our green space. Making this city more attractive to residents and to business is key to the future of Toronto. Progressive cities are green cities. We need to encourage the private sector to be partners in advancing new green initiatives for Toronto. I have also committed myself to advocating for the Rouge Valley to become a national park. It's one of our most beautiful natural resources, and should be treated with due respect."

Community and Allotment Gardens

There has been substantial growth in interest in community and allotment gardens. This is an indication that the city can move in the direction of "feeding itself" to a much greater degree than ever before. What is your position on allotment and community gardens in Toronto?

Smitherman: "I will increase land for community gardens, markets and urban farming by 50 per cent and make sure that more city properties are used for growing and selling food. I would expand mid- and micro-scale composting projects to schools and apartment buildings to turn organic waste into healthy compost, to help local food production and reduce disposal costs. I strongly support community gardens. I will support Toronto's vibrant, expanding network of people dedicated to improving access to healthy local food. Local farms and community gardens help celebrate Toronto's cultural diversity and promote a sense of community. The local food movement will thrive if I become Toronto's mayor."

Pantlone: "I have pledged to double the amount of community and allotment gardens in our city to pursue many of our goals: decrease our environmental footprint, increase access to healthy food and help to build strong communities, beautifying our neighbourhoods, generating economic activity and offering our youth something truly productive to do."

Rossi: "I regard projects like community gardens highly - they build consciousness of sustainable living and build the ties of civic association which make Toronto so great. I understand that currently allotment gardens are funded by the Parks and Recreation department, but are seldom talked about or publicized. I would like to see that change. I would like to showcase these projects - things like the University of Toronto's Sky Garden - and let other Torontonians know what's possible. While the city is dealing with its tight fiscal situation, I think there is great opportunity for garden initiatives to partner with private sector to acquire additional assistance."

As a lifelong gardener with environmental concerns, I find it interesting that none of the three respondents object to the idea of a greener Toronto either from a philosophical point of view or a monetary one. While Smitherman and Pantalone provide specific and measurable responses to my questions, Rossi was less specific, other than to generally agree with current policy.

My final thought on the matter is to suggest that we all take a few moments to pause before we vote. And think about the kind of city that we want to have a generation or two from now. Garbage strikes and councillors expense accounts notwithstanding, Pantalone said it best, "If you want examples of cities that have cut budgets and taxes effectively over the years you need only look as far as Buffalo, Cleveland and Detroit."

What the candidates for mayor think is not relevant: it is what you think.

Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author and broadcaster. You can sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.markcullen.com, and watch him on CTV Canada AM every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. You can reach Mark through the "contact" button on his website. Mark's latest book, The Canadian Garden Primer, is available at Home Hardware and all major bookstores.

George Smitherman, Rocco Rossi, Rob Ford and Joe Pantalone debate the issues last week at the St. Lawrence Centre. With the exception of Ford, the leading candidates spoke to Mark Cullen about green issues.


----------



## aucina (Nov 8, 2007)

The "Mormon Conference Center Salt Lake City" is a great building, monumental, the interior, exterior, really incredible!


----------



## ChitownCity (May 11, 2010)

I never really been much of a fan of green roofs visually...


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*CITGO Chesapeake Terminal Installs Region's First Green Roof*
Roof will Eliminate Almost 60,000 Gallons of Runoff, Continue Efforts to Improve Local Ecosystem
19 October 2010

HOUSTON, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The CITGO Chesapeake Terminal has installed a 3,000-square-foot Green Roof system which is designed to reduce storm water runoff and help improve the local environment. The innovative, environmentally-friendly system integrates living plants into the building structure and will eliminate almost 60,000 gallons of storm water runoff into the nearby Elizabeth River. This is the latest addition to the facility, which has become a leader in environmental protection and stewardship and mentoring in the Chesapeake community.

"CITGO Petroleum Corporation is committed to environmental stewardship across our company and we also support green programs at the locally owned CITGO facilities," said CITGO Vice President for Supply and Marketing Gustavo Velasquez. "The CITGO Chesapeake Terminal is leading the industry to introduce innovative environmentally-friendly practices. The Green Roof system, which has been installed on the facility's operations office, is the latest in a long line of projects that have made a significant impact on improving the local environment and ecosystem. Our company is proud to act as innovators in local communities across the country to improve the lives of the individuals and families we serve."

The Green Roof, developed by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified team at Simon Roofing Product, has been designed to meet the unique needs of the CITGO facility and to ensure maximum positive impact on the local ecosystem. It incorporates the Sedum plant which stores high amounts of water and requires no maintenance throughout the life of the roof. The Green Roof is expected to last at least 20 years, a significant increase over the lifespan of traditional roofing systems.

The introduction of the Green Roof is part of the ongoing commitment of the CITGO Chesapeake Terminal to improve the local environment and rebuild the ecosystem. Working closely with the Elizabeth River Project, a local cooperative of industries, government and community, the terminal has already achieved the highest level of recognition for their environmental stewardship and mentoring efforts and won numerous awards and recognitions for their programs. Since 1996, the terminal has expanded and preserved natural wetlands, native plants and animals, upgraded facilities to drastically reduce air and water contamination and is a mentor with local schools and businesses, encouraging them to protect the environment.

"CITGO has become one of the strongest supporters of the Elizabeth River Project, going above and beyond what is required to make a remarkable improvement on the local environment and natural habitats," said Pam Boatwright, Elizabeth River Project's River Star Program Manager. "In addition to making improvements to its facilities and practices, the CITGO team is a leader in mentoring with other local businesses and school children. This dedication will ensure our community will be stronger and healthier for years to come."

The introduction of the Green Roof system at the CITGO Chesapeake Terminal is in alignment with the principles endorsed by the CITGO shareholder, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. They follow companywide efforts to improve the environment, which include a multi-million dollar investment to introduce Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel facilities at each of the three CITGO refineries by the end of 2010; an effort which will reduce airborne sulfur emissions by 98 percent.

For more information on the Elizabeth River Project and the extensive efforts of the CITGO Chesapeake Terminal, visit http://www.elizabethriver.org/. For more information on the impact of CITGO in the Chesapeake area and beyond, visit www.CITGO.com/Virginia.

CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

For more information visit www.citgo.com

http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/...&XSL=PressRelease&Cache=True&SubMenu=Releases


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Hong Kong's first green jail sparks controversy*
14 November 2010
AFP

Hong Kong's first environmentally-friendly prison has stirred up a debate in one of the world's most densely populated cities where many live in dingy and overcrowded high-rise flats.

Billed as the jail of the future, the sprawling 1.5 billion Hong Kong dollar (200 million US) facility was built based on a sustainable concept that promotes open space with green and energy-efficient features.

Authorities said the Lo Wu prison, the newest of the city's 16 prisons, which opened in August, aims to provide more humane living conditions for some 1,400 female inmates as the city moves to ease prison overcrowding.

The prison boasts advanced features such as a "green" roof to lower temperature, rooftop solar panels, a natural lighting system, high-headroom spaces and large dormitory blocks to enhance natural ventilation.

The Lo Wu facility took three years to build and sits on a huge plot of land of about 53,000 square metres (around 570,000 square feet) in the city's outlying New Territories bordering China.

But it has raised eyebrows after winning a green building award last week, with critics saying the government is not doing enough to promote similar healthy living for many of the city's seven million people.

The English-language South China Morning Post ran an editorial with a headline "Green prison shows up failings in our priorities," while readers wrote in to express their anger over the new jail.

"It illustrates perfectly an admirable trait of the Hong Kong public and the criminal justice system in which the primary hope is that criminals are rehabilitated during their time in jail so that they can contribute constructively to society upon their release," the Post said.

"It is, however, ironic that our convicted criminals have been able to benefit from focused and enlightened environmental planning, while law-abiding citizens so often find their living and working spaces compromised by a whole host of factors," the Post said.

Post reader Jefference Tay expressed similar concerns in a letter to the editor: "It just doesn't make sense to me. I have been to several public housing estates in Hong Kong which have long, dark and airless corridors. Most of the units are extremely small.

"It is sad that the government has no long-term urban planning strategy," Tay wrote.

The glitzy financial hub is one of the world's most affluent cities but many families must still squeeze multiple generations into tiny flats, thanks to rocketing prices and a shortage of residential property.

Costly housing also gave rise to the phenomenon of "cage homes" -- where thousands among the city's poorest cramp into old tenement flats and rent a metal cage barely big enough for a mattress.

A growing income gap has seen the number of people living in poverty rise 8.6 percent in recent years, from 1.16 million in 2005 to 1.26 million in mid-2010, according to Oxfam Hong Kong, a group that campaigns against poverty.

But Hong Kong's Architectural Services Department -- the new jail's designer -- defended the green project, saying it was built in line with government policy to "take the lead and set good examples" in promoting green buildings.

"A facility carefully designed and integrated with such environmentally friendly features provides a humane environment for inmates, and would surely facilitate the effective operation of the staff," information officer Kaman Chong told AFP in an email.

"The overall cost for green features in the Lo Wu Correctional Institute project is less than one percent of the overall project cost, and it is within the reasonable range compared with other recent government projects," she said.

A spokeswoman from the Correctional Services Department, which runs the prison, declined comment on the criticism but said the department would strive to make more prisons environmental-friendly "as far as possible" in future.

Rights groups hailed the move to ease congestion in prisons, although they distanced themselves from commenting on the high-tech green features.

"We welcome the government's move to improve the living conditions of inmates -- it is the government's responsibility to do that," Keith Wong, campaign manager for Amnesty International Hong Kong, told AFP.

"The government should provide housing to those who can't afford to rent a place to live, but we can't mix up the two issues because it is a basic human right to ensure prisoners live in a proper place," said the activist.


----------

