GREENGREEN ROOFSROOFS

What is a green roof?What is a green roof?

Green roofs are plantings on the roof of a Green roofs are plantings on the roof of a buildingbuilding

Used in Europe for more than 25 years Used in Europe for more than 25 years to control runoff volume, improve air to control runoff volume, improve air and water quality, and promote energy and water quality, and promote energy conservationconservation

Types of Green RoofsTypes of Green Roofs

ExtensiveExtensive

IntensiveIntensive

Concerns on Everyone’s MindConcerns on Everyone’s Mind

Costs – A built-in-place, extensive green Costs – A built-in-place, extensive green roof can cost anywhere between $8 to $40 roof can cost anywhere between $8 to $40 per square foot depending on a variety of per square foot depending on a variety of factorsfactors

Weight – On average, an extensive green Weight – On average, an extensive green roof that is around 3 to 4 inches thick roof that is around 3 to 4 inches thick weights less than 17 pounds per square foot weights less than 17 pounds per square foot when saturatedwhen saturated

BenefitsBenefits

Reduce city “heat Island effectReduce city “heat Island effect Lengthen roof life by two to three timesLengthen roof life by two to three times Reduce storm-water runoffReduce storm-water runoff Energy savingsEnergy savings Reduces noiseReduces noise Neutralize acid rain effectNeutralize acid rain effect Aesthetically pleasingAesthetically pleasing Provides habitatProvides habitat

City “Heat Island” EffectCity “Heat Island” Effect

Higher surface and air temperatures caused Higher surface and air temperatures caused by human built structures can result in by human built structures can result in extreme and sustained heat wavesextreme and sustained heat waves

Heat waves kill more people in the United Heat waves kill more people in the United States than all other natural disasters States than all other natural disasters combinedcombined

City “Heat Island” Effect Causes:City “Heat Island” Effect Causes:

Increased air conditioning useIncreased air conditioning use Risks of power outages due to peak Risks of power outages due to peak

electricity demandselectricity demands Worsens air quality by promoting ground-Worsens air quality by promoting ground-

level ozone formationlevel ozone formation Impairs water quality by heating storm water Impairs water quality by heating storm water

runoff, causing thermal shock for aquatic liferunoff, causing thermal shock for aquatic life

Green Roofs Reduce City “Heat Green Roofs Reduce City “Heat Island” EffectIsland” Effect

Plant transpiration and evaporationPlant transpiration and evaporation

ShadingShading

Lengthen Roof LifeLengthen Roof Life

Insulates roof in the winterInsulates roof in the winter

Protects roof membrane from the elementsProtects roof membrane from the elements

Protects roof membrane from UV radiationProtects roof membrane from UV radiation

Helps moderate the roofs temperature Helps moderate the roofs temperature swingsswings

Reduce Storm-water RunoffReduce Storm-water Runoff

Reducing Storm-water runoff is the best Reducing Storm-water runoff is the best know benefit of green roofsknow benefit of green roofs

Can retain as much as 80% of the Can retain as much as 80% of the precipitation that falls on the green roof precipitation that falls on the green roof depending on soil depth and rainfall totalsdepending on soil depth and rainfall totals

Facility managers can reduce size or Facility managers can reduce size or eliminate elaborate and expensive water eliminate elaborate and expensive water management systems, another cost savingsmanagement systems, another cost savings

Energy SavingsEnergy Savings

Green roofs moderate temperate swings Green roofs moderate temperate swings and insulate buildingsand insulate buildings

Allow building to reduce size of air-Allow building to reduce size of air-conditioning equipment, another cost conditioning equipment, another cost savingssavings

Energy savings are significant on buildings Energy savings are significant on buildings that are one to two storiesthat are one to two stories

Additional BenefitsAdditional Benefits

Reduces NoiseReduces Noise

Neutralize Acid Rain EffectNeutralize Acid Rain Effect

Aesthetically PleasingAesthetically Pleasing

Provides HabitatProvides Habitat

LEED CertificationLEED Certification

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) CertificationDesign (LEED) Certification

U.S. Green Building CouncilU.S. Green Building Council

Green roofs can help a facility earn as many Green roofs can help a facility earn as many as 7 to 23 points towards LEED certification as 7 to 23 points towards LEED certification

Green Roof Contribution to LEEDGreen Roof Contribution to LEED

Sustainable Sites:Sustainable Sites:– Reduced Site DisturbanceReduced Site Disturbance– Storm-water ManagementStorm-water Management– Heat Island EffectHeat Island Effect

Water Efficiency:Water Efficiency:– Reduced Site DisturbanceReduced Site Disturbance

Green Roof Contribution to LEEDGreen Roof Contribution to LEED

Energy and AtmosphereEnergy and Atmosphere– Optimize Energy PerformanceOptimize Energy Performance

Materials and ResourcesMaterials and Resources– Building ReuseBuilding Reuse– Recycled ContentRecycled Content– Regional MaterialsRegional Materials– Rapid Renewable MaterialsRapid Renewable Materials

Green Roof Contribution to LEEDGreen Roof Contribution to LEED

Innovation and Design ProcessInnovation and Design Process

Green Roof Examples – Atlanta Green Roof Examples – Atlanta AreaArea

Bio-Chemistry Connector, Emory (1995)Bio-Chemistry Connector, Emory (1995) Zoo Atlanta’s Conservation Action Resources Zoo Atlanta’s Conservation Action Resources

Center (1997)Center (1997) 3TEN HauStudio (2001)3TEN HauStudio (2001) Atlanta City Hall Pilot Green Roof (2003)Atlanta City Hall Pilot Green Roof (2003) Woodward Academy Middle School Art Building Woodward Academy Middle School Art Building

(2004)(2004) Gwinnett County Environmental & Heritage Center Gwinnett County Environmental & Heritage Center

(2006)(2006) Sweetwater Creek State Park Interpretative Center Sweetwater Creek State Park Interpretative Center

(2006)(2006)

Green Roof Examples – Federal Green Roof Examples – Federal GovernmentGovernment

Hastings Keith Federal Office Building, New Hastings Keith Federal Office Building, New Bedford, MA – GSA (2004)Bedford, MA – GSA (2004)

Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, DC – Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, DC – National Parks Service (2004)National Parks Service (2004)

McCormack Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, McCormack Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, MA – EPA Region 1 (planned)MA – EPA Region 1 (planned)

Laboratory Annex 2, Cincinnati, OH – EPA Laboratory Annex 2, Cincinnati, OH – EPA (planned)(planned)

EPA’s Region 8 Office, Denver, CO (2007)EPA’s Region 8 Office, Denver, CO (2007) EPA Headquarters, Arlington, VA (2006)EPA Headquarters, Arlington, VA (2006)

Useful WebsitesUseful Websites

EPA Green Buildings - EPA Green Buildings - http://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/facilitieshttp://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/facilities

Atlanta Area Green Roofs – Atlanta Area Green Roofs – www.greenroofs.comwww.greenroofs.com

US Green Building Council Web Site – US Green Building Council Web Site – http://www.usgbc.orghttp://www.usgbc.org

Heat Island Effect – Heat Island Effect – http://www.epa.gov/heatisland/strategies/grehttp://www.epa.gov/heatisland/strategies/greenroofs.htmlenroofs.html

Questions???Questions???