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newslinks 2008
Archives of previous years News is posted as it comes across the newswire from a variety of sources including online and print newspaper and magazine articles, blog postings, radio shows, videos,
and more. We are posting edited paraphrase snipets of
published news - we neither validate nor necessarily agree or disagree
with the content. Content from the Home Page is rotated by most recent date and lands here.
If a referenced project or contact is listed in either The Greenroof
Projects Database or The Greenroof Directory, respectively, it will be
hyperlinked for additional information.
Do any of these articles provoke you?
Great! Why don't you answer them? Add to the boiling pot of
consumerism/environmentalism, politics, journalism...
Effective January 1, 2007, excerpts
referencing green roofs have been included, making it easier to do
searches for particular keywords. Article excerpts start on the Home Page and then end up here - search Archives
above for previous years' postings.
Some links change soon after publication when postings are moved to newspaper and magazine archives. Direct source hotlinks are provided, although you may first have to register or create an online account with a particular news service before accessing the article. In most cases registering is free of charge, but each service is unique and you will have to abide by those external website rules. Many newspapers require subscription services for archive retrieval, or may offer free searches of their archives. So visit the Home Page often to stay up to date for free! In order to reduce redundancy, Publisher reserves the right to post original sources only on the Home Page, and will offer subsequent follow up articles here on NewsLinks, at our discretion, for your review. And if the article/ posting only briefly mentions greenroofs without being a major focus, it will only be listed here on NewsLinks as a reference. Greenroofs.com is not responsible for the accuracy of external links.
HOK's Bill Hellmuth: On top of the world
Washington Business Journal, by Deborah K. Dietsch
November 18, 2008
College Park, MD. "...When opened next spring, the
385,000-square-foot complex will become the research park’s
first silver-rated project in the U.S. Green Building Council’s
Leadership in Energy and Environment program. The offices, where
meteorological data will be analyzed, will overlook planted
roofs through floor-to-ceiling windows providing abundant
daylight..."
How Ford Lost Focus
Mother Jones, by Fara Warner
November/December 2008 Issue
Dearborn, MI. "...Bill Ford's—indeed, the
company's—greatest environmental accomplishment has been the
Rouge factory overhaul. The rebuilt plant has one of the world's
largest living roofs, plus solar cells and skylights to reduce
lighting costs. Rouge now serves as a benchmark for Ford's other
factories; overall the automaker has reduced energy use by 30
percent and trimmed emissions from its manufacturing facilities
by 39 percent since 2000, boasts John Viera..."
Taking farming downtown
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Margaret Lowman
November 17, 2008
The World. "Hurricane Katrina was a sobering example of
urban dependency on a complex system of deliveries for food and
services; when interrupted, people can literally starve or face
life-threatening health catastrophes...New solutions to the
challenges of feeding urban populations with fresh produce
include creative green architecture...Another scenario envisions
a farmers market on the ground floor, with a tower of diverse
crops in multiple floors overhead..."
Five diverse designs presented for UB's new $107M law school
building
Daily Record, by Robbie Whelan
November 16, 2008
Baltimore, MD. "...Ayers/Saint/Gross, also a local firm,
presented the most conventional of the designs: a boxy,
vertically oriented building that emphasized open facades,
ventilation and natural lighting. The building would also
include roof gardens and potentially use geothermal energy
sources; it would be certified as LEED-gold..."
Mapping the future of water supply
The National, by Gretchen Peters
November 16, 2008
Tempe, AZ. "..Though much of their work is focused on the
western US and Arizona in particular, the centre is attracting
the attention of desert communities around the world, including
in the Gulf. In October, it was awarded the Prince Sultan Bin
Abdulaziz International Prize for Water, a biannual cash award
from the environmental research centre at King Saud University
in Riyadh...that programme would not work as well in desert
climates, where the lack of moisture means roof gardens would
have to be watered..."
Latest Technology in Green Roofs in Golden Gate Park
MyMotherLode.com, by Joan Bergsund
November 16, 2008
San Francisco, CA. "...The seven layers of varying
materials weigh 2.6 million pounds, including the soil and
plants. The 1.7 million plants were selected, planted in 50,000
trays made of coconut husks and installed months before
the building was open to the public. When they were
installed upon the roof, the trays were tightly packed to assure
the plants would not slide or give way to forces of gravity. The
trays are bio-degradable and will simply mesh with the growing
medium in several..."
O-Tower next generation tower with fusion of engineering and
technology
AME Info, by Staff
November 15, 2008
Dubai, UAE. "With this extreme in height and the
incorporation of wrap around garden terraces, views of
apartments can be further enhanced...Along with the use of
vegetated infill panels and automatically louvers system on the
façade, it can effectively help to reduce heat gain and save
energy to the building..."
MSD awaits EPA go-ahead for green projects
Business Courier, by Dan Monk
November 14, 2008
Cincinnati, OH. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
might be cooking up a $1 billion turkey for Hamilton County
taxpayers this Thanksgiving...The sewer district proposed green
remedies to deal with up to 14 billion gallons of rainy-weather
overflows in the county each year. The green improvements would
use rain gardens, restored wetlands and green roofs to keep
storm water out of..."
In Big Oil Country, a Green District Sprouts
CoStar Group, by Andrew C. Burr
November 14, 2008
Pearland, TX. "...Features like man-made wetlands,
renewable power, green roofs and stormwater retention and reuse
systems are being planned for, and where possible, implemented
now to create a solid base of LEED points that will pave an
easier path for individual buildings to achieve certification
later on..."
Time to think even greener
Chelsea Now, by Staff
November 14, 2008
New York, NY. "...Green roofs are another novel way to
improve our environment. P.S. 41 is fundraising for one on its
W. 11th St. building. It certainly would help if the city and
local elected officials..."
Holmes targets elite buyers with new eco-project
Calgary Herald, by Emma Gilchrist
November 14, 2008
Alberta, Canada. "...Holmes Homes are intelligently designed
with environmentally superior materials, have a 75- to 100-year
lifespan, provide excellent indoor air quality, utilize solar
hot water heating and -- the icing on the cake: accessible green
roofs..."
Stormwater retention should be consideration for green roofs
Daily Commercial News, by Korky Koroluk
November 14, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "We’ve all heard by now of the benefits of
green roofs — how they can save some of the energy that would
otherwise go to heating and cooling, how they can be used to
create park-like spaces for building staff, how they can
contribute greatly to stormwater retention and management. All
true, of course, but there can be a lot of variability in that
last category - stormwater retention..."
McDonald’s Plans To Build ‘Green’ McDonald’s In North Miami
NBC6.net, by Jeff Burnside
November 13, 2008
North Miami, FL. and Chicago, IL. "A McDonald’s golden
arches are about to turn green in North Miami...A McDonald’s in
Chicago near company headquarters is the first green prototype
opening in August...It features a front counter made of recycled
detergent bottles, bamboo ceiling, recycled glass windows,
permeable concrete and even vegetated rooftops..."
See video, too.
Bidding for Swank K-9 Condo Starts at $15000
WNBC, by Elizabeth Bougerol
November 13, 2008
New York, NY. "...That's just the starting auction price
for the ultra-mod pooch pad designed by architect William
Pedersen, mind you. Who knows what the final number will be? The
Observer reports that the abode, currently on display at the
West Village's One Jackson Square sales center, boasts
"undulating 'wave-like' topography" and "planted 'green'
roof"..."
Raising the (green) roof on the new Butler
The Daily Princetonian, by Leah Samaha
November 13, 2008
Princeton, NJ. "...Students will also have the chance to
monitor the green roofs this spring through ENV 340:
Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Solutions. This course
will be taught by PEI Undergraduate Lab director Eileen Zerba
and will focus "on environmental challenges and sustainable
solutions related to interrelationships between constructed and
natural processes," including the advantages of green roofs..."
Animal shelter gets new home
Turn to 10.com, by Staff
November 13, 2008
Providence, RI. "The Potter League for Animals unveiled
its new, state-of-the-art facility Thursday...Green design
techniques were used to construct the new building, which has a
“vegetated” roof."
See video, too.
Mount Tabor: Park yard, nursery to air design plan
OregonLive.com, by Rebecca Koffman
November 13, 2008
Portland, OR. "The city of Portland will host an open
house 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at coffee shop Gigibar, 5941
S.E. Division St., to show the preferred design for the new
facility at Mt. Tabor Central Yard and Nursery — the central
maintenance, dispatch and support facility for Portland parks.
The plans by Opsis Architects feature green-building elements
such as solar panels and eco-roofs..."
Photo Essay: Sustainable Neighborhoods in Malmo
WorldChanging, by Adele Peters
November 12, 2008
Malmö, Sweden. "On the roof in Malmo, Sweden, at the
International Green Roof Institute. Faced with a rundown
1950s housing development, the city decided to make it an
eco-neighborhood in the 1990s, and built several green roofs..."
Up on the roof
Mississauga News, by Radhika Panjwani
November 12, 2008
Ontario, Canada. "...The
green roofs can help change all of that.” The lightweight, low
cost, green roof has been installed on many buildings around the
world including the Ford ..."
Green housing on B Street denied by council
The California Aggie Online, by Jeremy Ogul
November 12, 2008
Davis, CA. "...Designed by Davis architect Maria Ogrydziak,
the project included a number of environmentally friendly
features, including green roofs - flat roofs with landscaping to
reduce..."
Graduate students' research foundation for local building's
'green ...
TCU Daily Skiff, by Melissa Hawkes
November 12, 2008
Fort Worth, TX. "...Jon Kinder, an environmental studies
graduate student, decided to pursue "green roofs" as a research
project and was joined by fellow classmate David ..."
Gassing Up Green
Plenty Magazine, by Jennifer Acosta Scott
November 12, 2008
Dallas, TX. "...Good to Go, if Nikolas’ vision is realized, will
be built to silver LEED standards, using only energy-efficient LED
lighting and mostly renewable building materials. The carwash will have
a vegetated roof and a water reclamation system using only..."
Update on DC's Stormwater Management
Washington Post Blogs, by Ann Posegate
November 12, 2008
Washington, D.C. "...What pollutants are the raindrops carrying
into your local stream or river? Do they warm up from the heat-absorbing
pavement over which they travel? Will they enter the nearby reservoir
and become your drinking water? What if there were more parks, forests,
gardens, and green roofs to absorb them, or what if they landed on
permeable..."
Taking the LEED
Oak Brook Business Ledger, by Sherri Dauskurdas
November 11, 2008
Wheeling, IL. "...“When we began our branch project, we had not
heard of LEED. But we did want a green roof on our new building,” said
Dan Loundy, vice president of business banking. “We discovered green
roofs were often incorporated into LEED buildings and through research
found that LEED is a good measurement tool and a good check list for
things we could do that would further improve the design, energy
conservation and comfort...”
In search of an urban plan
Grist Magazine, by Ryan Avent
November 10, 2008
Seattle, WA. "...Designers are wonderfully creative people, and
the conference was littered with ideas for ecological city systems,
green roofs and walls and floors and roads, buildings covered with algea
and windmills able to provide positive power to the grid, and so on...I
felt that the world's designers, in reveling in the functional
strangeness of their creations, missed the point of it all...Designers
must try and build a mass market for affordable, attractive,
emission-reducing technologies..."
DM applies 'Green Roofs' initiative on its buildings
AMEInfo, Press Release
November 5, 2008
Dubai, UAE. "Dubai Municipality has embarked on an initiative
called 'Green Roofs' during the Green Dubai Forum, which was held
recently...Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai
Municipality, said the Municipality has launched the initiative in line
with the law on the application of green building specifications in
Dubai...He said the Green Roofs project aims at transforming the roofs
of all buildings and houses in Dubai to cultivated space, where the
water dropped out of air-conditioners should be used for irrigation of
plants..."
Tempe building to be supergreen
Arizona Republic, by William Hermann
November 4, 2008
Phoenix, AZ. "...Those features, which are expected to make it 50
percent more energy-efficient than traditional buildings, include: A
vegetated green roof that is the first of its kind in a commercial
Arizona building ..."
McDonald's Going Green
The Korea Times, By Jane Han
November 4, 2008
Chicago, IL. "...Vegetative green roofs, permeable street pavings
and table tops made from recycled milk containers ― all of this may
sound like experimental eco-friendly features in a distant lab
somewhere..."
Butler College dorms rise again
Princeton University, by Ruth Stevens
November 4, 2008
Princeton, NJ. "...The project incorporates many sustainability
features, including green roofs on more than half of the buildings.
Green roofs typically consist of a waterproofing membrane, an insulation
layer, structural support, four inches of growth medium and plant..."
London roof gardens to feed 2012 Olympians
holidaylettings.co.uk, by Staff
November 4, 2008
Oxford, England, UK "...The city's mayor, Boris Johnson, has
outlined plans to create roof gardens to feed the 2012 Olympic athletes.
The scheme is set to be launched today...."
The green heart of San Francisco?
Sustainable Industries, by Sara Stroud
November 3, 2008
San Francisco, CA. "... the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), the
plan features solar rooftop photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, living
roofs and water conservation fixtures. ..."
University installs green roof at ESIA
GW Hatchet, by Alex Altskan
November 3, 2008
Washington, DC. "...Green roofs are additional layers of
vegetation and waterproof covering placed on top of a building's
existing structure. The roofs help offset carbon..."
Green roofs take root as way to save energy
Akron Beacon Journal, by Denise Ellsworth
November 1, 2008
Akron, OH. "...One of the most innovative aspects of the building
is the green roof and associated living wall...For the Metro Parks green
roof, King selected a mixed planting with about 75 percent sedum,
interplanted with coneflowers, penstemon and butterfly weed. Because the
roof planting grows many species, the bloom and leaf colors change
through the season, providing textural and color interest..."
A Greener Charlottesville: "Green" Monticello
WCAV, by Myles Henderson
October 31, 2008
Charlottesville, VA. "...Also on the outside of the buildings you
may notice several green roofs, but these aren't typical green roofs
with a few inches of soil and sparse plants. "We put a foot of soil and
we are planting native meadow grasses up there." Some have 3 feet of
soil and tress planted..."
Pedersen and Viñoly Pair for Health Care
Interior Design, by Nicholas Tamarin
October 31, 2008
Palo Alto, CA. "...unveiling of William Pedersen and Rafael
Viñoly's expansion of Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and Stanford
Hospital...accessible roof gardens surround a public floor that offers
amenities for visitors and staff..."
Green buildings the way of the future
Scoop.co.nz, Press Release
October 31, 2008
New Zealand. "When horticulture meets architecture: green
buildings the way of the future says leading landscaper. It might sound
like something out of 1960s science fiction: mutant plants taking over
the concrete jungle but green roofs and green walls are moving into the
mainstream overseas and have the potential to do the same here,
according to..."
Green-roof bids for Target Center are 'on target'
MinnPost.com, by Kristin Guild
October 31, 2008
Minneapolis, MN. "...The estimated cost of the vegetated roof
option that was the base bid solicitation was $2.8 million, compared to
$1.2 million for a conventional arena roof...I must also correct
Weiner's statement that the vegetated roof would not pay for itself
through energy cost savings as was expected. The cost savings of the
vegetated roof over a conventional roof were never expected to be gained
from energy efficiencies...but rather, over the long term..."
Rotman plans $92M facility
Financial Post, by Jodi Lai
October 30, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "...Marianne McKenna, Mr. Kuwabara's colleague,
said the building will be one of the university's first LEED-certified
(Leader in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings. The emphasis is
on using locally sourced materials and sustainable architecture,
including green roofs, heat-recovery systems..."
Seattle Mayor Nickels encourages residents to adopt a neighborhood drain
Seattle Times, by Sharon Pian Chan
October 30, 2008
Seattle, WA. "...The city recently changed drainage rates to
charge ratepayers according to the amount of impermeable surface such as
asphalt on their lots. It also changed building codes to encourage the
building of green roofs in areas zoned for neighborhood and commercial
development..."
3 picks for clean water
Chicago Tribune, by Staff
October 30, 2008
Chicago. IL. "...Republican Paul Chialdikas is a Lemont planning
and zoning commissioner with a record of encouraging
conservation-friendly development. He wants to involve municipalities
more directly in promoting "green roofs," water-permeable pavement and
other imaginative ways to decrease rainwater runoff..."
Travel + Leisure names 10 green American landmarks
San Jose Mercury News, by AP
October 27, 2008
U.S. "A baseball stadium, a birding center and a couple of
skyscrapers are on Travel + Leisure magazine's list of 10 American green
landmarks that deserve recognition for modern, sustainable design...The
magazine said the landmarks were chosen because they implement a variety
of eco-friendly strategies, such as photovoltaic panels, green roofs,
and wind..."
Blazing Dhaka: An urban heat island
The Daily Star, by Md Sayeed Islam
October 25, 2008
Dhaka, Bangladesh. "...One fad that's gaining popularity is the
installation of green roofs atop city buildings...Unfortunately, most of
the above mentioned measures are costly, especially for a country like
us. But there must be something that we can do to ameliorate the
existing condition..."
City of Richmond proposes ‘flexible’ green-roof bylaw
Journal of Commerce, by Jean Sorensen
October 24, 2008
Richmond, Canada. "...rather than having a rigid format for
industrial buildings of 5,000 or more square meters, Richmond is moving
towards a point system with its proposed bylaw...the city has also just
enacted a zoning development bylaw, which allows a developer to be
exempt from development permit fees if a green roof is planned with no
variances... Because of the inclusion of green roofs, grey-water
recycling and other environmental features, Little said the city
provided the developer with a density bonus."
Out of Blight, a Step-Up Neighborhood
New York Times, by C.J. Hughes
October 24, 2008
New York, NY. "...Intervale Green and Louis Nine House, a $46 million
complex with 173 moderately priced apartments, built with planted roofs
and leafy courtyards by the nonprofit Women’s Housing and Economic
Development Corporation. It is to open to renters next month..."
Google Planning New Campus
1590 KLIV Silicon Valley News, by Staff
October 24, 2008
Mountain View, CA. " Architectural drawings that were submitted
to Mountain View's Planning Department call for an ultra-green campus
that integrates orchards, recreational paths, gardens and living roofs
into its design..."
Green roofs cool LeBreton Flats
Centretown News, by Staff
October 23, 2008
Ottawa, Canada. "Developers are resurrecting LeBreton Flats with
residences under green roofs, breathing new life into an area lying
dormant under layers of debris and graffiti for decades...Neil Malhotra,
VP of Claridge Homes, the home building company in charge of
constructing LeBreton Flats residences, says that a combination of
greenery with stonework that reflects sunlight will be installed on a
large percentage of roofs..."
Google shows off 'extraordinary' building plans
Mountain View Voice, by Daniel DeBolt
October 23, 2008
Mountain View, CA. "As if conquering the Internet weren't enough,
Google has a new wonder in the works: a space-age structure that could
be the greenest office building of all time...The green slope beneath
the building not only hides a 20-foot-tall parking garage, where cars
are stacked tightly on top of each other, but rainwater runs off the
slopes into vegetated "bio-swales." From there it feeds green roofs,
gardens and planters as part of a "run-off conveyance system that slows,
cleanses..."
York students tour green roof on campus
Excalibur Online, by Denoja Kankesan
October 23, 2008
Toronto, Canada. "York University provided public access to their
green roof on top of the Computer Science and Engineering CSE building
for the first time...A report prepared by the Toronto and Region
Conservation Authority under the Sustainable Technologies Evaluations
Programs assessed the ability of green roofs to support biodiversity.
The findings showed a relative growth in native plants and found
rooftops were a haven for local species..."
Fossil Jewels
Canadian Architect, by John Leroux
October, 2008
Nova Scotia, Canada. "When does the inspiration for a great
building's design truly begin?...Green strategies include a vegetated
roof, recycled materials, a 50-kilowatt wind turbine generator, a solar
water-heating system..."
Howard's RLC will be super efficient
MADISONet.com, by Elisa Sand
October 23, 2008
Howard, SD. "A proposed $11.6 million Maroney Rural Learning Center
in Howard will be applying "green energy" throughout the facility and
will be used as an energy lab for other companies...Other "green"
features around the facility include roof gardens..."
Marriott Breaks Ground On Two "Green" Virginia Hotels
Hotels, by Staff
October 22, 2008
Arlington, VA. "Today, Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA-8) and Chris
Zimmerman, Arlington County Board Member, joined The JBG Companies and
Marriott International, Inc. to officially break ground on two major
hotels, the Renaissance Crystal City Potomac Yards and the Residence Inn
Crystal City Potomac Yards...The property will also feature an energy
saving “green roof’ with plants and trees, providing a relaxing space
for guests overlooking the U.S. Capitol and Potomac River..."
It's Easy Being Green: Jolly Green Schools
Center For American Progress, by Staff
October 22, 2008
Washington, D.C. "...students at the
Sidwell Friends Middle School in Washington, D.C. who learn in a
recently renovated green school...It's not surprising that 115 schools
across the country have become green, or that 10 states require schools
to use renewable energy sources for new school construction and major
renovations...Some schools include green roofs..."
A matter of opinion - A roofing industry professional shares his views
about current issues facing the industry
Professional Roofing Magazine, by Thomas W. Hutchinson
October, 2008
U.S. "...Although landscaped roof systems have no wind-uplift
resistance or fire-resistance ratings and could be considered
non-code-compliant, a committee of industry professionals led by SPRI is
addressing these concerns...There always has been a concern with
landscaped roof system installations when deciding what trades perform
which work, union versus open-shop contractors, potential damage to the
installed roof system and future repair ability..."
O'Hare aims at environmentally friendly skies
Chicago Daily Herald, by Marni Pyke
October 22, 2008
Chicago, IL. "With its acres of concrete and hundreds of jet-fuel
gobbling airplanes passing through every day, O'Hare International
Airport isn't a tree-hugger's paradise. But Chicago officials are
working to change that image, one green roof at a time... Before
proceeding with the green roof at the air traffic control building - the
first of its kind at a Federal Aviation Administration facility -
airport planners had to convince agency officials it wouldn't leak and
damage essential equipment..."
"Extensive" Garden Roofs – A Low-Maintenance Ecological Solution
Associated Construction Publications, by Reinhard Schneider
October 22, 2008
U.S. "Few people in the roofing industry doubt that we are in the
beginning stages of enormous change," says roofing contractor Mark
Gaulin, founder of MAGCO Inc. and former president of the National
Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). "This is being brought about by
the green roofing movement and the realization that buildings play a
vital role in conserving energy and protecting the environment..."
After fire, Waldo developer builds with innovation
KC Community News, by Kurt Kloeblen
October 22, 2008
Overland Park, KS. "A Feb. 16, 2007, fire burned down the Waldo
building, constructed in 1923. But today, Botwin holds the grand opening
of her new, eye-catching building...Botwin said the building also uses a
number of green building techniques. Recycled material is used
throughout the building, as well as green roofing with grass and plants
to help reduce 70 percent of storm water runoff..."
Marywood builds on area progress
Scranton Times, by Staff
October 22, 2008
Scranton, PA. "...Marywood University’s announcement Monday that
it will establish a 300-student architecture school at its
Scranton-Dunmore campus is an exciting development for the school and
the region...an existing Marywood building will be retrofitted to
accommodate the new school. It will feature a green roof, including
vegetation to assist in cooling and to capture rain water that will be
used to flush the structure’s toilets..."
Studio A To Expand and 'Green' Charleston City Paper Offices
Carolina Newswire, Press Release
October 22, 2008
Charleston, SC. "Whitney Powers, AIA, principal of Studio A
Architecture in Charleston, has been hired to expand, improve and “green
up” the offices of the Charleston City Paper at 1049 Morrison Drive...A
vegetated, or “green,” roof is also under consideration..."
The world's greenest museum
Plenty Magazine, by Emily Wilson
October 21, 2008
San Francisco, CA. "Standing on the newly remodeled
California Academy of Sciences' living roof, senior curator and
botanist Frank Almeda points out some of the cutting-edge environmental
design features of the roof’s 2.5 acres: native plants that draw birds
and..."
Fantastic plastic sets sights on construction
Business Green, by Andrew Donoghue
October 21, 2008
UK. "...used for some commercial construction projects, as well
as academic trials including tiles made from i-plas being used a green
roofing project run by the University of Sheffield..."
Staff Editorial: The green light
Diamondback Online, by Staff
October 21, 2008
College Park, MD. "...Students can't install green roofs on their
own - a $350000 project requires the university's financial commitment.
But students did author a referendum..."
US Mayors, USGBC Join Forces to Green Schools
GreenerBuildings, by Staff
October 20, 2008
U.S. "The U.S. Conference of Mayors has formed the Mayors'
Alliance for Green Schools, which will work with the U.S. Green Building
Council toward the goal of making the nation's schools environmentally
friendly within a generation...The mayors and the USGBC said alliance
initiatives include developing partnerships with local businesses to
enable schools to plant green roofs, start solar gardens or begin
recycling programs..."
Landscaped roof blends pretty and practical
StarNewsOnline.com, by Veronica Gonzalez
October 20, 2008
Wilmington, NC. "...Atop their three-story home, they’re standing
on downtown Wilmington’s most landscaped residential roof. The flat roof
bursts with different varieties of sedums, yellow and purple pansies,
yellow lantana, lilies and a screen of potted pink mandevillas that hide
the heating and cooling system..."
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and Stanford Hospital Unveil Future
of Medicine
MarketWatch, by Stanford University Medical Center Renewal Project
October 20, 2008
Stanford, CA. "...The design includes a central courtyard and
roof gardens that will re-establish the tradition of the Stanford campus
by integrating the landscape within the new building. A sloped courtyard
with a prominent water feature organizes public circulation on the lower
levels and brings natural light into the center of each floor.
Accessible roof gardens surround a unique public floor that contains
family and staff amenities..."
City Hall’s roof greenery flourishes five years later
Atlanta Journal Constitution, by Richard Halicks
October 19, 2008
Atlanta, GA. "...Bill Brigham, the city’s landscape architect who
designed the project, said the planting has survived high winds,
extended drought and the once-a-decade effort to pressure wash the
building....The xeriscaped garden contains about 2,800 plants
representing 31 species. Brigham said he has had to spot-water it maybe
10 times in the five years since it was installed.
City Hall’s green roof is a demonstration project, intended to show
the way for others, but Brigham said he has learned a great deal from
it..."
Grand Rapids is ahead of the game in eco-friendly living
Detroit Free Press, by Tina Lam
October 19, 2008
Grand Rapids, MI. "...The city is experiencing a building boom,
and it's green. Four of the five giant new projects rising downtown are
green-built. This rustbelt town is dotted with living green roofs and
rainwater cisterns, solar panels and geothermal systems..."
Mexico pollution solution: Go green
Atlanta Journal Constitution, by Jeremy Schwartz
October 19, 2008
Mexico City, Mexico. "...Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard wants
to install more than 500,000 square feet of green roofs by 2012,
starting with government buildings... It's part of Mexico City's $5.5
billion "Green Plan," which Ebrard insists will transform one of the
world's most polluted..."
MSD clean-water plan involves huge projects
Louisville Courier-Journal, by James Bruggers
October 19, 2008
Louisville, KY. "...The projects also include at least $47
million in "green infrastructure" to soak up rain that otherwise would
run off hard surfaces, such as parking lots or rooftops. These so-called
"bioswales," "rain gardens" and "vegetated roofs" use dirt and plants to
absorb rain before it gets into combined storm and sewer lines, reducing
overflows..."
Garden rejuvenates Finley rooftop
Dubuque Telegraph Herald, by Erik Hogstrom
October 18, 2008
Dubuque, IA. "...A natural place of reflection for hospital
patients, visitors and employees, the garden will use green technologies
consistent with the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, reflecting
a commitment by the city of Dubuque. "It's definitely a growing trend in
health-care facilities," said
Horvath, who installed the rooftop garden at the Apparel Center of
Chicago's Merchandise Mart. "We have three more green roofs to build
this fall, just in hospitals..."
City's 1st green roof planned for Northside
Indianapolis Star, by Brendan O'Shaughnessy
October 18, 2008
Indianapolis, IN. "The city plans to begin installing the first
environmentally friendly green roof on a government building next year.
Mayor Greg Ballard on Friday announced that a Northside sewer facility
will get a green roof as part of an $8.5 million project that will
improve storage and pumping capacity and add disinfection processes..."
LoftWorks seeks gold in green building
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, by Kathie Sutin
October 17, 2008
St. Louis, MO. "...A feature that will earn LEED points is the
building's vegetated roof featuring green roof blocks,
two-feet-by-two-feet pans filled with vegetation...Emily Andrews,
executive director of the U.S. Green Building Council, St. Louis
regional chapter, said St. Louis is in the forefront of green rehab and
construction in the com-mercial realm in the Midwest..."
Nature brightens up sterile surroundings at St Vincent Hospital in Green
Bay
Green Bay Press Gazette, by Andy Nelesen
October 17, 2008
Green Bay, WI. "Crews at St. Vincent Hospital replaced the roof
on the hospital's five-story surgical building this summer and installed
a vegetated roof that includes grasses, small shrubs and other plants.
The planting was aimed at providing a better backdrop for patients in
the hospital's dialysis unit who often spend hours hooked to machines
cleaning their blood. The roof is not accessible to patients, but it
provides a better view than a span of industrial roofing..."
Facilities invests in green roof technology
Diamondback Online, by Tirza Austin
October 17, 2008
College Park, MD. "...After a more than 20-year-old roof began to
leak into students' dorm rooms on the eighth floor of Cumberland Hall,
Residential Facilities set to work on a replacement for the old roof. In
July, the university settled on a $350,000 green roof, which features
extra insulation and rows of flowers planted on top. Now students share
Cumberland with 15 species of plants growing on soil that covers roughly
65 percent of the whole roof..."
Mayor to Unveil City's First Green Roof Project
Inside INdiana Business, Press Release
October 17, 2008
Indianapolis, IN. "Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will announce
plans this afternoon for the first green roof to be constructed on a
city-owned building. The Indianapolis Department of Public Works will
install the roof on a new portion of a wastewater storage and treatment
facility on the city's north side..."
Scientists, Sustainable South Bronx: Cool Surfaces Can Combat NYC
Pollution, Save Energy, Improve Health; Green-Collar Jobs Needed
E-Wire, Press Release
October 16, 2008
New York, NY. "The widespread use of vegetated and highly
reflective surfaces in New York City's built environment could improve
the City's environment, public health, and economy, according to a study
released today...The new SSBx Working Paper, a review of research on the
impacts of heat island mitigation on urban air quality, near-surface air
temperature, and stormwater runoff, found strong evidence that UHI
mitigation strategies such as lighter surfaces, cool roofs, urban
reforestation and green roofs can detain storm-water runoff, lower
surface and near-surface air temperatures, reduce summertime electricity
use and potentially help to reduce ambient air pollutants..."
Army Corps of Engineers to study causes of flooding
Pittsburgh Post Gazette, by Moriah Balingit
October 16, 2008
Turtle Creek Watershed, PA. "...Significantly, Congress last year
authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to consider non-structural
solutions to flooding problems. The corps has traditionally focused on
structural solutions, such as levees, flood walls and concrete-bottomed
channels, to deal with the runoff downstream. But in the study, it will
be able to explore more preventative solutions...The Turtle Creek
Watershed Association advocates for sustainable methods that put water
back into the ground. These include green roofs..."
Singapore’s Ecological EDITT Tower
Inhabitat, by Alexandra Kain
October 15, 1008
Singapore. "Currently pending construction in Singapore, the
EDITT Tower will be a paragon of “Ecological Design In The Tropics”.
Designed by TR Hamzah & Yeang and sponsored by the National University
of Singapore, the 26-story high-rise will boast photovoltaic panels,
natural ventilation, and a biogas generation plant all wrapped within an
insulating living wall that covers half of its surface area. The verdant
skyscraper was designed to increase its location’s bio-diversity and
rehabilitate the local eco-system in Singapore’s ‘zeroculture’
metropolis..."
Greener than thou
San Francisco Bay Guardian, by Saadia Malik
October 15, 2008
San Francisco, CA. "Green City Mayor Gavin Newsom has made a high
profile push for several new green initiatives in recent weeks, a
concerted political move that comes just as he and his political team
are aggressively working to subvert a city ballot measure that would
make far bigger gains in combating climate change and greening the
city's energy portfolio than anything he's proposing...The array of
press releases issued from the mayor's office include a partnership with
the Clinton Global Initiative to transform the Civic Center into a green
model of sustainability by reducing water and energy use, and installing
solar panels as well as living roofs..."
Greening from the Top Down
Successful Meetings, by Terri Hardin
October 15, 2008
North America. "...Sailor, along with Graig Spolek, Ph.D.,
Portland State University; Brad Bass, Ph.D., University of Toronto;
Steven Peck, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities; Oregon Best Signature
Research Center; and Environment Canada, was recently awarded a research
grant by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to create an
easy-to-use design tool that will assess the building energy use
implications of green roof design decisions...But climate control is not
the only impact green roofs have on their occupants. The McCormick Place
West Rooftop Garden—where 40,000 plants have greened approximately 15
percent of
McCormick's 1 million sf of rooftop—is an ideal spot for special
events..."
Viewpoint: Small town can have big-city amenities
South Washington County Bulletin, by Steve Lanz Jr.
October 15, 2008
Newport, MN. "...We need to explore the use of renewable energy
from the wind and sun for our city buildings and residents. Even look
into green roofing for the city and commercial buildings. It would
reduce the amount of money needed for heating and cooling, as well as
help in the storm water runoff. The city has to take the initiative and
stop wasting money in their buildings and show the residents of Newport
that they are working to make a better community, starting from
within..."
Legal wrangle causes delays in £12m Derby development
Derby Evening Telegraph, by Staff
October 15, 2008
Derby, England. "...developer Blueprint has warned that
construction on the old Prince's site, in Bold Lane, which is scheduled
to begin in August, may be further delayed if the credit crunch worsens.
The company began demolition on the site last month to make way for
shops, cafes, restaurants, and 25 flats with eco-friendly roof
gardens..."
Print Works, Proximity earn green designation
Greensboro News Record, by Carl Wilson
October 15, 2008
Greensboro, NC. "...The Proximity and Print Works have been
awarded the LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council...A
vegetated rooftop above the restaurant to reduce the amount of energy
needed for refrigeration and air conditioning is planned for the
future..."
Roof with roots: Highmark unveils environmentally friendly 'green' roof
at Fifth Avenue Place
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, by Don Hopey
October 15, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA. "Asters, day lilies and tall grasses are among
the new plantings on the 22,000-square-foot "green" roof installed on
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield's Fifth Avenue Place office building,
Downtown. The environmentally sustainable roof project, unveiled
yesterday and located three stories above street level on a roof terrace
at the corner of Liberty and Fifth avenues, is expected to provide
insulation that will lower the building's energy use by 12 percent and
greatly reduce storm water runoff..."
Proximity is the First LEED® Platinum Hotel
Hospitality 1st, Press Release
October 14, 2008
Greensboro, NC. "Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels
announced recently that The Proximity Hotel and Print Works Bistro have
been awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council... Opened
in late 2007, the Proximity is the first hotel to obtain the USGBC’s top
level of certification...Will plant a green, vegetated rooftop on the
restaurant to reduce the “urban heat island effect...”
CBN features talk about building green in China
Asian Reporter, by Julie Stegeman
October 14, 2008
Shanghai, China. "LRS Architects won the bid on the Zhangjiang
Hi-Tech Park in Shanghai, competing against German and Japanese firms.
LRS was aided by its use of the LEED certification system...The final
plans included, among other things, creating roof gardens to reduce heat
gain in buildings in addition to collecting rainwater and decreasing
water demand by treating toilet water onsite for use in..."
Trinity River Audubon Center Opens This Weekend
Environment News Service, by Staff
October 14, 2008
Dallas, TX. "...The sustainable building features a vegetated
roof, rainwater collection system for irrigation, a living machine
wastewater treatment plant, energy efficient systems, and recycled
materials..."
Zick picked as state's 2008 Environmental Leadership recipient
News-Democrat & Leader, by Chris Cooper
October 14, 2008
Russellville, KY. “...Let's conserve our energy sources and
implement use of solar and wind power, outline rain gardens with rain
barrels and green roofs in our design plans and incorporate recycling in
every city in Kentucky,” said Zick..."
How Can a Local Business Help Pittsburgh Save Energy, Clean The Rivers
and Beautify Downtown? Build a Green Roof
SYS-CON Media, Press Release
October 14, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA. "Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, the region's
largest health insurer, joined other local businesses as a catalyst for
Pittsburgh's environmental change today as it unveiled a
22,000-square-foot green roof on its Fifth Avenue Place facility in
downtown Pittsburgh. The green roof, located three stories above the
street on a terrace at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Fifth Avenue,
will reduce the company's energy usage by an estimated 12 percent and
will use most of the 37 inches of average annual Pittsburgh rain in the
roof instead of sending it to the local storm water system..."
Kent State task force sees green
Daily Kent Stater, by Ben Wolford
October 14, 2008
Kent, OH. "...Covering roofs with plants is more feasible,
Euclide said, and Taylor Hall has a terrace that will be the first to go
green. "In the next couple of years, that roof is going to need
replaced, and our plan is to replace it with a green roof," he said. "It
would be some type of garden..."
Jumeira Gardens: A Super-City Within Dubai
Inhabitat, by Mike Chino
October 13, 2008
Dubai, UAE. "... Meraas Development has confirmed that “‘Green’
buildings and construction, resource conservation and overall
sustainability will inform every aspect of this new district...Park Gate
comprises six mid-rise towers that are arranged in facing pairs. A
hanging garden canopy stretches between each set of structures,
providing shade and cooling the neighborhood by as much as 10 degrees
centigrade..."
Green building is environmental solution
Seattle Post Intelligencer, by Kathleen O'Brien and Rachael Jamison
October 13, 2008
WA. "...Green buildings can help with the cleanup of Puget Sound.
In Western Washington, green-building projects often include low-impact
site development techniques, such as rain gardens, vegetated roofs,
pervious pavement..."
Future farms over our heads
Sydney Morning Herald, by Heath Gilmore
October 12, 2008
Sydney, Australia. "..."This intensive urban veg(g)ie culture is
an entirely new industry and will need a new professional - the urban
farmer who can grow food on the roofs and sides of buildings, in
intensive biocultures and by other novel methods to feed the megacities
of 30 million-plus inhabitants...The City of Sydney council has
commissioned a report to look at ways to encourage the greening of
rooftops. Deputy Lord Mayor Marcelle Hoff said a group of environmental
experts was working on a report - due before Christmas - on retrofitting
green roofs to multi-storey apartment buildings..."
Greening Condos
HealthNewsDigest.com, by EarthTalk
October 11, 2008
U.S. "Believe it or not, condominiums may be some of the most
environmentally responsible housing out there today, especially since
more and more developers are paying attention to sustainability from the
get-go...Another example is The Riverhouse overlooking the Hudson River
in New York City’s Battery Park district. The LEED-certified, 320-unit
building—the new home of actor/environmentalist Leo DiCaprio—has
geothermal heating and cooling, twice-filtered air, non-toxic paint, and
landscaped roof gardens..."
Up on the roof
PennLive.com, by Staff
October 11, 2008
Harrisburg, PA. "Sometimes the simplest things are right under
our noses. Or, as we are about to discuss, right above our heads.
Roof-top gardens are sprouting across the country, according to The Wall
Street Journal, which devoted considerable space to this growing trend
this week..."
Hotels taking "Going Green" To New Tops with Green Roofs
Huffington Post, by Stefanie Michaels
October 10, 2008
Baltimore, MD, Songjiang District, China, Chicago, IL, Lake Placid,
NY. "Hotels are looking for new ways to run more efficiently and
looking to nature to give them some ideas. The latest in green
technology is allowing hotels to push the eco-envelope and create energy
efficient roof systems that also help the environment, and provide a
visually beautiful space for their guests to enjoy..."
Project grabs green bragging rights
Globe and Mail, by Sydnia Yu
October 10, 2008
Whitby, Canada. "...The development - known as Shorelands - will
also incorporate numerous environmentally-friendly features, including
passive green roofs, underground garages that eliminate the heat island
effect of above-ground parking lots...will follow more stringent green
building practices and become Canada's first LEED townhouse
community..."
This old revived house
OregonLive.com, by Eric Mortenson
October 10, 2008
Portland, OR. "...the new home of the East Multnomah Soil & Water
Conservation District...In addition to running its educational programs
out of the old house, the conservation district plans to develop the
property into a hands-on demonstration of sustainability. It will have a
rain garden, eco-roof, pervious pavement..."
Roofs go green
St. Cloud Times, by Staff
October 10, 2008
New York, NY. “...Green roofs are a wonderful technology. They have
the upside of handling stormwater very well but the downside of being
very expensive,” said Rohit Aggarwala, director of the New York City
Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability and chief architect of
PlaNYC, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s environmentally focused program for
preparing the city to absorb an estimated 1 million new residents by
2030..."
Downtown: Main library adds roof full of plants
OregonLive.com, by Clint Bowie
October 9, 2008
Portland, OR. "The leaky old roof at Multnomah County's Central
Library has been replaced with a green one, with 17,000 plants,
including sedums and drought-tolerant grasses. "The county has been
championing eco-roofs for a number of years," library spokeswoman Penny
Hummel says..."
Eco-friendly building
Rochester City Newspaper, by Rebecca Rafferty
October 9, 2008
West Irondequoit, NY. "...Just off the kitchen, high up toward
the ceiling, are windows to the "living roof," which they will access
with a ladder from outside the house. A living roof is flat, with
drainage that goes in toward the middle, so that a person can put plants
up there. "You can either have soil on the whole thing, or have pots and
grow vegetables. It will also help to insulate the house, and makes the
solar panels about 30 percent more efficient," Aman says..."
American Revolution Center Wins Case
Evening Bulletin, by John P. Connolly
October 9, 2008
Valley Forge, PA. "...Under the new ordinance, 75 percent of the
center's 78-acre site will be preserved as open space. Roughly 50
percent of the museum building will be built underground. A planned
vegetated roof will reduce pollution and water runoff. Mr. Rosenbaum
argued that the project would increase traffic, bring in parking lots,
and busses of..."
Plans unveiled for Hounslow Tesco site
Hounslow Chronicle, by Robert Cumber
October 9, 2008
London, England. "...Early plans, which have yet to be submitted to
Hounslow Council, include a number of roof gardens the developers claim
will create 'a green oasis in the middle of Hounslow'..."
Names and Notes
Business Gazette, by Rebecca McClay
October 9, 2008
Mount Airy, MD. "...Black Ankle Vineyard near Mount Airy opened
its tasting room Saturday, less than a month after its 2006 Crumbling
Rock earned the state's top wine award in its very first bottling...The
couple aimed for an eco-friendly design with planted roofs, straw bale
insulation and wood features harvested from..."
Chicago Out-Greens New York, LA, Growing Lawns in the Clouds
Bloomberg, by Tony C. Dreibus
October 8, 2008
Chicago, IL. "Chicagoans who live at
900 North Michigan Avenue don't head to the country to commune with
nature. They go to the 10th-floor roof...Green roofs may also spruce up
the view for neighboring tower dwellers. "With all people living in high
rises, roof-scapes are their landscapes,'' Berkshire says. "Now they can
look at rooftops covered in grass."
Gov. Rendell to host brunch
Oxford Tribune, by Michelle Sensenig
October 8, 2008
Philadelphia, PA. "...The Dansko building is an
80,000-square-foot, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certified structure that makes optimal use of the latest techniques,
technologies and materials, (many of which are recycled), in its
environmentally-friendly design. Eco-friendly features include a
vegetated roof consisting of drought-resistant shrubs and grasses which
provide heat loss and heat gain-reducing energy consumption and
minimizing rainwater runoff. The facility has "Living Walls" in the main
atrium which are embedded with tropical plants that provide natural air
filtration..."
Vertical Food Gardens Sprout in LA’s Skid Row
Architectural Record, by James Murdock
October 7, 2008
U.S. "...After meeting Sevelle, Osler contacted George Irwin,
whose firm Green Living Technologies manufactured the Anthropolgie wall
system, and discovered that he was already experimenting with how to
grow lettuce and other crops vertically. The team quickly came together
and dubbed their project the Urban Farming Food Chain. It debuted this
summer at four sites in Los Angeles’s Skid Row, a district that contains
one of the nation’s largest homeless populations..."
City's Roof Top Honey Is Sweet Deal
WBBM, by Steve Miller
October 6, 2008
Chicago, IL. "...Now is the fall season for the honey-making
beehives on
City Hall's rooftop garden...Michael Thompson is the beekeeper. Two
hives on top of City Hall. Four hives on the roof of the Cultural
Center. What they make is sold as Roof Top Honey in the shop at the
Cultural Center and across Randolph Street at the Farmstand..."
Up on the Roof
WSJ.com, by Shelly Banjo
October 6, 2008
The World. "...New York's Battery Park City in 2002 started
requiring new buildings to plant greenery covering 75% of the
nonmechanical area of their roofs. That rule has resulted in about two
acres of green roofs installed or planned in the neighbor-hood since
then -- about a third of a typical New York City block..."
See video, too.
The Brighton biosphere - Sussex's green message for the globe?
guardian.co.uk, by Robert Booth
October 6, 2008
Brighton, England. "...Unesco's advisers said the criteria were
likely to demand that ecology interweave seamlessly with urban life.
There should be nature reserves but also buildings with green roofs and
"green walls" hung with plants to encourage wildlife...One Brighton, an
apartment complex under construction in the centre of the city, will
have allotments on the roof and will be powered entirely by renewable
energy. Other ecohome developments have sprung up, including Hog's Edge,
a row of green-roofed, timber-frame houses near the Bevendean nature
reserve..."
Companies talk green at seminar
Baltimore Sun, by Mary Gail Hare
October 5, 2008
Harford County, MD. "Green roofs, solar energy, wind turbines,
hybrid vehicles and recycling that encourages landfill-free
manufacturing all figured into Harford County's first "Going Green," a
seminar that gave business leaders an opportunity to show off their
innovations and learn from others...Ed Snodgrass, president of
Emory Knoll Farms in Street, discussed green-roof technology, plants
for living walls and no-chemical farming. "All of us have to think of
what we can do to be green," Snodgrass said. "In 50 years, you will
either be a green business or you won't exist..."
Clean revolution
The Gazette, by Alyson Grant
October 4, 2008
San José, CA. "...The municipal government will help make this
transformation as easy as possible, providing incentives to residents
and industries...There will also be a push to...install
energy-monitoring systems, cool and green roofs...Within 15 years, the
city of San José - working with its residents and businesses - says it
will:.... Build or retrofit 50 million square feet of green
buildings..."
ELC's construction on schedule
Savage Pacer, by Nancy Huddleston
October 3, 2008
Savage, MN. "...The 6,200-square-foot facility uses a variety of
sustainable, or green, construction practices such as a vegetated roof,
a geo-thermal heating system and post-consumer recycled building
materials throughout the building ...While Nature’s Artistry planted the
roof,
American Hydrotech Inc. prepared it with a special roof material
topped off with a specially-engineered soil that has been amended with
nutrients and crushed shale..."
Cincinnati wants to lead green roof movement in US
The Associated Press, by Terry Kinney
October 2, 2008
Cincinnati, OH. "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...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."
Brighton builders to get green checklist
Green Building Press, by Staff
October 2, 2008
Brighton, England. "New homes in Brighton will soon have to be
green to get planning permission. Applications will have to be
accompanied by a checklist with categories including impact on
community, economy, transport and climate change...Builders could have
to compensate for environmental damage caused by their developments with
bat boxes, flower pots and green roofs. The council has devised a
formula which calculates the impact of new buildings on the
environment..."
Tour to highlight 'green' home designs
StarNewsOnline.com, by Wayne Faulkner
October 2, 2008
Wilmington, NC. "If there’s something growing on your roof, it
might actually be a good thing...You can see for yourself Saturday on
the Annual Solar & Green Building Tour & Expo, put on by the Wilmington
nonprofit Cape Fear Green Building Alliance. One of eight stops on the
tour is Mott Landscaping’s green roofs – atop a front porch and a Segway
garage..."
How green is your roof?
TheTimes, by Katie Wilson
October 2, 2008
Portland, OR. "...In January, Cooper formed a special interest
group called Residential Greenroofs From Start to Finish. She recruited
contractors, architects, master gardeners and other professionals to
help her on her quest to build green roofs...The hard part, she said,
“was finding the materials in small quantities. In Europe, people have
been building green roofs for far longer, and materials are easier find.
In America, most of the materials are sold in bulk...”
Jewel-Osco Opens New Green Store in Chicago
GreenerBuildings, by GreenerBuildings Staff
October 1, 2008
Chicago, IL. "Supermarket firm Jewel-Osco is seeking LEED
certification for a new green store — the company's first — that has
opened in Chicago. Eco-friendly elements at the 65,000-square-foot store
in the city's Fulton River District include: A reflective and heat
emissive
LiveRoof system with vegetation..."
The Reciprocal Roof: Beauty, Strength, and Simplicity in a Roof Frame
Green Building Elements, by Brian Liloia
October 1, 2008
U.S. and UK. "...Composed of as few as three beams, a reciprocal
roof can incorporate practically any number of beams and span great
distances while still maintaining its integrity. Best suited to round
structures, this style of frame is incredibly strong, and “twists upon
itself rather than spreading apart”, when pressure is applied from
above. Notably, it is an appropriate frame for living roofs, because of
its strength. The reciprocal roof is a glorious design for green
buildings..."
Minnetrista installs roof with eco-friendly twist
Ball State Daily News, by Sarah Cox
October 1, 2008
Muncie, IN. "Muncie's Minnetrista Cultural Center is going green.
Since Sept. 9 the building has been saving on energy consumption and
providing a habitat for birds and insects. "As an institution, one of
our goals is to become more green and educating people along the way is
also part of our mission," President and CEO Betty Brewer said. Half of
the cultural center's roof was replaced with a garden, while the other
half still includes the original materials..."
Captain Planet Expands His Entourage
WeeklyDig.com, by Lillian Ling
September 30, 2008
Boston, MA. "...Peter Smith, site coordinator for
GreenFest 2008 and member
of the Boston Society of Architects, recognized green energy as an
industry that's actually seeing growth (that's a rarity in this
economy). "Renewable energy creates jobs industrially and economically,"
said Smith. "You can see that in local institutions that have installed
green roofs and solar panels into their buildings..."
Cincinnati to help fund ‘green roof’ efforts
Bizjournals.com, by Staff
September 30, 2008
Cincinnati, OH. "The city of Cincinnati and the Metropolitan
Sewer District (MSD) are creating a loan/grant program to encourage the
construction of vegetative “green” roofs...The grant program will be
administered by the MSD, using Green Infrastructure Demonstration Funds.
The loan program, if approved by the Ohio Environmental Protection
Agency..."
Tax Incentive Promotes Rooftop Gardens In NYC
WCBS-TV, by Elise Finch
September 30, 2008
New York, NY. "A new tax credit for building owners could lead to
a sea of rooftop gardens in New York City. as you lower air temperature,
you improve air quality, which is why Bronx Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr.
is anxious to see more green roofs in his borough. "We've been cleaning
up the Bronx River, we've been cleaning up the streets, but now we want
to clean up the air as well,"...Developers can start applying for the
green roof tax credit starting in January of 2009."
See video, too.
Going Green: Free Library Gets City's First 'Green' Roof
Evening Bulletin, by Jenny DeHuff
September 30, 2008
Philadelphia, PA. " Mayor Michael A. Nutter cut a ribbon atop the
Free Library of Philadelphia's Parkway Central Library yesterday,
unveiling the first "green" roof over a city-owned building...On the
south side of the mammoth building, facing Logan Square, the
environmentally friendly roof includes 5,000 sq. ft. of soil and more
than 5,400 plants. As part of the mayor's goal of making Philadelphia
one of the greenest cities in the country, the roof of the library is
expected to bloom in..."
Environment = Quality
Syracuse.com, by Tim Knauss
September 30, 2008
Syracuse, NY. "...Carter, 41, has spearheaded the creation of parks,
greenways and a jobs-training program that put unemployed people to work
building green roofs...She was the keynote speaker at a conference
called "Creating Resilience in Sustainable Communities"...She urged her
audience to take similar care of their own communities. "Environmental
justice for all is civil rights in the 21st Century," Carter said.
"People are absolutely aching, aching for leaders like yourselves..."
Senator Franklyn Advocates Concept of Green Economy
Government of Jamaica, by Jamaica Information Service
September 29, 2008
Jamaica. "Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health and
the Environment, Senator Aundre Franklyn, has called for the creation of
a 'green economy' and 'green jobs', thus creating a new workforce of
what he terms 'green collar workers'...Senator Franklyn stressed that
'green roofing', which involves partially or completely covering roofs
with vegetation and soil, should be encouraged "in our built-up areas
such as New Kingston, which would provide amenity space for building
users, reduce heating, reduce storm-water run off, filter pollutants and
heavy metals out of rainwater, increase wildlife habitat and just as
important, it will provide a job."
Chicago Green Complex Gets Landmark Status
Daily Green, by TDG Community
September 28, 2008
Chicago, IL. "...Green features include a sophisticated HVAC system
allowing for individualized control of tenant spaces and increased
comfort, a 41,000 gallon cistern irrigating more than 15,000 square feet
of vegetated roof and a “smart” escalator using 30 percent less energy.
Additional tenant amenities include an 8,000-square-foot sky garden..."
Conservative conference: Sunday's highlights
guardian.co.uk, by Andrew Sparrow
September 28, 2008
London, England. "...And Boris's vision of London in 2012 - It
included 40% of tube trains being air-conditioned, "wonderful new
Routemasters" on the streets of London, a "fabulous new bike-hire
scheme" and "a profusion of roof gardens."
California Academy of Sciences designs sustainability
Los Angeles Times, by Christopher Hawthorne,
September 27, 2008
San Francisco, CA. "Renzo Piano's original concept for the new
California Academy of Sciences building in Golden Gate Park was
elegantly simple: Slice out a huge, rectangular section of the park
landscape, lift it 36 feet into the air and slide a new piece of
architecture underneath. The floor of the park would become a green roof
atop the facility -- a feature Piano dubbed "the flying carpet..."
Green on top
Ottawa Citizen, by Anu Sood
September 27, 2008
Ontario, Canada. "...Dave Cherry has been a green-roof convert since
seeing his first sky garden on Vancouver Island in the early
1990s...Four years ago, he built a 2,100-square-foot home in Hintonburg
for his family and last year installed a green roof beside the
third-floor balcony. There wasn't enough land on the slim lot for a
conventional garden..."
Green footprint is widening in India
Economic Times, by Jessica Mehroin Irani & Nina Mehta
September 27, 2008
Mumbai, India. "...Green buildings are essentially eco-friendly,
energy efficient constructions that aim to reduce the amount spent on
resources like electricity and water. An eco-friendly building takes
advantage of renewable sources like solar energy and photovoltaic
techniques, in addition to making provisions for green roofs and rain
gardens..."
Green metropolis
Ottawa Citizen, by Anu Sood
September 27, 2008
Ontario, Canada. "...In Ottawa, green roofs can be found on top
of private and public buildings. The largest rooftop garden is at the
Canadian War Museum at Le-Breton Flats. At more than 10,000 square
metres, it is one of the largest of its kind in North America...Under
the Green Roof Incentive Pilot Program, the City of Toronto aims to
harness the advantages offered by green roofs. This year, a total of
$200,000 in incentives is available to building owners who install green
roofs..."
United States: Green Ache(rs): Insuring Your Sustainable Construction
Project
Mondaq News Alerts, by Eric Singer
September 26, 2008
U.S. "...Insurance is good, but avoiding the problem is better.
If you are trying some-thing new, ask questions and find out as much as
possible before bolting it to your building or burying it in your land.
Green roofs reduce rain water run off, cool the city and your building,
but where does the water go, how much does the dirt weigh and is it
really a good idea to put your state of the art computer lab directly
underneath it? Make sure that someone is anticipating water infiltration
and planning for its safe exit from the structure. Visit other projects
where the product or system has been installed, visit the factory and
have your advisors study the warranty. Is the company standing behind
its claims..."
In the Penthouse, a True Garden Apartment
NYTimes.com, by Fred A. Bernstein
September 24, 2008
New York, NY. "...Their goal was not only to create a stunning
series of gardens on the penthouse roof, but also to bring nature into
the apartment, intermingling lush foliage and drip irrigation systems
with custom wood furnishings and floors...Among the unusual features is
the roof’s dramatically angled bulkhead, the structure covering the
interior stairwell. Most bulkheads are shapeless afterthoughts that
designers struggle to hide. Mr. Blesso’s version supports a lush garden
that includes peppermint and spearmint..."
A Sustainable Vision for the Heart of San Francisco
The Huffington Post, by Gavin Newsom
September 24, 2008
San Francisco, CA. "...joined by former President Bill Clinton I
announced that San Francisco has agreed to a formal partner-ship with
the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to transform our Civic Center into a
first-of-its-kind sustainable resource district over the next three
years...Potential initial projects include the installation of solar
rooftop photovoltaics, water conservation fixtures, living roofs..."
Modular green roofs 'could make cities greener'
edie.net, by Kate Martin
September 23, 2008
London, England, & Hong Kong, China. "...Dr Sam Hui, from the
University of Hong Kong, told the World Green Roof Congress that the
city, which is densely populated and known for its skyscrapers, wanted
to make its skyline greener..."
Sustainable Building Professionals & Materials News
DEAdirect, by Staff
September 22, 2008
London, England. "London mayor Boris Johnson's environmental
advisor has suggested that London's commitment to energy efficiency
could be visible in a swathe of green roofs when the Olympics come to
town on 2012. Richard Blakeway, the mayor's environmental advisor, spoke
to the World Green Roofs Congress last week and said that green
roofs..."
Jumeirah to make manage luxury resort in the US Virgin Islands
Business Intelligence Middle East, Press Release
September 22, 2008
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. "Jumeirah, the Dubai-based
luxury international hospitality management group and a member of Dubai
Holding, has been appointed to manage a luxury multi-use resort
occupying the entire western tip of St Thomas, one of the US Virgin
Islands...In addition, the resort will respect responsible construction
principles, with the use of solar power, protection of reef and coastal
areas, a desalinisation plant and planted roofs, among other
initiatives..."
Metro Briefs: 1st city-owned building to get a 'green roof'
Louisville Courier-Journal, by Staff
September 21, 2008
Louisville, KY. "Construction of the first "green roof" on a
building owned by the city of Louisville is under way. The roof on the
Metro Development Center at 444 S. Fifth St. will be planted with hardy
vegetation and trees. Contractors expect to complete the project in
December...The Metro Development Center is a former parking garage and
needed a new roof. The Zero Co. of Cincinnati won the contract to
install the roof. The project is expected to cost more than $425,000..."
Keep a green roof thriving with the right soil and plants
Seattle Times, by Valerie Easton
September 21, 2008
Seattle area, WA. "...I've been paying close attention to the green
roof on a picnic shelter at Clinton Beach, a little park at the end of
the Whidbey Island ferry dock. Planted two years ago, the roof's a rich
tapestry of color and texture in all seasons ...Jason Henry of the
Berger Partnership was landscape architect on the project. He worked in
collaboration with Taproot Design, a Whidbey Island husband-wife team of
Matthew Swett and Sarah Birger, architect and garden designer,
respectively. Their own studio has been sprouting a green roof since
2000..."
Garden roof-tops to green up London
Fair Home, by David Masters
September 19, 2008
London, England. "The Environment Agency (EA) is encouraging
developers and landlords in London to green up their roof-tops as a way
of mitigating the effects of climate change. Speaking at the
World Green Roof Congress
this week, representatives from the EA will outline their vision of
vegetation covered roof-tops across the British capital...Canary Wharf’s
green roof saves its owners £5,000 per year in heating costs, whilst
green roofs in Toronto save the city over £10 million, and in Chicago,
where the concept has been fully embraced, over £100 million per year is
saved..."
Minnetrista's roof turns green
Muncie Star Press, by Seth Slabaugh
September 19, 2008
Muncie, IN. "...The $24,000 project includes more than $6,000 worth
of monitoring equipment -- rain gauges, water flow meters and
thermometers connected to a computer...Minnetrista plans to install
green roofs over other areas of its cultural and natural history museum
when the existing roof wears out in the near future. "This is a test
project and a pilot project with a lot of educational components,"
Brewer said. "Anybody can come and see what we did and how we did it. We
want to let people know this is not something scary or that only big
corporations or universities can do. The average homeowner can do
something like this..."
Green roofs are taking root in cities
Chicago Tribune, by Lisa Anderson
September 19, 2008
U.S. "When asphalt-weary American city dwellers yearn for a bit of
greenery these days, more and more of them head for the roof. The
concept of planted green roofs, which gained early popularity in
Chicago, is beginning to take root in New York and other cities...Due to
cost, green roofs appear primarily on public and commercial buildings,
such as the new
Bank of America tower in Manhattan or the
Apple Store on Chicago's Michigan Avenue. But they also are
beginning to sprout on single family homes and other private..."
New Democrats to Install Living Roof on Top of Campaign Headquarters
NewsBlaze, by Staff
September 19, 2008
Ottawa, Canada. "New Democrat party headquarters is going green on
top. About 9000 square feet of dirt and plants will be crane-lifted onto
the roof of Jack Layton's campaign headquarters downtown, then
transformed into new urban green space with community-wide benefits. The
New Democrat Leader is committed to making his party as environmentally
friendly as possible. Layton hopes his party's significant investment
will raise awareness about the environmental and economic benefits of
green roofs; encourage city governments to develop green roof
strategies; and help home owners and businesses to learn more..."
Affiliated FM rolls out new green coverage endorsement
Trading Markets, Datamonitor via COMTEX
September 18, |
