1) In the early 20th century, the Ford Rouge site was marshland that Henry Ford transformed into the largest factory in the world for processing materials and assembling automobiles. 2) Over 80 years of industrial use made the plant darker and more polluting, but concerns about the environment grew. 3) In 2000, Ford decided to transform the Rouge plant to be profitable and environmentally friendly using innovations like a living roof, porous pavement, wetlands, and plants to clean contaminated soil.

1. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Begin The 21 st Century Ford Rouge Factory: Environmental Innovations

2. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Begin In 1917, the site of today’s Rouge Plant was marshland—a thousand acres of cheap, barely useable land. Start of Rouge Plant Construction. Feb. 20, 1918. (Photo ID 833.21330)

3. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Henry Ford’s vision of a factory that could process iron ore and other raw materials and transform them into complete automobiles grew to be the largest factory on earth, a distinction it held for many years. Aerial View of the Rouge, 1940s. (Photo ID 833.99210.54) ( 2 of 13 )

4. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Over eighty years of use transformed the once-bright and spacious plant into a darker and dirtier one. Over the same period concerns about pollutants and the use of natural resources also changed. Aerial view of the Rouge, 1940s. (Photo ID XXX.XXXXX) ( 3 of 13 )

5. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford In 2000, the Ford Motor Company decided to transform the Rouge plant into a facility that would be both profitable and environmentally friendly. Aerial View of the Dearborn Truck Plant at the Rouge, 2005 .( Ford Motor Company) ( 4 of 13 )

6. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford The innovations used at the Ford Rouge Center involve managing water, soil, daylight, and fresh air. Ford Rouge Center, 2004. (Ford Motor Company) ( 5 of 13 )

7. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Water The 10.4 acre living roof is perhaps the Center’s most visible innovation. Dearborn Truck Plant living roof, 2004. (Ford Motor Company) ( 6 of 13 )

8. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Water Sedum plants cut down the expansion and contraction caused by the sun, allowing the roof to last twice as long as a conventional metal or tar roof. The plants also help to insulate the interior from extremes of heat and cold. Birds eggs on the Dearborn Truck Plant living roof, 2004 (Ford Motor Company) ( 7 of 13 )

9. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Water The sedum traps dust, consumes greenhouse effect-causing carbon dioxide, and reduces the storm water run-off passing into streams and rivers. The sedum never needs mowing—its height does not exceed six inches, and it spreads sideways crowding-out unwanted weeds. Caption. (For d Motor Company) ( 8 of 13 )

10. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Water No soil is used—the sedum is planted in a four-layer mat: * The top layer is made of shale, sand, peat, compost, and dolomite. * Next is a layer of fleece made from re-cycled materials. * Next is a porous drainage layer. * Finally a membrane prevents seepage into the building Living roof four-layer mat for planting sedum. (Ford Motor Company) ( 9 of 13 )

11. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Water Sudden flows of storm water can wash dirt from paved surfaces into streams, rivers, and lakes. Two of the parking lots at the Ford Rouge Center have an experimental porous surface that allows water to pass into buried stone basins. Storm water that falls on the roof is absorbed or filtered by the plants. Excess runoff is channeled into the stone storage basins beneath the parking lot. Porous pavement at the Rouge, 2004. ( Ford Motor Company) ( 10 of 13 )

12. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Water From the basins the water then drains through a natural filtering system made up of vegetated ditches (also called swales), newly-planted trees, and planted wetlands: the roots of all these plants help to filter the run-off before it passes into rivers and lakes. View of Dearborn Truck Plant and Rouge Visitor Center, 2004. (Ford Motor Company) ( 11 of 13 )

13. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Water By developing wetlands, a small part of the Rouge is being returned to its original condition. These new habitats attract water fowl as well as other plants and animals. View of Rouge Visitor Center, 2005. (Ford Motor Company) ( 11 of 13 )

14. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Soil Over the years, portions of the Rouge complex became contaminated with by-products from the ovens that used to make materials for steel-making. Ford is working with scientists from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan-Dearborn to clean the site using a biological process called phytoremediation. Planting at the Rouge to clean soil, 2004. (Ford Motor Company) ( 12 of 13 )

15. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Soil Phytoremediation uses plants to break down contaminants into harmless chemicals which are then absorbed into the vegetation’s roots. This solar-driven, environmentally-beneficial process will not only clean and beautify the landscape but also restore wildlife habitat. More phytoremediation at the Rouge, 2004. (Ford Motor Company) ( 13 of 13 )

16. Copyright 2004 The Henry Ford Managing Daylight and Air The environment inside the plant has also been transformed. A one million gallon thermal water storage tank helps cool the building in the summer. A ductless air tempering system replaces the air every 30 minutes. Dearborn Truck Plant interior, 2004. (Ford Motor Company)