This document provides an overview of rooftop gardening and outlines the key steps to plan a rooftop garden. It discusses the urban heat island effect and how rooftop gardens can help reduce temperatures. The main types of rooftop gardens - container gardens and green roof systems - are described. Planning steps include evaluating the roof's condition and structural capacity, determining garden weight and design, and selecting appropriate plants. Case studies of the City Hall rooftop garden in Chicago are also presented.
Greensulate and Poplar Network present "Introduction to Green Roofs".
Learn how green roofs work and why they are beneficial to both the indoor and outdoor environment, green buildings and the newest version of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, LEED v4.
This presentation will also provide you with the information necessary to understand how to differentiate types of green roofs and their respective benefits, and learn how green roofs have been successful in real life case studies.
Finally, you'll get unbiased tips on what to look for in a green roof installer.
roof covered with vegetation either completely or partially. Three types of green roof: extensive (shallow), semi intensive (moderate) and intensive (deep) green roofs. History traces back to the Hanging gardens of Babylon. Germany is the birthplace of modern day green roofs. a green roof has seven different layers: waterproofing membrane, root barrier mambrane, protection layer,drainage layer,filter layer, media and the vegetation/plant layer. advantages include reduce energy consumption and urban heat island effect, air pollution, storm water mitigation, noise reduction and aesthetic beauty.
Green roofs & green walls-A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane.
It includes additional drainage and irrigation systems.
In the last five years, the term green roof has taken on ecological and social significance beyond its seemingly simplistic description, this term has become an epithet for the reduction of pollution and improving urban environment, for large scale mitigation of storm water runoff, and for maximum utilization of urban land.
Erbil the capital city of Kurdistan region is facing a lot of environmental problems such as waste water treatment, water supply, land preservation, air and noise pollution due to the increasing number of cars, in addition, interestingly recent statistics suggested that the percentage of green areas in Erbil is approximately 6.5%, while according to international standards 30% of urban areas should be green.
Green roofs infrastructure on the other hand promises to become an increasingly important solution for building owners and community planners which provides a significant numbers of social, environmental and economic benefits that are both public and private nature.
Research problem is the ambiguity of green roofs implementation techniques in the region and the goal is initiated to determine the obstacle and challenges of green roofs implementations in Erbil city as case field by analyzing international experiences and concluding Erbil’s green roofs criteria.
The latest advent of innovative ideas and thoughts popping up as green roofing in the minds of Engineers and professionals. The ever changing trends of roof makeover in eco-friendly zones made it a sturdy and diverse option for many homes and buildings.
In this time of rising temperatures, abundant rain and socioeconomic imbalance, this seminar will suggest that green roofs are a powerful green building Best Management Practices (BMPs).
This presentation will outline the application, feasibility, benefits and challenges of green roofs in commercial application and put several widely debated questions into perspective: modular trays v. contiguous installations, upfront cost v. long-term investment, green roof v. other options, public access v. limited access, etc. Using local, national and international examples, she will explore green roof issues re: longevity, energy savings, stormwater management, maintenance, incentives and LEED points.
The three learning objectives are a) to understand green roof ROI for commercial buildings, b) to compare stormwater strategies of green roofs v underground cisterns and porous pavers and c) to compare green roofs to a solar roof or a white reflective roof.
Green roofs are a means to lowering the overall ambient temperature, reducing longterm costs on our buildings, sequestering CO2 and producing O2, improving the quality of life in our cities and boosting our green economy. Come learn more about green roofs at this seminar on May 7th.
A brief overview about the green building strategy known as green roofing. This presentation was originally prepared for St. Louis regional educators who attended the 2014 Sustainability Institute for P12 Educators.
St. Paul Fire Station Green Roof Intrpretive Center and Garden ClassroomLoren Abraham
This presentation provides details of the design and construction of the St. Paul Fire Station Green Roof Interpretive Center and Garden Classroom completed in 2010. This green roof was part of a 58,000 sf firestation and fire department headquarters building for the city of St. Paul, Minnesota. The green roof was designed by Abraham + Associates Architecture and Planning, who was also the sustainable design and LEED consultant on the Fire Station Project. The building itself was designed by CDG, Inc. A Minneapolis Architectural Firm. The Construction Manager for the project was CPMI, Inc. and the project was certified LEED Silver, as requested by the City of St. Paul. The Project Manager for the city was David Nelson.
Although green wall is not a new concept and date back to hanging gardens of Babylonia in 600 BC, but flourished in current decades. In the age of sustainable development planners and architects look for solutions to green the buildings envelops and restore environmental conditions. A variety of different terminology in this area indicates the importance of issue: Hanging or vertical gardens, balcony gardens, vertical farms, containers or planter boxes greening, green roofs or rooftop gardens, green or eco buildings, green walls, wall planters, green envelops and green facades. They can be applied to increase bio diversity and ecological value, out door and indoor value, air quality and finally enhance social and physical well being of city dwellers. This presentation discusses the green facades as one of the vertical greening systems.
Greensulate and Poplar Network present "Introduction to Green Roofs".
Learn how green roofs work and why they are beneficial to both the indoor and outdoor environment, green buildings and the newest version of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, LEED v4.
This presentation will also provide you with the information necessary to understand how to differentiate types of green roofs and their respective benefits, and learn how green roofs have been successful in real life case studies.
Finally, you'll get unbiased tips on what to look for in a green roof installer.
roof covered with vegetation either completely or partially. Three types of green roof: extensive (shallow), semi intensive (moderate) and intensive (deep) green roofs. History traces back to the Hanging gardens of Babylon. Germany is the birthplace of modern day green roofs. a green roof has seven different layers: waterproofing membrane, root barrier mambrane, protection layer,drainage layer,filter layer, media and the vegetation/plant layer. advantages include reduce energy consumption and urban heat island effect, air pollution, storm water mitigation, noise reduction and aesthetic beauty.
Green roofs & green walls-A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane.
It includes additional drainage and irrigation systems.
In the last five years, the term green roof has taken on ecological and social significance beyond its seemingly simplistic description, this term has become an epithet for the reduction of pollution and improving urban environment, for large scale mitigation of storm water runoff, and for maximum utilization of urban land.
Erbil the capital city of Kurdistan region is facing a lot of environmental problems such as waste water treatment, water supply, land preservation, air and noise pollution due to the increasing number of cars, in addition, interestingly recent statistics suggested that the percentage of green areas in Erbil is approximately 6.5%, while according to international standards 30% of urban areas should be green.
Green roofs infrastructure on the other hand promises to become an increasingly important solution for building owners and community planners which provides a significant numbers of social, environmental and economic benefits that are both public and private nature.
Research problem is the ambiguity of green roofs implementation techniques in the region and the goal is initiated to determine the obstacle and challenges of green roofs implementations in Erbil city as case field by analyzing international experiences and concluding Erbil’s green roofs criteria.
The latest advent of innovative ideas and thoughts popping up as green roofing in the minds of Engineers and professionals. The ever changing trends of roof makeover in eco-friendly zones made it a sturdy and diverse option for many homes and buildings.
In this time of rising temperatures, abundant rain and socioeconomic imbalance, this seminar will suggest that green roofs are a powerful green building Best Management Practices (BMPs).
This presentation will outline the application, feasibility, benefits and challenges of green roofs in commercial application and put several widely debated questions into perspective: modular trays v. contiguous installations, upfront cost v. long-term investment, green roof v. other options, public access v. limited access, etc. Using local, national and international examples, she will explore green roof issues re: longevity, energy savings, stormwater management, maintenance, incentives and LEED points.
The three learning objectives are a) to understand green roof ROI for commercial buildings, b) to compare stormwater strategies of green roofs v underground cisterns and porous pavers and c) to compare green roofs to a solar roof or a white reflective roof.
Green roofs are a means to lowering the overall ambient temperature, reducing longterm costs on our buildings, sequestering CO2 and producing O2, improving the quality of life in our cities and boosting our green economy. Come learn more about green roofs at this seminar on May 7th.
A brief overview about the green building strategy known as green roofing. This presentation was originally prepared for St. Louis regional educators who attended the 2014 Sustainability Institute for P12 Educators.
St. Paul Fire Station Green Roof Intrpretive Center and Garden ClassroomLoren Abraham
This presentation provides details of the design and construction of the St. Paul Fire Station Green Roof Interpretive Center and Garden Classroom completed in 2010. This green roof was part of a 58,000 sf firestation and fire department headquarters building for the city of St. Paul, Minnesota. The green roof was designed by Abraham + Associates Architecture and Planning, who was also the sustainable design and LEED consultant on the Fire Station Project. The building itself was designed by CDG, Inc. A Minneapolis Architectural Firm. The Construction Manager for the project was CPMI, Inc. and the project was certified LEED Silver, as requested by the City of St. Paul. The Project Manager for the city was David Nelson.
Although green wall is not a new concept and date back to hanging gardens of Babylonia in 600 BC, but flourished in current decades. In the age of sustainable development planners and architects look for solutions to green the buildings envelops and restore environmental conditions. A variety of different terminology in this area indicates the importance of issue: Hanging or vertical gardens, balcony gardens, vertical farms, containers or planter boxes greening, green roofs or rooftop gardens, green or eco buildings, green walls, wall planters, green envelops and green facades. They can be applied to increase bio diversity and ecological value, out door and indoor value, air quality and finally enhance social and physical well being of city dwellers. This presentation discusses the green facades as one of the vertical greening systems.
Slides from a talk on urban gardening given as part of the Limerick Lifelong Learning festival on March 23, 2013. We showcased our UL Community Rooftop Garden before and after the talk.
This talk is a visual journey through some of the many creative ways that people are cultivating their urban environments. From the secret night pursuits of guerrilla gardeners to the work of neighbours at the local community garden, there are lots of inspirational people creating exciting spaces around our cities.
References: bit.ly/17QaQN0
Guide to Setting Up Your Own Edible Rooftop Garden
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Companion Planting Increases Food Production from School Gardens
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
The following is some great basics about organic gardening that a former professor of mine presented. The slideshow of the Power Point is embedded below. Tell me what you think!
THE RISE OF ROOFTOP GARDENS IN INFORMALLY DEVELOPED AREAS IN EGYPT: EXPLORING...Iman Gawad
Informally Developed Areas provide shelter to millions of poor residents in Egypt. They struggle to overcome social, economic, and environmental problems currently faced by a country in a state of change. With high rates of urbanization, many millions more will soon resident this type of areas in the coming years. After decades of attempts by the government and many national development agencies to regulate Cairo's informal urban growth, the problems remain as massive and ill-managed as ever. Recently, a number of Egyptian NGOs started to lift people above the poverty line through an income generated by the sale of rooftop gardening products. They focus on setting up trainings in agricultural techniques and developing hydroponic agriculture, which grows in mineral rich water, without soil. They are aiming at making a peaceful, yet determined stance against Cairo’s polluted microclimate and the problems of poverty and food shortages in informal regions.
This paper performs an investigation on how such settlements could be improved and hence the quality of life of the majority of its residents through the development of the rooftop farming strategy. It also reviews environmental and socio-economic characteristics attributed to the proliferation of informal areas using the hydroponic farming system and its architectural design potentials and challenges in the local microclimate. The research aims at exploring the potentials of vegetative green rooftops and conclude the best national strategies for sustaining them. Some successful NGOs, public institutions and private civil initiatives working in Cairo district rooftop urban gardens are presented as well as the obstacles they encountered.
Create Cool Green Cities! Combat Global Warming!
Contribute for Climate Change issues!
Reduce Energy Consumption in Buildings!
Have Energy Efficient Buildings!
Reduce our City Temp by 2-30C!
Can We Make Life of Common Man Comfortable!
Cool Roofs Are Ready to Save Energy, Cool Urban Heat Islands, and Help Slow G...Tony Loup
U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Program fact sheet about cool roofs, including how they work, the energy-saving benefits, and how to buy and select cool roofs.
Improve Build Energy Efficiency with Metal Roofing & WallsTheMetalInitiative
An educational overview of how metal roofing & walls can improve your building's energy efficiency, contribute to LEED points & your green footprint. Learn even more benefits green metal construction at http://www.themetalinitiative.com/content/building_with_metal/
Green Architecture also known as “sustainable architecture” and “green building” is an approach to architectural design which emphasizes the place of the buildings with both local ecosystems & global environment.
It was a Group-Presentation on "Tree Plantation on Rooftop" in North South University, Bangladesh. Prepared by MD. Arif Hossain, Shoaib Siddique Bappy and Arif Faisal Emon
Panache Green tech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. ( PGTS) takes the privilege to introduce itself as pioneers in providing Energy Efficient Building Enveloping with its range of innovative products, systems & to deliver the Concept of “Cool Homes without AC!”
Panache started its journey in 2008 as Aesthetic Solutions and in a short span of 6 years it has a wide spectrum clientele of Platinum , Gold LEED rated buildings ,Commercial , Residential and Industrial projects.
Panache with the conscious efforts to promote environment friendly approach , comprises a complete product range of water based products & excels to innovate in sustainable designs , products & systems for various applications.
Please visit:- www.panachegreen.com
Follow our Facebook Page by liking the link
https://www.facebook.com/panachegreen.pgtech
Follow us on twitter
https://twitter.com/PanacheGTech
http://panachegreen.blogspot.in/
Trees and Vegetation: Reducing Urban Heat Islands - Compendium of Strategies
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
In our second edition of Green Instance, we highlight products, projects, and methodologies that exemplify this philosophy. We believe the future of living infrastructure resides in its ability to be seamlessly integrated with existing technologies. The combination of solar photovoltaic elements and modern green roof technology is one such opportunity. The ‘Sun-Root’ Living Roof System harnesses these principals and is the newest green roof technology to reach the American shores.
More at: http://www.greenrooftechnology.com/green-instance-magazine
Annotated slide show with exterior and interior images of the green headquarters of The David and Lucile Packard Foundation located at 343 Second St., Los Altos, California. The building was designed with a NetZero energy goal of producing at least as much power as it consumes each year. Its technological and structural features come together with a beautiful, functional design to create a workspace that is good for the planet and for the Foundation's employees. Through its energy-, water- and resource-conserving characteristics, the building has been awarded LEED® Platinum (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
Similar to A Guide to Roof Top Gardening, Chicago (20)
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Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
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http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
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The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
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A Guide to Roof Top Gardening, Chicago
1. A Guide to Rooftop Gardening
FROM THE CITY OF CHICAGO
RICHARD M . D A L E Y, M AY O R
Prepared by the
Chicago Department of Environment
This booklet is provided by the City of
Chicago Department of Environment,
Mayor Daley’s Landscape Task Force
A Guide to Rooftop Gardening and the Green Roof Infrastructure
Committee. Flair Communications
From the City of Chicago Agency generously contributed the
beautiful design. The printing is made
Richard M. Daley, Mayor
possible by ComEd.
2. A Message from The Seeds of a Solution
Mayor Richard M. Daley
AN INTRODUCTION TO ROOFTOP GARDENS
Rooftop gardening is an attractive and energy-saving alter- A N D T H E U R B A N H E AT I S L A N D E F F E C T
native to a conventional rooftop.
Rooftop gardens can keep buildings cooler, save energy, Building owners have many great
extend the useful life of the roof, and add beauty and
reasons to install a rooftop
useable space.
garden—adding beauty to their
The City of Chicago is using rooftop gardens, along with property, pursuing a hobby, or
light-colored coatings and rooftop solar panels, to replace
lowering heating and cooling
traditional black tar roofs and improve air quality. Rooftop
gardening, like greening on boulevards and in parking lots, bills. In addition, rooftop
reduces dark, heat-trapping surfaces, which in turn lowers temperatures and gardens can actually help lower
reduces air pollution.
air temperatures and improve air
Any roof can be made more energy efficient with the use of light-colored materials, quality for everyone.
and many roofs are suitable for some kind of gardening. This booklet is offered as a
guide to evaluating your options and designing your own rooftop garden.
3. Hot Home Chicago Green Home Chicago
W H AT I S T H E U R B A N H E AT I S L A N D E F F E C T ? R E D U C I N G T H E U R B A N H E AT I S L A N D E F F E C T
The Urban Heat Island Effect is the difference you feel when you go from an The key to reducing the Urban Heat Island Effect is to reduce the total area of dark,
asphalt parking lot to a tree-shaded park on a hot summer day. It is also the differ- heat-absorbing surfaces such as rooftops and pavement.
ence in temperature between a city and the rural area that surrounds it. Dark
surfaces absorb and radiate heat, raising temperatures as much as 6 to 10 degrees Dark roofs can be made cooler by coating them with reflective materials, similar to
Fahrenheit. The result is more than uncomfortable. It has consequences for our the way light clothes are more comfortable than dark clothes on a hot day. Many
environment, our checkbooks and our health. light-colored roofing materials cost about the same as dark-colored roofing
materials. Solar panels are another solution. They help shade a roof in addition to
If your rooftop is a dark color, you are paying too much for your air conditioning. But generating clean, renewable energy.
you are not alone. In Chicago, about 60% of all roofs are dark colored. These dark
surfaces absorb heat, and so it takes more energy to cool the building’s interior. Not The use of vegetation on a roof is an excellent option. Plants reflect heat, provide
only must your air conditioner work harder to keep your building cool, but power shade, and help cool the surrounding air through evapotranspiration. A rooftop
plants, one source of air pollution, must work overtime to keep up with the increased garden cuts the energy use within the building, especially for cooling. The insula-
demand for energy. The result is higher prices and degraded air quality. tion a garden provides helps conserve both heating and cooling energy.
A high concentration of dark surfaces can raise air temperature in that area because Rooftop gardens absorb rainfall and reduce urban runoff that otherwise would
the surfaces trap heat. Higher temperatures help create more smog because collect pollutants and empty into sewers. A rooftop garden filters and moderates
pollution—from vehicles, homes and factories —is magnified when chemicals in the temperature of any water that is released to the sewer.
the air react with heat and sunlight. Ground-level ozone is a component of smog
and a danger to human health. It irritates the eyes, aggravates asthma, and causes In addition, plants actually filter the air. Plants improve air quality by using excess
permanent lung damage. carbon dioxide to produce oxygen. On a neighborhood or regional level, tempera-
tures are lowered and air pollution is reduced when the overall area of dark surfaces
S K E T C H O F A N U R B A N H E AT I S L A N D P R O F I L E is reduced and the area of reflective and shaded surfaces is increased.
O
F C
O
late afternoon temperature
92
33
32 The layers of a rooftop garden protect the constructed roof from damage and can
31 extend both the warranty and the useful life of the roof.
30
85
A rooftop garden can add usable leisure space to a property that is attractive not just
to people, but to wildlife such as birds and butterflies.
rural suburban commercial downtown urban park surburban rural
residential residential residential farmland
Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
4 5
4. Rooftop Garden Types Paint the Town Green
U N D E R S TA N D I N G T H E O P T I O N S
A ROOFTOP GARDEN
A simple rooftop garden can be created with planting containers or potted plants. DESIGN GUIDE
This kind of garden is the most common for homeowners to construct because they
are relatively low in cost and easy to maintain. A container garden provides the
benefits of reflectivity, shade, and evapotranspiration. Compared to a green roof Going green is not as
system, it is not as effective at insulating or reducing stormwater runoff.
complicated as it seems. The
A more elaborate rooftop garden is one where the garden actually becomes the roof. following section will take you
In that case, specially designed layers separate the garden from the “hard” roof, step-by-step along the path to a
provide drainage, supply nutrients, and even add contours. This type of rooftop
beautiful — and beneficial —
garden is referred to in the industry as a “green roof system.”
rooftop garden.
There are two types of green roof systems — “extensive” and “intensive.” An
extensive green roof weighs less than an intensive green roof. It generally has
shallower growing material and heartier plants that require little maintenance.
Intensive green roofs are the most like gardens on the ground—with deeper
growing material, more intricate or delicate plantings, and more maintenance
needs such as irrigation and pruning.
The type of rooftop garden you design depends partly on your interest in gardening
and maintenance, and on the environmental benefits you may wish to achieve.
Most importantly, you must evaluate the structural capacity of the building in order
to assess your options. The next section walks you through the steps of designing a
rooftop garden suitable for your building.
6
5. TAKING THE INITIATIVE
TOPPING OFF CITY HALL: A CASE STUDY
Mayor Richard M. Daley’s vision of a green-topped City Hall is now a reality. After extensive The green roof contains 20,000 plants in all, consisting of more than 100 varieties, including shrubs,
planning, construction on the 20,000 square-foot garden began in April 2000. The Mayor planted vines, and two trees. Thousands will be able to enjoy the green roof from the many taller buildings that
the first plant at a dedication ceremony on September 20, 2000. This garden is funded through a surround City Hall, even though the rooftop will not be open to the general public.
settlement agreement between the City and ComEd.
Scientists will monitor City Hall’s rooftop garden for its air quality benefits. This includes energy use within
The project is the first of its kind in the City of Chicago and will be a showcase of the possibilities that can the building and temperature readings on top of the roof. For comparison, the adjacent Cook County
grow out of plans for a green roof. The design includes both extensive and intensive systems, as well as building, which is the same height and area as City Hall but which has a black tar roof, will be monitored.
climbing plants.
The City also will monitor temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and wind direction. This data will help
evaluate the garden itself and help the City advise other rooftop gardeners about what works best.
6. Planning a Rooftop Garden CONDITION OF THE ROOF
The most cost-effective time to construct a rooftop garden is when the roof needs to
Following are the steps for planning a garden on a rooftop: be replaced or newly constructed. This way you can make features, such as a water-
proof membrane, a root-resistant layer, or certain containers, part of the new roof.
1) Consider:
• Condition of the Roof Working with an existing, intact roof is not impossible, but it will mean taking into
• Structural Capacity of the Roof
account the roof’s faults, such as existing leaks, damage, and inability to resist roots
• Access to the Roof
and standing water.
2) Determine:
S T R U C T U R A L CA PAC I T Y O F T H E R O O F
• Weight of Garden
Prior to designing and constructing your rooftop garden, you must first determine
• Cost
if your roof can support the additional weight of soil and plants. A licensed struc-
tural engineer or architect must be hired to conduct a structural analysis. The
3) Design:
purpose is to determine the amount of weight the roof can support at different
• Special Design of a Green Roof System
• Irrigation locations on the roof.
• Drainage
• Selection of Plants and Growing Media The structural capacity largely will dictate the type of rooftop garden that you can
• Maintenance build. Roofs with limited structural capacity may require lighter-weight techniques
such as containers or an extensive green roof system unless structural, and possibly
4) Obtain Permits costly, reinforcement measures are instituted. New buildings can be designed with
adequate structural capacity for any type of garden.
ACCESS TO THE ROOF
An important consideration is access to your roof. In addition to access for the
people who will be constructing and enjoying your garden, you will need to
transport materials for construction and maintenance, and may need to consider
the need for electricity. Typical access includes stairs or fire escapes. Generally,
Chicago’s Building Code requires two separate exit paths.
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7. WEIGHT OF GARDEN DESIGN OF A “ROOF GARDEN”
Weight considerations are at the heart of planning a rooftop garden of any type. You Typically, the cross section of a green roof begins (starting from the bottom) with an
must determine the weight of the garden you wish to plant and make sure it does not insulation layer, a waterproof membrane to protect the building from leaks, and a
exceed the structural capacity of your roof. With the structural capacity determined root barrier to prevent roots from penetrating the waterproof membrane. For the
by the licensed architect or structural engineer, an architect or landscape architect waterproof membrane, look for products that can withstand the effects of acids
can design the garden. released by some plant roots.
To determine the weight, you must take into account: what system(s) you will use to A drainage layer, usually made of lightweight gravel, clay, or plastic is next. The
store water, the growing media and plants you wish to use, the kind of containers you drainage layer keeps the growing media aerated in addition to taking care of excess
may want, equipment for heating, ventilating and air conditioning, and snow loads. water. Since a green roof system covers the entire roof, drainage points must be
Weight capacity might limit the number of people who may access the roof. accessible from above for maintenance purposes. In some designs, and with certain
products, the drainage layer can do double duty, serving to store water for use by the
The following are estimates you may find useful: plants at a later time. On top of the drainage layer, a geotextile or filter mat allows
• Water stored in tanks weighs about 8 lbs/gallon. water to soak through but prevents erosion of fine soil particles.
• Extensive green roof systems weigh about 20-34 lbs/ft 2.
• Intensive green roof systems weigh about 80-150 lbs/ft 2. Finally, the top layers consist of growing media, plants, and a wind blanket. The
• The City of Chicago Municipal Code requires at least growing media is lightweight material that helps with drainage while providing
30 lbs/ft 2 for the design snow load. nutrients to the plants. A wind blanket is used to keep the growing media in place
until the roots of the plants take hold.
COST
In addition to the cost of the structural analysis and design assistance, your A complete green roof consists of many layers.these
layers mimic the conditions found in nature, creating
construction budget should include any needed structural or safety improvements, an environment suitable for plant growth. In this way,
irrigation systems, garden materials, maintenance costs, transportation, and fees rooftops can be converted from dead space into viable
associated with any ongoing professional assistance and permits. green space that will benefit everyone.
Plants
Container gardens can easily be adapted to fit your budget, depending on the type
Growing Media
(wood, fiberglass, ceramic, terra cotta, concrete) and quantity you use. Green roof Filter Mat
systems, as a general rule of thumb, cost about 50% more than a conventional roof. Drainage Layer
An extensive green roof system is generally less costly than an intensive garden. Insulation Layer
Either kind of green roof system can increase the useful life of your roof by about Root Barrier
50% over a conventional roof because the green roof system layers protect the Waterproof Membrane
“hard” roof from exposure to harsh weather. Roof Deck
Source: American Hydrotech, Inc.
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8. I R R I GAT I O N SELECTION OF PLANTS AND GROWING MEDIA
The City encourages landcaping with native plants as an environmentally benefi- Since natural soils are heavy, particularly when wet, rooftop gardeners typically use
cial garden design. In addition to providing habitat, native plants usually survive lightweight growing media consisting of high-quality compost and recycled
well on rainwater. Still, there may be times during the year when rainfall will be materials. The purposes of these materials are to be water permeable, to retain water
insufficient to supply the water requirements of even drought-tolerant plants. and air, to resist rot, heat, flying sparks, frost and shrinkage, to provide nutrients
appropriate to the chosen plants, and to provide a rooting medium. Plants appro-
You should plan for the need to supplement rainfall with irrigation. Examples of priate for extensive green roofs favor poor soils. Generally, the growing media
irrigation systems include, but are not limited to, rainwater storage tanks, drip irri- should be as deep and have as great a volume as possible within the constraints of
gation systems, moisture sensors to regulate irrigation needs, or hose-bibs for the structural capacity, in order to provide plants with stability in wind and keep the
manual watering. You will need to hire a licensed plumber or irrigation contractor system from becoming too dry.
to design and install an irrigation system or new water connections on your roof.
Rooftops can be hostile environments for plants due to the effects of wind, heat,
DRAINAGE rain, and shadows. Extra insulation may be needed inside and/or outside of
The water drainage system is an essential component of any rooftop garden. planting containers to protect plants from freeze/thaw cycles in winter. A rule of
thumb is that wind speed doubles for every ten stories of building height. Windy
A key environmental benefit of rooftop gardens is that they absorb rainwater and conditions increase the loss of moisture from growing media and leaves, so
reduce runoff to sewer systems. Still, any excess water not absorbed by the growing drought-tolerant plants often survive best. Many plants, especially native varieties,
media, used by the plants, or stored by the water storage system must be effectively are suitable and attractive options for rooftop gardeners.
drained from the rooftop. Failure to do this will create “bathtub” conditions that
may cause root rot and disease as well as add significant weight beyond the roof The Chicago Department of Environment’s web site,
design load. www.cityofchicago.org/Environment, contains a list of
plants to consider and information about their use on Chicago’s City Hall Roof.
Most gardens should be able to use the existing rooftop drainage system with only
minor modifications. Typical drainage systems include gutters, downspouts, drains, MAINTENANCE
and screens or barriers to prevent erosion of the growing media and clogging of the Rooftop gardens must be maintained just like any garden, for instance by watering
drainage system. or weeding. The amount of maintenance will depend on the types of plants used
and the garden design. Larger plants, shrubs, and trees must be pruned to ensure
safety during windy conditions. Drains and gutters must be inspected and cleared
more frequently than without a garden, because of the plant material.
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9. PERMITS AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS For most applicable permits, you will need to provide four sets of drawings
Before you begin constructing any kind of rooftop garden in the City of Chicago, produced, certified, and stamped by a licensed structural engineer and/or architect.
you will need to have the Chicago Department of Buildings review your plans, and These include:
you will need to obtain the proper permits. • Drawings of existing roof conditions, including dimensions of all structures on the roof.
• Structural framing drawings.
Terminology is important. A “rooftop garden” is presumed to mean it will be acces- • Weight capacity of the existing roof. This includes calculations of snow load, snow
sible to people. Thus there will be requirements such as ensuring proper barriers at drift load if your roof abuts a taller part of the building, and the weight of plant
the edge of the roof, raising exhaust stacks on the roof, providing two exits, or calcu- material both wet and dry.
lating a higher garden weight to account for people. A “green roof” means the garden • Drawings of the proposed garden. This includes all plant, soil and subsoil layers, irri-
will not be accessible to people except for occasional maintenance. gation and drainage, a landscape diagram of where plants will be and their growing
heights, and any changes being made to the roof such as raising exhaust stacks or
To obtain a permit, you will need drawings that document the design. If your home is a adding guardrails.
free-standing single-family house, you may draw the plans yourself. If your building
has more than one dwelling unit, or if the building is commercial or industrial, the There is a fee for a building permit, which includes a review by the Zoning
plans must be prepared by an architect licensed in the state of Illinois. Department. The Building Department may return a correction sheet to you which
details any changes you need to make to your submittal before it can be approved for
a permit. After construction begins, a building inspector also may visit your site to
assure that the construction conforms to the approved plans.
The City of Chicago Department
Buildings web site, of
www.cityofchicago.org/Buildings, has additional informa-
tion on obtaining permits.
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