It’s Not Easy Becoming Green, When You’re a Roof…
…But it’s worth it! Green rooftops are a great idea. Building a green roof is complicated. You have to consider the weight of the soil and plants, find the right soil mix, figure out any necessary watering, consider the microclimate of your particular rooftop, address noisy rooftop machinery like HVAC systems and incorporate them into the design, and the list goes on. However, it can be done, and The American Society of Landscape Architects is leading by example! A green roof reduces heating and cooling costs, reduces pollution from runoff water, improves community air and water quality, and provides extra green space.
It’s only appropriate that ASLA recently commissioned a green roof for their Washington D.C. headquarters. Landscape Architecture rock stars Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc., led the design process, with the help of many sponsers who heard about the project and decided to pitch in. Head on over to the ASLA website, where they are documenting it along the way. It’s a fun and inspiring project to follow, and it includes all the stumbling blocks they have hit along the way along with the solutions they found.
The roof is open to the public for tours for groups or individuals on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10:00am and 2:00pm. To sign up, click on this page to reach the tour request form.
Thanks so much to Drew, the ASLA blogger, who commented with a link to the green roof’s webcam (if you want to watch the grass grow!): http://www.asla.org/land/050205/greenroofwebcam.html
images from the ASLA website; renderings are from Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc.
June 26th, 2007 at 5:34 am
Hey Becky,
I’m the ASLA official blogger, and wanted to point out that we also have a live webcam of our green roof in DC; it’s true, you can watch the grass grow online!
http://www.asla.org/land/050205/greenroofwebcam.html
June 26th, 2007 at 9:04 am
Drew, nice to meet you! I have a degree in LA but never wound up practicing. I’ll be sure to add your link to the body of the post as soon as I have time, that’s a great addition!
Thanks!
Becky