CTGBC Past Events Archive l
Current Event Listings
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Winter 2008: High-Performance Schools in
Connecticut
Presentation videos are
available by clicking on each speaker
February 2007:
CT GBC Membership Gets LEED-EB Update By
Caroline Howe |
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February 2, 2005 Pfizer Tour, New Haven |
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February 25, 2005 Green Roofs workshop, New Haven Seventeen people from Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York City recently made the snowy trek from home to the Jones Auditorium at the Connecticut Agricultural Station to hear about green roofs. Green Roofs for Health Cities, a Toronto-based non- profit hosted its "Green Roofs Design 101 - Introductory Course". It was co-sponsored by the Connecticut Chapter of the ASLA and the Connecticut Green Building Council. Participants included landscape architects, architects, contactors, horticulturists, a public health professional and one student. The day-long course, offering up to seven CEUs for landscape architects, focused on three types of green roofs: 1) extensive, which are lightweight in design and have low plant diversity, such as only sedums; 2) intensive rooftop gardens which are heavier weight with greater plant diversity, and 3) semi-intensive which are a combination of the first two. Participants heard about the multiple environmental benefits of green roofs like stormwater control, pollutant removal, increased open space, visual and aesthetic, noise reduction, increased habitat, and cooling and insulating qualities. No one argues the long-term benefits, but upfront costs can be almost double that of a conventional roof. Such costs are predicted to decrease over time as more green roofs are constructed and there is more competition among contractors. In Germany, this is exactly what has occurred. At first, green roofs were heavily subsidized from taxes or fees that are collected in most cities for stormwater management. However, over the last twenty years, as more and more roofs have been constructed because of subsidies and mandates, the costs have come down and are no longer subsidized. Here in the U.S. cities such as Portland, Oregon and Chicago are making significant progress in encouraging more green roof construction. Green roofs won't be the norm overnight. More incentives and wide-spread acceptance based on education and experience is needed. However, we can build upon the experience and knowledge base of our European counterparts. The course which seemed at times a bit too "introductory" left some people wanting more information on the technical aspects of designing a green roof. Green Roofs for Health Cities also offers a symposium type course which features technical information from case studies. For more information contact www.greenroofs.org. Frank Gagliardo ^top |
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