Roof For A View

Project
Room For A View

Location
Boulder, CO

Award Winner
Green Roofs of Colorado / K. Dakin Design

Project Team

Contractor/Installer: Green Roofs of Colorado
Landscape Architect: K. Dakin Design

“It just made sense, this green roof. The clients did not want to stare out their bedroom and bathroom windows onto a bare, roof membrane. Especially when they are nature lovers and avid gardeners: this green roof just made sense. To make their dreams come true, the clients collaborated closely with professional, green roof experts, Landscape Architect Karla Dakin and Green Roof Installer Andy Creath of Green Roofs of Colorado. The bio-diverse, selection of host species for the roof, gleaned from Dakin’s years of studying the flora in nearby foothills and prairies, was repeated on the ground landscape, integrating a top to bottom, holistic, design approach.”

— Karla Dakin, Principal; K. Dakin Design

The Green Roof That Just Made Sense

This green roof just made sense. The clients did not want to stare out their bedroom and bathroom windows onto a bare, roof membrane. Especially when they are nature lovers and avid gardeners. To make their dreams come true, the clients collaborated closely with local professional green roof experts to install a lush green roof atop their detached garage. As a residential project, the design process was a collaboration between the landscape architect, the clients and the green roof installer. The clients were very involved in the process, attending to every detail and selection.

The bio-diverse, selection of host species for the roof, gleaned from years of studying the flora in nearby foothills and prairies, was repeated on the ground landscape, integrating a top to bottom, holistic, design approach.

The green roof is primarily seen out the bedroom and bathroom windows of the residents. Throughout the seasons, this prairie landscape is the first and last view of the day. There is access to maintain and hang out in the green roof across a small roof straddling the detached garage and the home.

Native plants, host plants, and biodiversity were the conceptual drivers behind the landscape design of the yard, from the ground to the roof. The biodiversity of the plant list calls in as many birds, bees, butterflies, and insects as possible as well as referencing the native prairie plants of the Front Range of Colorado. Many of the same species like Agastache, Aster, and Echinacea are repeated on the ground level gardens. This green roof is completely organic and is maintained by the owner, an avid gardener. Deadheading flowers is kept to a minimum. Plants are allowed to repeat and spread across the green roof. Some plants, like cosmos have even made it up from the ground level gardens.

Judges appreciated this project’s look and approach, as well as engagement and investment of the client, and their commitment to sustainability.

Health Education Building

Project
Health Education Building

Location
Kansas City, MO

Award Winner
Jeffrey L. Bruce & Company

Project Team

Architect of Record: Helix Architects
Design Architect: CO Architects
General Contractor: McCown Gordon
Green Roof Consultant: Jeffrey L. Bruce & Co
Landscape Architect: Land3 Studio
Landscape Contractor: Hermes Landscape
Soil Blender & Supplier: Missouri Organic
Testing Laboratory: Turf & Soil Diagnostic

“The rolling prairies of Kansas are featured on this undulating medical school green roof.”

— Jeffrey L. Bruce

State-Of-The-Art Learning Space To Support New Models Of Teaching

KU Medical Center is a new, iconic facility 170,000 square foot facility to accommodate modern learning and facilitate the education of a greater number of physicians, nurses and allied health care professionals. The new building will serve as the primary teaching facility for the KU Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions that includes a simulation center and flexible, state-of-the-art learning space to support new models of teaching. Design elements inspired by key facets of the building's purpose: connectivity, identity, a healthy and sustainable environment, and transparency. The site featured natural elements and the heritage of Kansas with a terraced courtyard and outdoor space with features representing the rolling prairies of Kansas.

The site and neighborhood was highly urbanized, so the conditions of the surrounding ecological systems were badly degraded. HEB represents a pioneering resilient oasis within a sea of dysfunctional natural processes, designed to be restorative to the community far beyond the boundaries of the project. The improved ecological function which extends to the neighborhood includes a significant improvement to stormwater runoff, reductions in urban heat island, wildlife habitat and food sources, establishment of nutrient cycling and improved air quality.

The green roof is located on top of a series of classrooms that are conditioned space, having direct impact to the mechanical systems of the structure. The green roof also provides indirect contributions to the reduced energy costs of the adjacent campus buildings. The green roof reduces urban heat island temperatures around the existing structures, thereby reducing their cooling requirements. The Landscape Architect calculated the impact of each cycle of the 100,000 gallon of use irrigation represents 140 tons of evaporative cooling mitigating the impact of urban heat island in the city core.

HEB utilizes a limited simple palette of native plants and prairie grasses which is intended to provide the framework for further natural development in biodiversity. The majority of the green roof on site has been returned to natural ecological function with a limited intervention in the future. Much of the plant material was selected from a native prairie species which will provide increased resilience of the native ecological community as niche species establish themselves in this framework. The greatest challenge of this project was balancing the narrow profile with the need for biodiversity. Landscape Architects optimized a solution that supported a food chain biodiversity which restored the critical insect ecology as the second trophic level in the food chain which supports secondary consumers of predators or parasites of herbivores, typically songbirds and bats.

As one of the most technically and architecturally advanced health education centers in the nation, this project demonstrates the creative integration of ecological function and implementation of new green technology while providing a brilliant new urban park for the community.

While the primary use of recycled materials were compost in the growing media and wood mulch the landscape was designed to minimize the use of materials with higher embodied energy. Over 95% of the landscape materials and furnishings were sourced within 20 miles of the site greatly reducing transportation costs.

The regulatory environment and campus facilities were generally apprehensive about the project because was a very different approach to stormwater management. Although supportive of the concept, it had never been proposed or permitted by the city. In order to succeed with the design solution, the design team needed to create a new set of design standards to document and present to the city engineer for approval.

Judges praised this project for its technical aspects and leadership in the field of sustainability best practices.

510 West 22nd Street

Project
510 West 22nd Street

Location
New York City, NY

Award Winner
MKM Landscape Architecture PC

Project Team

Acoustic Consultant: Shen Milsom & Wilke
Architect: Cookfox Architects, LLP
Building Code Consultants: Jam Consultants
D.O.T Consultant: Delargent Design, Architecture, PC
Elevator Consultant: Van Deusen & Associates
Energy Modeling LEED Consultant: Viridian Energy & Environmental
Exterior Maintenance Consultant: Entek Engineering PLLC
Exterior Wall Consultant: Buro Happold Consulting Engineers PC
Landscape Architect: MKM Landscape Architecture PC
Lighting Consultant: Brett Malak Lighting Design
MEP Engineer: WSP Flack+Kurtz
Structural Engineer: DeSimone Consulting Engineers

“MKM Landscape Architecture designed exterior terraces for a new commercial building on West 22nd Street, adjacent to the High Line. There are several terraces on each of the 14 floors, which provide tenants with green spaces and views. Curved metal planters and wild gardens are interspersed with wooden decking and paved walkways to provide flexible use venue spaces.”

— Mark K. Morrison, RLA, LLA, FASLA, GRP; MKM Landscape Architecture

Wild Gardens in Manhattan

The concept for the project is to create wild gardens in Manhattan that echo and enhance the nearby High Line, and provide habitat for birds and pollinators for a new commercial building on West 22nd Street, adjacent to the High Line.

Numerous terraces with intensive green roofs create outdoor rooms for projected commercial tenants. Curved planters and wild gardens interspersed with wooden decking and paved spaces provide flexible use venue spaces for tenants, both for retreat from the work environment, and on the tenth and eleventh floors, for events. By providing multiple planted terraces on every floor, as well as a several large planted terraces and vegetated upper roof, this project creates a green cool zone in an otherwise densely paved area.

Green roof media is installed throughout every terrace, including under the pavers, ensuring maximum stormwater absorption and retention, as well as encouraging plant roots to spread throughout the terraces, with the added benefit of making the trees and plants more wind-resistant as well.

The plantings have been selected to provide habitat for migrating birds and pollinators. The proximity of the High Line Park enhances the opportunity for habitat, adding to a patchwork of green zones and small parks that are scattered throughout the Chelsea neighborhood just south of 34th Street. The building is on the Atlantic Flyway and therefore the plantings were selected to provide habitat for birds, as well as pollinators. Each floor provides several terraces with outdoor spaces, creating vistas, and trees. The plantings are tall and lush, surrounding the people inhabiting the spaces with the opportunity to experience planted environments just by stepping through the wide access doors and edible grapes planted along the green screens.

The windows are set back under overhangs, both to provide shade for the terrace users, and to minimize bird strikes. All terraces have trees or columns in front of the windows to discourage bird strikes. Limestone / concrete pavers were locally sourced from a company in Brooklyn, NY. All wooden decking in this project is Kebony, which is very stable, and will not require any maintenance on the part of the building owners. It is a sustainable product since it is not a tropical hardwood. The plantings are all native and low-maintenance, with abundant ground covers, so once all is well-established, there should be bi-annual clean-ups, trimming, and fertilizing of trees.

Praised for its commitment to biodiversity, judges were impressed by this attractive and well-designed project in a densely urbanized area.

International Flavors & Fragrances Lobby

Project
International Flavors & Fragrances Lobby

Location
Union Beach, NJ

Award Winner
Urbanstrong/EcoWalls/Parker Plants

Project Team

Architect: Gannett Fleming Architects
Installation, Commissioning, Ongoing Maintenance: Parker Plants
Lobby Design Theme: William McDonough + Partners
Sales, Technology Consulting, Project Management: Urbanstrong
System Providers: EcoWalls

“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate on such an incredible project. It reflects not only the nature of the company’s plant research work but also its commitment to environmental stewardship. And the lush and wild nature of the plant tapestry offers all who pass under the living wall a reprieve from their hurried day.”

— Alan Burchell, P. Eng, MSc, MBA, GRP, LEED AP; Principal, Urbanstrong

A Direct Reflection of Use

The client, International Flavors and Fragrances, was interested in a living wall for the renovation of their R&D facility lobby. IFF artificially creates flavors and fragrances based on extensive studies of plant species. Known for walking the talk in the world of sustainability, and they wanted a living wall solution that complemented the rest of the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ products, building materials, and finishings.

After factoring in their design goals and available infrastructure, a modular hydroponic planting panel system was chosen with an automatic non-recirculating irrigation system. This system was chosen for its high content of recyclable materials, inorganic growing media, unlimited planting surface (non-pigeon-holed), high energy and water-efficient operation, ultra-low plant turn-over rate, wide potential plant palette, and local greenhouse/assembly facility. IFF felt this highly sustainable system was reflective of their commitment to environmental stewardship.

To directly reflect the facility's nature, our team dedicated a portion of the living wall to plant species currently being studied on site, selected to appeal to a broad range of senses such as texture, color, and depth. To reflect the nature of the client's business, particular attention was given to fragrance during plant species selection such as coffee plants and vanilla orchids.

The living wall includes a remote monitoring irrigation system. The comprehensive design allows the manufacturer to work with our local maintenance technicians to monitor flow, adjust irrigation sequence/intervals, and precisely delivery water and nutrients to plants with very limited waste.

A long skylight running the entire width of the living wall was designed and installed directly above the system to reduce the auxiliary lighting energy load for much of the year. The lighting system has been programmed to ramp up during the winter months as needed.

The living wall is striking in its two story size and greets all who enter the lobby. This soaring atrium is a hub of corridors passed by most staff several times a day en route to the greenhouse, cafeteria, and research labs. It is central to the lobby's biophilic design and offers all who look at it a reprieve from their hurried day. An opportunity to connect with nature during the day the wall is a source of mental health benefits for all who see it. The plant wall is also great for sound attenuation as it offers echo muffling given that the lobby is frequently used as a communal area.

Judges praised the project for it’s unique integration with the client’s business, artistic plantscaping, and use of the space.

Boston Medical Center Rooftop Farm

Project
Boston Medical Center Rooftop Farm

Location
Boston, MA

Award Winner
Recover Green Roofs

Project Team

Client: Boston Medical Center
Designer & Installer/General Contractor: Recover Green Roofs
Farm Manager: Higher Ground Farm

“The goal with our rooftop farm is to provide fresh, local produce to as many of our patients, employees, and community members as possible...This initiative supports our mission to address social determinants of health by improving access to healthy fruits and vegetables, and is a perfect example of BMC’s dedication to sustainability and green efforts.”

— David Maffeo, Senior Director of Support Services; Boston Medical Center

Hospital Farming Takes Root in Boston

The rooftop farm, built in 2016, on top of the Boston Medical Center covers a previous black waterproofing on BMC's power plant building three stories up. The green synthetic turf layer between planting beds reflects more light than does black waterproofing, emitting less heat throughout the day and night, and reducing its contribution to urban heat island effect. The synthetic turf makes up only a portion of the roof, with living plants covering the rest of the roof’s 2,658 square foot area. The farm has also reduced the hospital's energy consumption by increasing its local food consumption and decreasing its "food miles" from food deliveries for the Food Pantry, cafeterias, and inpatient meals.

This rooftop farm supports 25 different crops and 2 bee hives. The diversity of crops supports local pollinators, which, along with the hives, pollinate nearly 75% of the food on the farm. The farm has flowers in continual blossom throughout the season creating habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators.

The rooftop farm grows food for use in the hospital's cafeterias, patient plates, food pantry, teaching kitchen and in-hospital affordable farmers market. The Farm location was chosen because of its visibility from the Shapiro Building; a glass backed building housing many of the hospitals main clinics caring for hundreds of patients each day. These patients have excellent visual access to the farm, directly across the street from where they are receiving care.

The irrigation system is a remote-monitored smart drip irrigation system that can be controlled by a smart phone. The system saves water by monitoring weather conditions and shutting off irrigation when rain is in the forecast. Drip emitters deliver water sub-surface directly to the roots to minimize water usage and evaporation.

The local community has many opportunities to engage with the farm through weekly tours and volunteer opportunities as well as free educational events for patients and employees. Additionally summer camps are offered in partnership with the teaching kitchen offering 2 weeks of free summer camp for patient and employee kids and 4 weeks of summer camp programming with Boston Public Schools and Boston Public Health Commission.

The farm is integrated with the Nourishing Our Community program which includes the rooftop farm, Teaching Kitchen, and Preventative Food Pantry. The Teaching Kitchen holds classes for patients and staff, topics include: 'Cooking for cancer survivors', 'cooking on a budget', 'cooking with diabetes', ' cooking 101,' to name a few. The Preventative Food Pantry supports individuals with special nutritional needs that are referred to the Pantry by BMC primary care providers. The Pantry is often used by patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other chronic conditions. Both the Food Pantry and the Kitchen receive fresh produce from the rooftop farm.

Judges praised this project for its multiple program uses and outreach opportunities within the community, innovative problem solving, and aesthetics.

Garage Apartments

Project
Garage Apartments

Location
Asheville, NC

Award Winner
Living Roofs, Inc

Project Team

Architect: Alberice Architecture + Design, PA
Design, Installation, Maintenance: Living Roofs Inc
Developer: Public Interest Projects, Inc
General Contractor: Garanco Construction
Planting Design: Roots First Design

“The green roof on the Garage Apartments demonstrates how a small roof can have a big impact on the ecological health of the city. Asheville is located in a region experiencing tremendous development as well as pollinator habitat loss and threats to biodiversity. The roof on this urban infill project was designed to provide habitat and food sources for native pollinators. The roof is teeming with life and has become a beautiful amenity for the client and the surrounding buildings.”

— Kathryn Ancaya, Landscape Architect; Living Roofs Inc

Infill Revitalization for Bee City USA

The client, Public Interest Projects (PIP), invested in the heart of Asheville when downtown was neglected and empty. They spearheaded the revitalization of the now thriving downtown. True to their mission, they have not stopped influencing development over 20 years later. PIP identified a small sliver of land behind the Aloft Hotel as an infill opportunity to incorporate housing (still a scarcity in downtown) and commercial space. As with all of their projects, they aimed at environmental and social sustainability.

The green roof was a part of that desire, and PIP teamed with Living Roofs, Inc to design and install a unique green roof in the city. The roof is teeming with life and beautiful to look at and demonstrates how even a small green can have a big impact on the ecological health of the city.

Due to the mountainous terrain of Asheville, many streets have views of the roof, so taller species of grasses and perennials were used in the design to increase awareness of the living roof. Another consideration was the adjacent hotel pool deck. The green roof is highly visible from this spot and ensures that the thousands of guests who stay at the hotel leave with an awareness and appreciation of green roofs. With this in mind, the plant community was designed as a ‘stylized meadow’ with large drifts of blooming plants.

The City of Asheville was the first city in the United States certified as a Bee City USA. Bee City USA is a program of the Xerces Society that has 93 Bee Cities which endorse a set of commitments, defined in a resolution, for creating sustainable habitats for pollinators. Asheville is located in a region experiencing tremendous development as well as reductions in pollinator habitat loss and threats to biodiversity. The green roof was designed to support a diverse plant community focused on pollinator habitat and food sources through plant selection and layout. The plantings were designed to support native plants in a very intentional way, creating a pocket of beauty in an unexpected place, and all sourced from within the region. We were also able to engage with local growers to custom grow important pollinator plants such as Mountain Mint and Solidago. The plant selection was the first step in developing a dynamic urban community that supports native pollinators, reduces heat island effect, and allows rain that falls to infiltrate and evapo-transpire more like it would in nature. The green roof provides habitat and food for butterflies and other pollinators and songbirds within downtown Asheville.

Judges praised this project for it’s consideration of native plantings, maximization of performance opportunities, and pushing forward of best management practices in Asheville.