B — September 28 - October 11, 2012 — Fall Preview — Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal
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L andscape D esign
n enormous amount of time, money and en- ergy has been poured By Robert Schucker, R&S Landscaping Green roofing provides environmental and economic benefits plus high visibility A to making a real and lasting impact on reducing energy us- age in commercial buildings is top of waterproof barriers of existing roofs, have been em- braced throughout Europe for in just the last 10 years. In comparison, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have
legislation and financial sup- port. Yet the many benefits of this emerging technology are reason enough to consider the investment. At its most basic, a roof garden — also known as a green roof system — is simply an extension of a building’s existing roof. The system includes a high-qual- ity waterproofing layer, root barrier, drainage system, a filter fabric and a lightweight engineered growing medium designed specifically for roofs. Depending on the size of the roof, the types of plants selected and whether or not the system is accessible to building tenants, the project can range in cost from $10 to $24 psf. The benefits of a roof gar- den are almost too numerous to count. For developers and building owners, the major benefit is cost savings. Just by virtue of being installed, a roof garden protects the roof membrane from the sun and other environmental forces, resulting in a longer material lifespan -- in many cases doubling the useful life of a conventional roof. A roof garden also decreases the amount of maintenance that needs to be performed on a traditional roof, further reducing upkeep costs. A roof garden significantly reduces heating and cooling costs. Depending on the size of the building and the type of green roof installed, a build- ing owner can reduce the size of standard HVAC equipment in new or retrofitted build- ings, resulting in capital and operational savings. A roof garden ultimately reduces the ambient air intake tem- perature near top-mounted air conditioner units, result- ing in reduced energy cooling usage and cost reductions of up to 30 percent. Rooftop planting, particu- larly using a lightweight engineered growing medium that allows the plants to grow with as little as three inches of soil, can also work in con- junction with other standards for green building. The grow- ing material for green roofs prevents water pollution, for example, by retaining storm water that would otherwise flood drains in urban areas. Storm water management is continued on page 12B
into devel- o p m e n t s throughout t h e N e w York Metro- politan Area in an effort to make new and existing s t r u c t u r e s more environ-
The market for roof gardens continues to grow throughout the world. In Germany, for example, more than 145 million s/f of green roofing has been installed in just the last 10 years. In comparison, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have millions of s/f of black roof surfaces available for “greening.”
Robert Schucker
often overlooked. Roof gardens, essentially rooftops covered with a layer of lightweight growing mate- rial and planted with drought tolerant plantings that sit on
the past 30 years. The market for roof gardens continues to grow throughout the world. In Germany, for example, more than 145 million s/f of green roofing has been installed
millions of s/f of black roof surfaces available for “green- ing.” Certainly, roof gardens have become so popular in Europe in part because of government
mentally friendly. Yet a prov- en tool that offers a consider- able return on investment and a highly visible solution
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