Property Design and Management:
Conservation Subdivision Design | Green Roof Design and Technologies | Land Planning Standards | Low Impact Development | Soil Erosion and Sediment Control | Stormwater Management Objectives | Stormwater Regulations
Green Roof Design and Technologies
Green roofs are becoming a critical component in “green” urban infrastructure, and can provide a wide variety of environmental, aesthetic and cost benefits. A green roof can cover any size building and be used on any building type given the building has been designed or retrofitted to structurally support the weight. It generally consists of drought-tolerant vegetation and light-weight growing medium layered over an efficient drainage system and waterproofing membrane.
Benefits of Green Roofs:
- Can significantly slow down and/or capture stormwater runoff when compared to standard roof systems.
- Reduce roof temperature, which lessens energy costs
- Help protect the structural waterproofing system on the roof which leads to extended roof-life
The American Society of Landscape Architects recently constructed a green roof on their headquarters building in Washington DC . Runoff and temperature measurements from the site are already indicating environmental and energy benefits.
Images from the green roof constructed on the ASLA Headquarters in Washington DC
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| Photos courtesy of ASLA | ||
The Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Web site provides an extensive list of the benefits that can be expected through typical green roof applications. Green roofs have been successfully used in Europe for decades. Green roofs in Nebraska have also been around for a long time – if a person counts the green roofs on the sod houses of Nebraska pioneers! Regional projects using new technologies and materials are still relatively few in number, but interest and investment in green roofs is growing.
In addition to the commercial projects noted below, residential green roof projects are also underway in Omaha. For persons interested in Nebraska green roof projects and efforts to establish green roof technologies as a viable stormwater management alternative in Nebraska, the following people/resources are available:
Douglas County Green Roof Working Committee
Pioneers Park Nature Center Green Roof
Lincoln Journal Star Business Section article
Video Description of Green Roofs by Jim Dyck & Richard Sutton
on YouTube-from Backyard Farmer
Omaha/Omaha Public Schools Saddlebrook School/Library/Conference Center
Contacts:
Kent E. Holm, Douglas County Environmental Services Director and Acting Chair of the Green Roof Working Committee
Dr. Richard Sutton, ASLA, Department of Agronomy/Horticulture, UNL
Information presented within the property design and management section of this Water Web site has been reviewed by University of Nebraska - Lincoln Property Design & Management Team members Kelly Feehan, Thomas Franti, Steven Rodie and Richard Sutton.
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