Green Roof of the Year 2014

Green Roof of the Year 2014 – 30 Years and Counting

The oldest Green Roof Association in the world, FBB (Fachvereinigung für Bauwerksbegrünung), awarded a prize for Green Roof of the Year 2014 to a 30 year old Green Roof on the Allianz Insurance Company in Stuttgart, Germany. 

 

The roof is one of the first projects where Jörg Breuning, CEO at Green Roof Service LLC / Green Roof Technology was substantially involved in the realization. Allianz Insurance Company decided in 1981 to build their local headquarters in the heart of Stuttgart. At that time the office building was already a big step forward for urban development in many regards. Along with very advanced, environmentally friendly technologies it was also one of the first buildings to achieve the split between living green working space and luxurious living in downtown of a large City. 

The Green Roof is generally assembled around the building and on different levels. Most people in the offices have a view into the green spaces.  Some areas of the Green Roof are accessible for coffee breaks and, on the highest floors there is usable garden space for the Condominium owners. The top floor even offers extensive lawn areas as playgrounds for kids.

All Green Roofs together measure over 21,000 sf. This inner city oasis utilized an advanced Optigreen Green Roof Systems with fully automatic high tide and low tide irrigation system in the mineral drainage layer. The plants “decide” when they need irrigation; no drop of water is wasted or can evaporate before reaching a plant. Neither a person nor electricity is needed to operate this fully mechanical system and it leaves enough room for precipitation to fill up the water storage under the plants. This green roof represents a smart combination of Blue Roof and Green Roof as Green Roof Service LLC / Green Roof Technology is still doing it on projects today. It is a foremost and 100% accurate irrigation system far beyond most irrigation systems that are operated by sensors, electricity, Apps, tubes, pipes or other highly vulnerable and expensive equipment  we see every day on projects in North America or around the world.  

The entire depth of this highly efficient Green Roof technology is approximately 18 inch and has allowed lawn, perennials, shrubs and small trees to grow for over 30 year without replacement or  changing out the growing media. 

Green Roof Service LLC / Green Roof Technology is proud of this Award and we are pleased to offer more information about it. We offer Green Roof tours for anyone interested in this kind of technology.

This has been a landmark project for more than 3 decades and we congratulate all who are part of this Award!
 
 

 

New Sun-Root™ System Installed

New Sun Green Roof system Installed

Green Team at Green Roof Technology

By Samantha Yurek

Last Wednesday, June 19th, Green Roof Technology traveled to Northern Virginia to help install a green roof demonstration project, complete with a Sun-Root System™. Being the latest achievement in sustainable design, the Sun-Root System™ effectively combines solar power with vegetated roofs.

Working with the company Prospect Solar, we were able to help preserve the environment and promote renewable energy. Prospect Solar was established in 2010 by the well-known Prospect Waterproofing Company. One of the leading specialty roofing companies in the DC area, they have been successful for over twenty years. Prospect Solar has been following in their footsteps, creating more sustainable alternatives to the traditional roofing practices.

- Jörg Breuning welcomes people who want to learn from decades of green roof experience - 

 

Visit also Klima Roof

Green Roof Research

Green Roof Research in North America

Monday, December 03, 2012

Green Roof Research in North America By Jörg Breuning

 

I am always amazed how much funds, intellectual energy and resources are put into research of extensive green roofs without the consideration of feasibility and without considering the demands of the plants.  Especially in research common sense should be the starting point of any qualified discussion. This raises also the questions, why are extensive green roofs in Europe –in particular Germany – are so successful?

It is solely successful because extensive green roofs according modern green roof technology are a cost efficient (and beautiful) tool to manage stromwater issues. Period. All other highly market benefits or positive “side effects” are generated by the system for free because these are only consequences of successful implemented nature. Focusing on the side effects and improving them will compromise and eventually reduce the main purpose of an extensive green roof by increasing costs for designing, engineering, implementing and maintenance.

In the academic world Liebig’s law of the Minimum should be applied in any step of the discussion and research. However understanding the limiting factors – including limiting economic factors – requires a tremendous amount of experience, historical data and common sense. The lack of these factors and the lack of time seem the limiting elements but justified by many unique human properties like vanity, self-promotion and economic restrains. On the other side (consumer side) the humans are also part of nature and it is natural that any of their decisions are made accordingly. If an idea doesn’t fit into this process (controlled by the scarcest or limiting resource) we walk away from it, like plants will “walk away” if their minimum requirements are not met. With the disappearance of plants on an extensive green roof we lose the purpose and the investment.

It is common sense that plants cannot walk away as fast as humans so their disappearance might take 2 decades or more which is still much less than the lifespan of extensive green roofs – the lifespan we promote.

For example measuring and promoting building insulation properties of a thermal mass or heat sinks like extensive green roofs was developed as a selling instrument of the industry (like reflective roofs). Trying to improve that will consequently compromise the main purpose to the negative. The end of this research will find out that it is most efficient and probably 10 times cheaper just to increase the buildings insulation on any surface of the building. It will also perfectly benefit when energy prices will continue to super-proportional increase or when we like to build our settlements that they last longer than just two decades – or when we want that the building has the same lifespan as an extensive green roof.

As I brought modern green roof technology to North America from Europe I expected a higher understanding of common sense and of Liebig’s law since it seemed to work in the social and financial world. Investing the research funds in actual extensive green roofs according proven modern green roof technology (e.g. not pre-planted boxes) would benefit the environment, industry and building owner much more and would help to start an entirely new research generation in 10-15 years from now.

When it comes to living technologies going back to the roots sometimes helps or simply is a necessity. 

Green Roof Solar Demonstration Plot at NYC Parks Dept. Building

Solar Green Roof - NYC Parks and Recreation Demonstration Roof

Recently, Highview Creations and Green Roof Service LLC / Green Roof Technology installed a new green roof and solar technology on top of a NYC Parks Department building, which is being used to display different green roof systems.  The display is the first installation in the United States, and it presents a combination of green roof and solar technologies.  When coupled, they can provide a beneficial relationship to maximize energy production and stormwater retention.

The Solar Green Roof is ballasted by an extensive green roof, eliminating the need for rooftop penetrations

The solar array of the system sits on an HDPE molded support module, and is ballasted by an extensive green roof system that sits in the mold above the existing rooftop.  Usually, rooftop solar systems are ballasted by supports that penetrate the rooftop membrane, increasing installation costs and the possibility of roof leaks because of more penetrations.  This system eliminates the need for such complex installations and decreases the possibility of leaking.

Solar technology has an efficient temperature range of up to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.  When temperatures rise above this, the solar panel loses its voltage production efficiency by about .5%.  On rooftops, temperatures can easily rise above 100 degrees (and up to 130+ degrees), and can reduce solar panel efficiency by more than 15%.

A green roof can keep rooftop temperatures at, and sometimes below ambient temperatures (depending on the type of system).  When coupled with Solar technology, electricity production becomes more efficient by keeping surrounding temperatures lower than an exposed rooftop.  Green roofs can also lower energy costs through increased insulation in the summer, and by reducing air conditioning costs.  Because a green roof lowers ambient temperatures, HVAC systems take in cooler air, which reduces the energy required to cool warmer air.

As with any green roof system, stormwater will be retained during days of precipitation.  In cities like New York, stormwater retention through green infrastructure lessens the burden on combined sewer systems. This decreases the chances of an overflow, which can release waste water and pollutants into surrounding waterways during significant rain events.

The Solar Green Roof is a new technology Highview Creations strongly supports.  By combining the two systems, electricity generation and conservation becomes more efficient, and green roof benefits are still achievable.  The Solar Green Roof is exclusively distributed through our partners at Green Roof Technologies. by Eric Dalski

Combining PV and Green Roofs

In Europe there are many manufactures with PV and green roof solutions. I also like to mention Optigreen AG - probably the larges green roof manufacturer in the world -for sure the most flexible system in each regard. I did my first Green roof- PV project in 1995 Zeppelin Carré Stuttgart.

My company is an American company but I am still involved in projects in Germany or featuring German projects from the past or ongoing. Last Friday I visited the construction of the largest green roof and PV combination project in the world. This 75,000 sft PV Green roof combination is in Stuttgart Germany, will produce energy for 250 four person house holds and -as said still- under construction. However the entire development of this new fair ground as the forth largest PV park in the world mounted on roofs. There are endless green roofs and PVs. With Roof mounted PVs Germany has nearly 20 projects under the largest 30 in the world and has the leadership in the world.

See a 2009 rendering of the Green roof PV project and expect more information.

 

- Jörg Breuning welcomes people who want to learn from decades of green roof experience - 

 

askjorg@greenrooftechnology.com

Nest, Breed and Survive Opportunities for Insects on Green Roofs

Germany, the City of Stuttgart started in the 80’s with a program to install green roofs on the school buildings, kindergartens and other city owned buildings. They were pushing the envelope to create a market where the City finally is able to require green roofs (by law) by acting as a role model for green roof installations. I was lucky to get the contract for millions of square feet of green roofs. Most projects were “extensive” / low maintenance green roofs and today they are still working perfectly. The main goal for the green roof installation was extending the lifespan of the waterproofing and the - big #1 benefit - storm-water retention. Until today they didn’t re-roofed or fixed any building and most of them are now over 20 years old. Energy saving isn’t a topic since by law it is required having at least ½ foot of high density insulation – a green roof never can beat that.
Green Roof Technology was pushed by the City of Stuttgart in the 80’s on schools and Kindergartens, it is still ongoing and beside all other benefits it actually helps to educate the kids about our environment. Green roof are one piece in the puzzle of environmental education.
Successful and sustainable education starts with our kids and continues with teaching the technology and required quality in advanced job training programs over minimum 2 years.

United States of America, 10 years ago nobody was even thinking that roofs might reduce or eliminate man-made environmental problems. Flats roof were just an endless profit machine for the roofing industry through fixing poor craftsmanship, lousy roofing materials or to sell roof warranties with “sacrificing companies” which only last 4 or 5 years but the warranty is worth 30 years. I saw all that and it is still ongoing….. It seems the American client is a money tree which needs to be harvested as soon as possible. Roofs (and green technology in general) can only get smart when people getting smarter and rethink about their responsibility for other people and - for sure - for their clients. Smart is, when things sustain, done with passion, simple, senseful and with knowledge based experience. Going from there a better environment will come for free. The US doesn’t need talkers who worked two days ago as a car dealer, yesterday as real estate agent and tomorrow as a roofer with unknown and suspicious experience – just for the big bucks.
It might be time to educate the teachers first how to teach the kids being responsible, respectful and environmental conscious. Getting a true leader in green technology takes time and a sustainable sourced of knowledge.

jbi