"Bank Invests in Green Roof: Severn Savings' Environmentally Conscious Annapolis Building Lauded"
"U.S. Market for Roofing Materials to Surpass $15 Billion in 2010"
"Construction of Residence Hall on Comstock to Begin Spring 2007"
"City Looks at Living Roof for Ailing Public Building"
"Green Permits Now Processed Electronically in Chicago"
"Hornig Companies on Track to Develop Minneapolis' First LEED-Certified Condo Building"
"Lincoln Center Grows a Green Roof"
"A Blueprint for Green Roofs"
"Temple Plans Eco-Friendly Makeover"
"Chevron Unveils Solar Array on Oakland Post Office Roof"
"Toyota Turns Eco-Friendly"
"Local Business Briefs: MDHA Approves Plan for Expanded Westin"
"Think Globally, Act Locally"
"Light Shined on Solar Businesses"
"A New Kind of Shingle Is Taking Root on Roofs"

Severn Savings Bank's new headquarters facility in Annapolis, Md., will feature a green roof that insulates the building during the cold months and cools it in the summer. It is believed to be the first commercial structure in Maryland's capital city to feature such a roof. Severn Bancorp President Alan Hyatt states that the idea for the environmentally friendly feature came about during conversations with Annapolis' planning and zoning officials, architects and designers. He comments: "We felt like we had to give something back, we can't just take. Now that it's here, we're happy we did it." The building's green roof is designed to filter out impurities in rainwater and absorb the precipitation, decreasing runoff by up to 75 percent. A new Green Roof for Healthy Cities poll determined an 80 percent growth in green roof square footage nationwide from 2004 to 2005.
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A new Specialists in Business Information (SBI) report, "Roofing Materials in the U.S.," forecasts that the market supply for roofing materials will see its value top the $15 billion mark in 2010. SBI researchers project that the market will continue to see yearly increases in value partly because of continued growth in the commercial real estate sector. Asphalt shingles/roll roofing and sheet-metal are expected to grow at the fastest rates in the near future, especially considering they are among the most familiar and least costly options. Newer roof systems, though, are increasing in popularity as energy efficiency becomes an increasingly bigger concern. SBI Managing Editor Tatjana Meerman observes: "With the IRS' announcement of the 'Commercial Building Tax Deduction' in 2005, building owners, lesses and commercial contractors are finally viewing energy efficiency in a positive light. Green roof systems are gaining in popularity as are photovoltaic/solar panels as a means of renewable energy." She adds that energy-efficient, single-ply roofing is now dominating the low-slope sector as more manufacturers look to offer the energy-saving properties of white membranes and shingles in multiple color varieties.
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Syracuse University is set to begin building an 119,000-square-foot residential complex to help get a handle on its overcrowded dormitories problem. Cost of the project has been estimated at around $49 million, with space to accommodate up to 240 students. According to the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction's Web site, "The landscape of the dorm is proposed to combine informal gathering areas with public circulation throughout the complex on a combination of new sidewalks and ramps, new trees and plantings and a green roof system." Construction is scheduled to commence during the spring semester. Occupancy is expected in the fall of 2009.
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Chicago City Hall's green roof has drawn the interest of private and public sector building owners from all over the nation. Among those showing the most interest has been the Asheville City Council in North Carolina, which has been impressed with the roof's 150 different species of plants that have helped filter rain and cool the landmark structure. Council members are considering using Chicago's City Hall as a model for a new rooftop now in the planning stages for its ailing Civic Center. In October, the Asheville panel voted in favor of earmarking $1.5 million for a new roof for the center and to request alternative proposals for energy-efficient designs. Supporters cite such benefits as reduced stormwater runoff and improved air quality as reasons to embrace green roofs. Councilwoman Robin Cape, a big green roof supporter, notes, "It doesn't necessarily have to come back cheaper than the traditional roof because there are intrinsic values." She and other proponents contend that the difference in installation cost would be offset by cost savings, such as a projected 25 percent reduction in air-conditioning needs and tax credits for energy-efficient design. Additionally, the city would no longer have to pay $1,000 in stormwater fees.
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A pilot program launched by the City of Chicago enables developers and architects to electronically submit permit applications, plans and drawings for green building projects. Not only does the Web site give each project its own folder but it also makes plans, drawings, specifications, applications and corrections accessible online. Site users can link to the City of Chicago Building Code and download necessary applications, as well. The first firm to file a paperless application was Harley Ellis Devereaux, which has joined forces with the Interfaith Housing Development Corp. of Chicago and the Sankofa Safe Child Initiative to build a 58-unit apartment complex in North Lawndale. The development will feature such green components as solar power, high-efficiency systems and rain gardens.
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Hornig Companies is set to develop The Portico, a 30-unit luxury condominium development in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. Company officials are angling for a gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design? (LEED) program, which would make The Portico the first multifamily building in the city to receive this certification. The six-story structure will feature a heat-reducing white roof along with a couple of rooftop terraces with planters designed to capture stormwater runoff. Meanwhile, each condo unit will boast high-efficiency heating and air-conditioning systems, terraces or balconies that let in natural light, and efficient faucets and toilets. The next step is convincing prospective buyers of the benefits of such interior and exterior features. Hornig Vice President Jon Hornig states, "With LEED office buildings, hospitals and apartments, the developer can own the building and get the long-term benefits. But with condos, the buyer is getting those benefits. We need to get the buyer excited about them."
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The $650 million redevelopment plan for New York City's Lincoln Center includes a 10,500-square-foot curved green roof that will be installed atop an unspecified restaurant by the summer of 2009. The green roof, which will serve as the Lincoln Center's campus lawn, may be the only curved green roof in New York City. At its highest, the roof will be 20 feet off the plaza level, which will serve as the access point to the lawn. Directly beneath the green roof will be a 14-inch layer of waterproofing, insulation, plastic, soil, drainage mat and a moisture-retention mat. The roof will be created by turf expert Frank Rossi, horticulturalist William Harder, and architects Diller Scofidio + Reno and FX Fowle Architects. This team of collaborators has already created a mock-up of the roof in a Jersey City parking lot. The mock-up, which is one-sixteenth the size of the real roof, allowed the creators to test out various types of grass and the effectiveness of the roof's irrigation and drainage system.
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The world's largest green roof is situated atop the Ford Rouge auto manufacturing plant in Michigan. The 10.4-acre roof was implemented in 2003 and features a hardy, low-maintenance plant known as sedum. Henry Ford Museum spokesman Christian Overland states the roof provides "both heating and cooling, an insulating factor which is a huge reduction in energy costs." Before creating the roof, the Ford Rouge plant pumped 7 million gallons of water per day from the Rouge River to satisfy the facility's manufacturing needs. But since installing the roof, the plant has been able to significantly reduce the amount of river water it uses because the green roof system filters rainfall and uses the water for the plant's manufacturing needs. Several types of wildlife have sought refuge amid the vegetation of the roof, including a nesting Canadian goose. Separately, a pair of University of Michigan graduate students are researching ways to use native Michigan plants to increase the biodiversity of green roofs in the state, which would ultimately provide more value to local wildlife.
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In the Chicago suburb of Evanston, the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation is looking to become the country's first certified "green" synagogue. Worshipers explain that they drew on Jewish teachings that instructed them to respect God's creation when they opted to build their $6.5 million synagogue according to U.S. Green Building Council "gold status" certifications. Features will include a white roof that will deflect sunlight to reduce dependency on air conditioning during the warm months. Additionally, the new synagogue will feature energy-efficient boilers, solar lighting in the parking lot and heavy insulation. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Oct. 22 after congregants received a $105,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to defray the additional "green" construction costs. Alan Saposnik, the synagogue's board president, comments, "Anything we can do to help the environment is in our best interest and in our children's best interest."
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Energy firm Chevron has installed one of the country's largest solar power installations on the roof of a U.S. Postal Service processing facility in Oakland. The nearly 1-megawatt system is expected to save the facility $1 million annually and reduce electricity purchases from Pacific Gas & Electric by approximately 33 percent. The solar installation cost Chevron $18 million and is large enough to encompass two football fields. Chevron estimates that the solar array, along with more efficient heating, lighting and cooling systems, will reduce year electricity consumption by 11 million kilowatt hours. A special branch of Chevron called Chevron Energy Solutions conducts energy assessments for companies and helps them conserve energy.
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A Toyota car dealership in McKinney, Texas, may become the first car dealership in the U.S. to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. Among its features is a roof assembly consisting of multiple layers of deck material, concrete, foam and a white membrane that basically turns the building into a thermos. A cistern captures condensation from a dozen air conditioners located on the roof and seven internal units as well as rainfall. The water collected in the cistern is used to irrigate dealership's landscape. Although the project was supervised by dealership owner Pat Lobb, Toyota provided help in finding sources for materials and negotiating costs. The automaker even videotaped construction of the facility and plans to bring its model to other dealerships. "We want this as an option for dealers who want to take their facilities to the next level," said Rick LoFaso, national market planning and facilities administrator at Toyota Motor Sales. "Pat's building is our demo drive." Analysts expect other car companies to follow suit. "It certainly makes sense for dealers to take some of these measures," says Paul Taylor, chief economist at the National Automobile Dealers Association. "And there is a real marketing advantage with a building like that."
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The Metro Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) has approved the expansion of a Westin hotel project in Nashville. The MDHA's design review committee said the Arkansas-based Barber Group could amend its earlier proposal, adding 25 more rooms and expanding the lodging's green roof to cover 50 percent of the rooftop. Approval from the city council is still pending.
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Proponents of building codes that mandate energy-efficiency standards have been focusing their efforts at the state government level. "In the U.S., often large-scale national policies lag behind whereas smaller jurisdictions can be very progressive," explains Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) research associate Nils Petermann. ASE estimates that existing technology could boost building efficiency by 10 percent to 30 percent during the next decade, but policies and financial incentives are necessary for this to occur. Residential energy codes have not been implemented at all or remain weak in 10 states, and many municipalities lack the staff necessary to enforce more than building safety standards. Meanwhile, observers are paying close attention to the European Union Commission, which has ordered its 25 member states to impose mandatory energy rating systems for commercial buildings and homes in an effort to increase energy efficiency by 20 percent by the end of the decade.
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Solar Power 2006, an annual gathering in California that is typically the country's largest solar industry conference, was recently held in San Jose for the first time. The four-day exhibition drew more than 7,000 registered attendees in October, and another 2,000 or so people were on hand for a free night of exhibits. Solar Power 2006 culminated in California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger receiving the "Solar Champion of the Year" honor for his passage of numerous environmentally friendly regulations, most notably the million solar roof initiative. In accepting the award, the former action-movie star said, "I feel the energy here. I feel the electricity, but it's solar energy I feel here." The event was also marked by a large exhibit hall where companies touted new advances in technology and rooftop solar panels.
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In Massachusetts, a green roof without shingles will be taking root this coming winter on top of a new seniors housing complex located adjacent to Ipswich Town Hall. The North Shore Housing Trust is building the 10-unit complex on the banks of the Ipswich River. The earth-friendly installation is designed to safeguard both the river and the building. Architect Ken Savoie remarks, "It's like putting a blanket on the roof. With a green roof, you don't have the high temperatures, you don't have the ultraviolet rays [and] you don't have all the elements that can cause so much damage to a roof." The green part of the roof lies on top of a couple of synthetic liners. A spongy mesh filters water before allowing it to pass to a rubber membrane, which keeps the facility dry by directed the filtered water to a gutter system. Massachusetts' Department of Conservation and Recreation approached the North Shore Housing Trust about the roof's installation, using funds from a federal government grant dedicated to improving stormwater runoff conditions statewide. To date, six green roofs have been planted throughout Massachusetts, most notably at the World Trade Center in South Boston and Boston City Hall.
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