by Brianna Crandall — October 21, 2015—Michigan-based horticultural science green roof company LiveRoof has provided green roofs for several projects in recent weeks, including the three highlighted below in Hawaii, Ontario and New Jersey.
Middle school in Honolulu, Hawaii
A quest for science knowledge, fueled by funds from Governor Neil Abercrombie’s New Day Work Project, has brought a new green roof to the multipurpose educational facility at the Robert L. Stevenson Science Signature Middle School, 1202 Prospect Street in Honolulu, Hawaii. The living roof installation began September 15.
RL Stevenson Science Signature School in Honolulu adds LiveRoof system to new multipurpose educational building
The rooftop garden will provide students at this award-winning science school with expanded opportunities to explore ecosystems, aquaponics, composting, and more. The RL Stevenson project is based on a learning curriculum focused on science and a team-teaching approach, and will include a flexible multipurpose space to accommodate large instructional meetings.
Kyle Sasaki, ASLA, LEED AP senior landscape architect at Ki Concepts, designed the garden roof, which was installed by Green Thumb, Inc. Hawaiian Sunshine Nursery worked with LiveRoof Global as the certified grower for this project.
The new living roof will help earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) points in several categories for the facility, helping the project team in its quest to achieve LEED Platinum. The 350-square-foot garden features five plant selections laid in a pattern.
Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
When the Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, opened its doors on October 18, the bar was raised: North America’s “first fully digital hospital” is “lean, green and digital,” according to Rueben Devlin, the president and CEO of Humber River. Three-quarters of in-hospital deliveries are automated, the building features 100% fresh air, and it has some of the finest medical technology available today–all while delivering high-quality, safe care with respect and compassion for the needs of patients and families.
“Fully digital” Humber River Hospital in Toronto incorporates largest planted roof of its kind
One of the many impressive features in the new Humber River Hospital is the 142,000 square feet (13,192 square meters) of green roofing, visible from a majority of the patient rooms and treatment areas of the hospital. Worldwide, it is the largest LiveRoof brand installation to date. By providing natural beauty and function, the green roof contributes to the new healthcare facility’s overall focus on sustainability.
A patented, subterranean modular system unites the soil and plants, creating an instantly beautiful and seamless rooftop meadow. Beyond sustainability, green roofs provide a soothing, peaceful view for patients, staff and visitors, factors that have been shown to help improve patient outcomes, notes LiveRoof.
With the Humber project committed to achieving Leed Silver certification, and tracking Leed Gold, LiveRoof is an important component in the hospital’s green strategy, along with a number of other sustainability features, including: brownfield redevelopment, energy efficiency, construction waste recycling, heat island reduction strategies, low VOC-emitting materials, occupant lighting control, stormwater management, and water use reduction.
HDR Inc. designed the new Humber River Hospital as part of the Plenary Healthcare Partnerships team that included PCL Construction (general contractor), Quinn Design Associates of Toronto (landscape architect), and Flynn Canada (green roof installer).
Condo community in Weehawken, New Jersey
On September 28, contractors began installation of a planted roof atop 1200 Avenue at Port Imperial. The 103-unit, seven-story building is part of the $2 billion master-planned Port Imperial South Community, located along the Hudson River in Weehawken, New Jersey. Lennar, also owners of the previously opened 1000 Avenue at Port Imperial (which also features a LiveRoof green roof), installed their second green roof as construction nears completion at the second of four condominium buildings planned at The Avenue Collection.
Port Imperial plants rooftop of its second condo community in Weehawken
The newest community offers skyline views for 75 percent of the building. In addition to a host of social and health amenities, a third-floor outdoor plaza will feature an open lawn, planting areas, seating, fire pit, sundeck and pool. Contractors installed a 21,600-square-foot LiveRoof brand system, which features a patterned mix of red and gold low-growing sedums. Ornamental grasses were also used to block the view of rooftop mechanical equipment from adjacent windows and seating areas. Besides the aesthetic, environmental, financial and social benefits, the rooftop garden provides important stormwater management as required by local legislation.
Lennar contracted with several organizations to complete the vegetative roof project including Belle Associates (general contractor), Handel Architects, Melillo & Bauer (landscape architects) and FM Improvements, who installed the planted roof. Using locally sourced plants and soil, the custom-grown green roof for 1200 Avenue was cultivated approximately 150 miles from Weehawken by LiveRoof-licensed grower Creek Hill Nursery of Leola, Pennsylvania.
Green roof benefits
LiveRoof reminds that green roofs provide aesthetic, environmental, social and financial benefits, including better stormwater management, longer roof life, energy conservation, interior noise reduction, urban heat island effect mitigation, improved air quality, enhanced aesthetics, a reduction in operating costs, an increase in building values, and potential LEED credits, as well as enhanced public relations and conservation of municipal septic systems. LiveRoof’s Aesthetic and Environmental Benefits page describes these in more detail.
