October 6, 2006—Advanced Vegetative Roof System (AVRS), a patent-pending green roof system, is being introduced by Columbia Green Technologies, Inc.
The water-efficient system incorporates patented Zeba branded moisture release technology for faster, fuller vegetation establishment and lower maintenance costs, says the company.
Green roofing for environmental benefits has been a staple in European building for more than 20 years, but has only recently been introduced in North America. One stumbling block to acceptance in the US is the additional costs for construction and ongoing operating expense of roof-level irrigation systems, says Columbia Green Technologies.
“With AVRS, we can keep the soil moist – and reduce the need for irrigation systems – by using Zeba starch-based superabsorbent in our soil mix,” says Mark Carpenter, President and CEO of Columbia. “In our research and commercial installations, we find Zeba gives us faster and more complete stand establishment in the critical first year, using far less water. The Zeba technology is the best we’ve found, so it’s a key component in all our installations.”
The AVRS solution is targeted to architects, landscape designers, city planners, and building developers and owners. In addition to aesthetics, benefits are year-round energy savings, improved stormwater management, increased air quality, reduction in urban heat-island effect, and noise reduction in buildings.
AVRS’s patent-pending solution uses lightweight, double-interlocking trays for easy and rapid assembly. A wide variety of low-maintenance, weather-resistant succulent plants are utilized, along with the pre-blended high-performance soil mix which includes Zeba, the brand name for products from Absorbent Technologies, Inc. a world leader in the development and manufacture of starch-based superabsorbent products that increase plant yields and quality while reducing water requirements.
