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December 2009
In This Issue
Greenroofs.com News
Greenroofs of the World Calendar
Industry News
Advertiser Press Releases
JobLinks
NewsLinks
Upcoming Events
Exclusives
Greenroofs.com News

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive CentreWe hope you've been enjoying time with family and friends during the holidays, and all of us here at Greenroofs.com wish you the very best in 2010 with Continued Success and Happy Greening!

We've surpassed the 1,000 mark with profiles in The Greenroof Projects Database! We're currently at 1,002 with new greenroof and greenwall case studies being added daily.  Are yours listed here?  It's free and a great community and marketing resource for sharing your experience!

YouTube greenroofstv channelHave you seen our inaugural episode of Sky Gardens ~ Greenroofs of the World WebTV series? See it in four installments on YouTube, and in its entirety (38 minutes) on greenroofs.tv coming very soon.

Greenroofs of the World Calendar
 
2009 Greenroofs of the World CalendarThe 2010 Greenroofs of the World 12-Month Wall Calendar is available!  Our 11" x 18" full-color glossy 2010 Calendar is full of beautiful living roof projects from all over the world once again. Printed on 50% recycled paper with 25% post consumer waste using soy inks, the sleek, colorful wall calendar makes a distinctive holiday gift for friends, family and colleagues.

Ring in the New Year with our eco-chic Calendar!

 
From the 2009 Greenroofs of the World 12-Month Wall Calendar:

November features the "Multnomah County Multnomah Building" in Portland, Oregon supplied by Tremco. Public accessibility, interpretive activities, and free sharing of data between professionals were design parameters for Multnomah County. Upon exiting the 5th floor elevator, the greenroof panorama of wildflowers, grasses and sedums is immediately visible from the vast expanse of picture windows. Designed as Portland's first public green roof demonstration garden, descriptive interpretive signs allow for easy access to greenroof information.

December features the "ABN AMRO" building in Chicago, Illinois supplied by the Barrett Company. The 6th floor podium roof on the ABN AMRO Computer Data Center was designed purposefully with accessibility and amenity use by all of the occupants as well as contributing to the overall greening of Chicago.  The plan included vegetation with plantings which are a mix of trees, perennial plants, and annual flowers in planters of mixed heights. Tree shaded areas are complimented by an open lawn. The recreational space is poured concrete and concrete pavers.

Do you want your project included in future Greenroofs of the World Wall Calendars? Click here for more information.
Industry News

EPA Guides Federal Facilities to Greener Stormwater Solutions: A new technical guide to help federal agencies minimize the impact of federal development projects on nearby water bodies was issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. At its own facilities, EPA is using sustainable techniques for reducing the effects of stormwater runoff, such as installing greenroofs as well as using rain gardens and cisterns to capture and reuse stormwater. [12.10.09]

Green Building to Support Nearly 8 Million U.S. Jobs Over Next 4 Years: Despite a challenging economic outlook, green building will support 7.9 million U.S. jobs and pump $554 billion into the American economy - including $396 billion in wages - over the next four years (2009-2013), according to a new study from the U.S. Green Building Council and Booz Allen Hamilton. The study also determined that green construction spending currently supports more than 2 million American jobs and generates more than $100 billion in gross domestic product and wages. [11.14.09]

New Landscape Rating System to Transform the Industry: The Sustainable Sites Initiative released the nation's first rating system for the design, construction and maintenance of sustainable landscapes, with or without buildings. The rating system works on a 250-point scale, with levels of achievement for obtaining 40, 50, 60 or 80 percent of available points, recognized with one through four stars, respectively. [11.5.09]
Advertiser Press Releases

JobLinks

Position Available as an Outside Salesperson in B.C., Canada

Position Available as a
Horticulturalist in Chicago, IL

Position Wanted in the
UK involving Green Roofs and Walls

Position Wanted as an
Architect in Chicago, IL
NewsLinks

Dubai, UAE
Dubai Municipality launches public awareness initiative on Green Roofs
AME Info, by Staff
Consistent with the efforts of Dubai Municipality in achieving its vision of creating a city providing the essence of success and comfort through the development of laws and regulations to keep pace with international standards in the field of sustainable development, the Municipality has launched a public awareness Green Roofs campaign for vital locations. In cooperation with Al Yousuf Horticulture and Landscaping, BMC Gulf Trading, and Renewed Solutions, all companies specialized in agriculture technology and landscaping, they plan on planting greenroofs and facades in the Emirate of Dubai. [12.17.09]

USA
Green roofs offer landscapers a great new service opportunity
Landscape Management, by Ron Hall
The emergence of greenroofs in the United States is relatively new, as evidenced by the large audience and the number of questions posed during landscape professional Richard Heller's recent presentation at the Green Industry Expo here. They recognize that their growing popularity offers landscape professionals yet another environmentally positive service for clients, said Heller, a certified landscape professional and CEO of Greener by Design, in Pelham, NY. [12.4.09]

USA
Ending Hunger, Garden by Garden
MSN Health & Fitness, by Joyce Lapinsky
The Urban Farming Food Chain is the "Edible Wall" project that was launched in downtown Los Angeles in August of 2008. And, more than a year in, participants and volunteers at the four sites have harvested approximately a half-ton of strawberries, cucumbers, lettuces, and collards with the help of George Irwin, president of Green Living™ Technologies, the company that developed and provided the wall systems. [12.1.09]

Australia
Queensland's high rises to grow their own cooling system
MySunshineCoast.com.au, Press Release
Queensland could soon be trialing vertical gardens and grass or garden roofs in an effort to make our cities greener and cooler. The Queensland Government has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding with the Singapore National Parks Board that could soon see local scientists growing vegetation on high rise buildings to reduce heat and improve air quality. Australians want to benefit from Singapore's experience with skyrise greenery such as greenroofs and green walls. [11.30.09]

U.K.
More urban green spaces to fight climate change, government advisory body urges
Greenwise Business, by Elaine Brass
The government advisory body, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), has launched a new campaign to increase the amount of money spent on green infrastructure. CABE believes parks and gardens, waterways, allotments, tree-lined streets and greenroofs provide a network of green resources and a green infrastructure that could potentially be a powerful tool to help towns and cities to adapt to climate change. [11.26.09]
Upcoming Events

Featured Sponsor
Green Paks Green Roof Blocks introduces their newest green roof innovation, Green Paks, the easiest and most affordable way to own a green roof. These knitted polyethylene green roof modules are pre-filled with lightweight engineered soil. Simply cover the roof area with Green Paks, insert the plants of your choice, and start enjoying your green roof. Green Paks are fast, easy, and affordable and carry a twenty year limited warranty.

Click here for the full page color brochure in The Greenroof Directory
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Exclusives
Linda S. Velazquez
Linda S. Velazquez
Editor & Publisher

Publisher:
Read what I've been blogging about in my latest Sky Gardens posts:

First Greenwall in New Zealand Makes Sustainability Sexy - Green is the new Black in Takapuna, NZ. The Department Store is a multi-dimensional fashion, art and beauty experience, encompassing three floors. One of the triumphs of the new store, and also a New Zealand first, is the large, vertical, interior garden Green Wall in the Stephen Marr Salon on the top floor.

National Roof Over Your Head Day - I had never heard of this observance, but apparently we're supposed to be thankful on this day for this basic necessity of life. But Listicles says, "We should also be thankful for things we don't have, like unwanted and inappropriate objects on those roofs over our heads." Enjoy some fun photos!

The Making of the Greenroofs of the World™ Calendar Series - 2008 marked the first year of the Greenroofs of the World™ 12-Month Wall Calendar series and now in our third year, I talk about the design process, why and how we choose the highlighted projects - the ideology behind the product, plus our desire for an eco-friendly end product, too.

The (Award-Winning) Green Wall Editor in the News - George Irwin and his company, Green Living Technologies, is getting press and awards from all over, and I wanted to highlight a bit of his recent accomplishments with some of his green wall projects, in particular with his work with the Urban Farming Food Chain organization.

Roland Appl's CitiesAlive! Photo Tour - Didn't make it to Toronto last October?  Check out the work of Roland Appl from ZinCo International and enjoy a visual tour of the first World Green Roof Infrastructure Congress.

Watch the Premiere of Sky Gardens ~ Greenroofs of the World! - Read how my idea for our Web TV series evolved from my previous column "Sky Gardens ~ Travels in Landscape Architecture" to the Sky Gardens ~ where cool green meets lofty blue Blog...But I still wanted to examine greenroof projects in-depth: the who, where, what, why and how's of the entire planning and design process. And what better visual medium than video? We selected one of my own designs here in Alpharetta, GA for the first episode - The Greenroof Pavilion and Trial Gardens of Rock Mill Park - and it's been a true labor of love.

CitiesAlive! '09 Day Tour & Evening Fiesta - This is my follow up for Day 2 of the World Green Roof Infrastructure Congress. Follow me as we venture to various greenroof and greenwall sites through lovely downtown Toronto to the outskirts and back for a festive Mexican-style closing celebration.

And from
Christine Thuring:

Christine's Reflections on CitiesAlive! Christine went on a different tour from ours, and had very different projects and views. Read her insightful and in-depth perspectives, reflections and impressions on a potentially sustainable Toronto.

Contributing Editors:

Kelly Luckett
, The Green Roof Guy, gives us a spirited update on the ongoing prescriptive greenroof battles in his new column with "Green Roof Wind & Fire Design Guidelines: After Three Years, Half the Battle is Won."

Christine Thuring, The Student Editor, issues her biannual Students on Green Roofs column, where she examines the ups and downs of being "A Drop in the Bucket."

George Irwin, the Green Wall Editor, shares how growing fresh produce in urban environments is at a premium with little available horizontal space, but pioneers have started a vertical movement with green walls. Read his "Empowerment with Vertical Agriculture, Edible Walls & Urban Farming Food Chains" where he talks about his incredible experience in Los Angeles.
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