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April 2010
In This Issue
Greenroofs.com News
Greenroofs of the World Calendar
Industry News
Advertiser Press Releases
JobLinks
NewsLinks
Upcoming Events
Exclusives
Greenroofs.com News

Happy Earth Day! Today, April 22, 2010 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and we are excited to honor Earth Day and Earth Month with our first photo contest ever! The "Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!" Photo Contest is quick, simple, and fun. Any and all types of greenroofs are eligible, any place on Earth. Send us your favorite shot of that special greenroof which visually epitomizes its relationship to our planet - how it is a living example of loving the Earth.

Deadline: Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The winner will be determined by public voting, so get your friends and family to vote for your shot!  The winner will be announced on April 30, 2010 - see all the entries so far here and read all the details in our Sky Gardens post here.


Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!
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.

April features the "City of Minneapolis Target Center Arena," a 113,000 sf Custom Commercial Extensive Greenroof. The City of Lakes in the Land of 10,000 Lakes invested in a sustainable building and stormwater management approach for the arena's new roof. Runoff is mitigated from 2.5 acres of impervious surface in a downtown location where space does not permit use of other Low Impact Development Techniques. To test for leaks and facilitate pinpointing the exact location of leaks throughout the green roof's lifespan, the Electric Field Vector Mapping� (EFVM�) by International Leak Detection was installed.

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

Industry News


Portlanders who have considered installing a vegetated-roof system or ecoroof may be able to tap some free money. The city's Bureau of Environmental Services has just launched a new round of incentives with a June 1 application deadline. The incentive will pay up to $5 a square foot for new ecoroof projects in the city. [4.22.10]


The City of Portland, Procurement Services is seeking proposals on behalf of the Bureau of Environmental Services from qualified firms, contractors, companies, or teams of consultants with demonstrated experience in designing and constructing ecoroofs. Click this link to learn about a unique opportunity to promote, design and install ecoroofs: If you haven't already, you will need to register as a vendor to view the RFP. [4.14.10]
    
Austin is moving to make roofs in the city greener. The City Council recently heard a report from its Green Roof Advisory Group. The culmination of the initial phase of research into how green roofs could benefit Austin and how to make it easier for them to flourish in the city, the next phase will determine best practices and develop policy recommendations for the city over the next five years. [3.25.10]


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it has issued a proposed permit to the District of Columbia requiring the District to continue improving its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program for controlling stormwater runoff. EPA is accepting comments on the permit until June 4. [4.21.10]
    
The International Code Council announced the release of Public Version 1.0 of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) to regulate construction of new and existing commercial buildings. The IGCC offers a safe and sustainable regulatory framework for the green construction of commercial and high performance buildings.
[3.15.10]


Advertiser Press Releases
JobLinks

Position Available for a Sales Rep with Tremco Roofing Division in Baltimore, MD or DC area.

Position is Open for Customer Service Rep with LiveRoof, LLC in Spring Lake, MI.

NewsLinks

Portland refines approach to eco-roof goal
Daily Journal of Commerce, by Justin Carinci
Planting greenery on 43 barren acres in Portland by 2013 may not sound like such an ambitious goal - except that the acres are on rooftops. Despite a $5-per-square-foot incentive the bureau offers building owners, reaching the 43-acre goal remains a challenge. But Chomowicz had an idea that is now being implemented. Instead of paying the incentive directly to building owners, the city will hire a contracting team to find buildings suitable for eco-roofs, convince the building owners to allow them, and then design and build the roof systems. [4.20.10]

U.S. Government Reaches a Milestone $4 Billion for Green Buildings
EnergyBoom, by Alison Pruitt
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently reached a landmark US$4 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds that it has invested in energy efficiency for federal buildings nationwide. GSA has awarded construction projects to more than 500 companies, creating jobs in all 50 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia. Constructing a new energy-efficient courthouse in Austin, Texas, with high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, extensive use of natural light, and an efficient "green" roof. [4.16.10]

'Green roof safaris' tempt the black redstart back to Sheffield
The Guardian, by Martin Wainwright
Wild and natural roofs have lured the bird, which once favoured the city's dilapidated industrial sites. A skyline route takes in a cluster of green roofs at Sheffield University and on city council properties, including Sharrow school whose roof is the first to be designated as a nature reserve - Watch AudioSlideShow. [4.7.10]

Europe's first LEED platinum shopping centre in Stockholm
Construction & Maintenance, by Staff
Liljehomstorget Galleria, a shopping centre developed and owned by Finnish real estate firm Citycon, has been awarded a Platinum LEED environmental certificate, the highest available. This Stockholm-based centre is the first shopping centre in Europe to achieve the highest LEED classification, and one of the world's few platinum-rated buildings of any kind. A special feature in Liljeholmstorget is the green roof between the shopping centre and the neighboring office building. [3.31.10]

Upcoming Events

April 21-22: BUILDEX Vancouver, Vancouver Convention Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada

April 22:
Earth Day! Support Earth Day. Your support enables Earth Day Network to power the environmental movement & ensure a healthy & sustainable planet for all of us.
 
April 23-25:
ROOF INDIA 2010, Chennai, India

April 28:
Deadline for "Love the Earth, Plant a Roof! Photo Contest," The World

April 28-29:
CIWEM's Annual Conference - Water & Environment 2010, London, UK

April 28-30:
Australian Council for New Urbanism Congress 2010, Adelaide, Australia

April 30: Green Roofs Australia Conference Call for Abstracts deadline, Adelaide, Australia

April 30:
Greenroofs.com announces the winner of the "Love the Earth, Plant a Roof! Photo Contest," The World

May 1-9:
3rd Annual NYC Wildflower Week, New York, NY

May 1 - Oct. 31: 
The 2010 Shanghai World Expo, Shanghai, China

May 5-7:
Living Future - The UNconference for Deep Green Professionals, Seattle, WA

May 5-7:
Greenbuilding - International Exhibition & Conference on Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Architecture, Verona, Italy

May 5-7:
IFAT CHINA+EPTEE SHOW for Water, Air, Waste, Energy and Recycling, Shanghai, China

May 6-9:
GRHC - Chicago Boot Camp, Chicago, IL

May 7-10:
World Green Roofs Development Conference (WGRDC) at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, Shanghai, China

June 2:Washington Regional Green Roofs & Walls Conference and Training, Washington DC

For a complete listing, visit 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 we've been blogging about in our latest Sky Gardens posts:

Happy Earth Day 2010!- Read about a local Daisy Troop's interest in greenroofs at Rock Mill Park.


GPW: AsphofHen Unit - A rustic, grassy greenroof on an organic chicken farm in Rothenfluh, Switzerland makes 2,000 chickens happy.

GPW: Private Seattle Green Roof Garage - The architect/owner jumped on the opportunity to experiment with a less expensive residential alternative.

 

Own a Piece of D.C. Environmental Art: Project H - D.C. Greenworks has vividly beautiful H-shaped planter boxes for sale to help advance their work revitalizing D.C. communities.


Today is World Health Day - April 7, 2010 - The theme of urbanization and health was selected
for World Health Day in recognition of the effect urbanization has on our
collective health globally and for us all individually.


GPW: Forest Park Forever Playground, the Dennis & Judith Jones Variety Wonderland  - A delightful children's playground in the historic St. Louis, Missouri park has a flowering greenroof.


GPW: The U.S. Postal Service, Morgan Processing and Distribution Center - The USPS's first greenroof in Manhattan acts like a park and helps them meet their goal to reduce energy usage 30 percent by 2015.


GPW: YVR Canada Line Station 4 Living Wall - Vancouver International Airport is the first Canadian airport to install a beautiful greenwall at the SkyTrain station.

Earth Hour 2010- Earth Day is always the last Saturday in March at 8:30 p.m. local, wherever.

Day 2 of Ecoroof Portland, a Win-Win for All! - We had a great time in this beautiful, eco-friendly city!


Monbiot on current biodiversity issues - Christine wants you to read the latest essay by George Monbiot.

 

Ecoroof Portland, Day 1 - The host of Ecoroof Portland is the City of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services who does a great service to its citizens with this free yearly event.



Contributing
Editors:


George Irwin, our Green Wall Editor, talks about the advances in technology in the field and points out that "New & Exciting? could become "Dangerous & Liable." Read also about growing media issues in his latest column, "Technology, Liabilities, and Growing Media: Change is Good."

Welcome to Chris Wark, the Energy Editor! Read his Green Roof Energy Series Intro, first in his new "Cooler Than Cool Roofs: How Heat Doesn't Move Through a Green Roof" Column, and look for his first installment soon!

Ralph Velasquez, our Sustainable Roofing Technologies Editor, muses about how much this industry has grown up and much progress we have made along with the quality and quantity of individuals in our market. Read "Sustainable Giants."


Guest Feature Article:

"Perennial Peanut: Gold for Green Roofs in the Humid Tropics" , by Patrick J. O'Connor explores the success of Arachis pintoi in a eco-hone development in a tropical setting in Costa Rica.


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