Featured green roof: Minneapolis Central Library - Minneapolis, MN

19,000 square feet of green roof can be found on the Minneapolis Central Library, located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. The roof was completed in 2005 and is composed of 4 inches of lightweight soil media. The green roof uses native species in its plant selection, thereby increasing urban wildlife habitat, emulating a native plant community, and providing a more dynamic, regional character when viewed from library windows or downtown skyscrapers. This project is a model for how green roof design can go beyond the tried-and-true Sedum based green roof to celebrate the local ecology, context, and aesthetic. The species were chosen from Minnesota's Bedrock Bluff Prairie plant community, a subtype of dry prairie that occurs on thin soil over bedrock on bluffs along the nearby Mississippi River.

Building Architect: Cesar Pelli & Associates

Landscape Architect: The Kestrel Design Group, Inc.

This is a collection of green roofs from around the world. Click on the photo above to see a larger image or click on the thumbnails below to feature a different green roof.

Work in Progress and Completed

Below is a sample of projects currently in progress or completed by Living Roofs, Inc. If you would like more information regarding these projects feel free to contact us.

Livingston Street Recreation Center - Asheville, North Carolina

Expected completion October 2010

Appalachian State University - Boone, North Carolina

Expected completion May 2010

Green Roof Feasibility and Cost Study, Puebla Mexico

Living Roofs, Inc. was invited to participate in a green roof feasibility study for a large industrial building in Puebla, Mexico. This is a retrofit project and has many challenges due to the high alpine desert climate, structural load limitations, and local material availability. Living Roofs, Inc. has completed site visits to date and is coordinating with the client on next steps. This is an exciting project so stay tuned for progress updates!

Duke Ocean Conservation Center - Beaufort, NC

The Ocean Conservation Center is located Beaufort, North Carolina at the Duke University Marine Laboratory. The building was designed by the office of Frank Harmon Architect PA and is a stellar example of merging the built structure with site. The green roof is one of many environmentally sensitive technologies at the Ocean Conservation Center. The green roof selected is a pre-vegetated extensive system, with specialized components to secure the green roof from coastal high wind exposure. The system was selected due to the structural capacity of the building, availability of regionally sourced material, LEED Platinum certification, and the challenges associated with a windy coastal climate.

Living Roofs, Inc. worked with Frank Harmon Architect PA to design the green roof system and the irrigation which is supplied by a rainwater catchment system. The green roof is visible from ground level and from an adjacent 4-story faculty office and laboratory building. This project was completed in April 2010.

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Architect: Frank Harmon Architect PA

Blowing Rock Residence - Boone, North Carolina

This residence takes advantage of outstanding views of the Blue Ridge Escarpment. The home itself is a two story wonder of architectural beauty and creative integration of structure and site. Living Roofs, Inc. installed a pre-vegetated green roof system; keeping the structural load to a minimum and providing a quick green roof effect. The vegetation is a highly diverse mixture of deciduous and evergreen drought tolerant species. Completed in June 2010

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Architect: Peter Gluck and Partners Architects

Builder: ARCS Construction Services

WakeMed Patient Tower - Raleigh, North Carolina

Living Roofs, Inc. consulted on the design and installed the green roof on the entrance canopy for the new WakeMed Patient Tower. For the 2,300 square foot extensive green roof, a thin, lightweight, pre-vegetated system was chosen to keep additional structural loads to a minimum. The roof is highly visible from patient rooms and hallways. This project was installed in Winter 2009.

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Architect: BBH Design

General Contractor: Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC

Private Residence - Leicester, North Carolina

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Located just outside of Asheville, this contemporary residence demonstrates sensitivity to the surrounding agrarian landscape and features numerous green technologies including a geothermal field for heating and cooling, rainwater catchment for irrigation and toilet fixture use, a

tankless hot water heater, and a green roof among others. The green roof is located off the main floor of the home on top of the lower guest wing and reaches out to mountain views. The green roof system chosen is a semi-intensive built up system and is planted with a variety of native and ornamental perennials and grasses to unify it with the surrounding landscape. The green roof is accessible to the owner and guests. Completed May 2009.

Architect: SPG Architects

Builder: SB Coleman Construction Company

Taco Boy Restaurant - Charleston, South Carolina

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Revolutionary Eating Ventures' Charleston restaurant, Taco Boy, is sporting a new green feature: an extensive green roof. The green roof joins a variety of other environmentally conscious elements including a living fence, porous paving, rainwater harvesting, and reclaimed materials and furniture. The building itself is even recycled as it was formerly a bread distribution warehouse.

To meet the structural challenges of a green roof retrofit, a lightweight green roof system was installed to keep loads at a minimum. The photo was taken the day of installation and demonstrates the green roof effect of the pre-vegetated mat system. Plant material selected for the southeast region is a mixture of deciduous and evergreen drought tolerant species. The green roof is visible from the Highway 17 Bridge and will help to mitigate stormwater runoff and reduce energy costs in the summer. This project was completed in Fall 2009.

Architect: Kevan Hoertdoerfer Architects

General Contractor: M.K. Smith Builders, Ltd. Co.

Grove Park Inn - Asheville, North Carolina

The new fireside lounge at the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa (GPI) expands the green roof square footage at the GPI and demonstrates the GPI's commitment to green hotel practices and building. The green roof is most visible from terraces and some guest rooms and integrates the lounge into the surrounding landscape.

The green roof system selected for the project was LiveRoof pre-vegetated modular tray. The plants are a mixture of deciduous and evergreen drought tolerant species and will provide year-round interest from foliage and blooms. The green roof will help to mitigate stormwater runoff and reduce energy costs.

Architect: Progressive Architecture

Private Residence - Greenwich, Connecticut

The site impact of the new poolhouse was reduced through the installation of an extensive green roof over the entire 2,750 sqft roof surface. The green roof system chosen was the Xero Flor pre-vegetated mat which has a high percentage of plant coverage at the time of installation. The green roof system is relatively lightweight with a thin profile of approximately 3.5 inches. The green roof weighs 14 lbs/sqft when fully saturated. Completed in August 2008.

Architect: Kaehler/Moore Architects, L.L.C.

Landscape Architect: Reed Hildebrand Associates

Southern Living Idea House - Leicester, North Carolina

The Southern Living Idea House at Whisper Mountain is located in a 450 acre community in Sandy Mush, NC. The home and the detached garage feature a variety of green technologies including solar thermal and photovoltaic panels, radiant heated floors, a rainwater catchment/grey water system, and a green roof. The lower roof of the detached garage is an extensive green roof. Lightweight Xero Flor pre-vegetated mats were used to limit the increased dead load of a green roof system and to provide an instant green roof effect; the pre-vegetated mats provide 80% plant coverage the day of installation. The green roof was not only used for aesthetic purposes, but also to decrease the amount of impervious surface associated with the built structure. The green roof blurs the divide between the built structure and the surrounding landscape and is visible from the living space above and from the adjacent roadway. This project received LEED Gold certification. Completed May 2008

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Architect: Allison Ramsey Architects

Builder: Eco-Builders, Inc.

Circular Congregational Church - Charleston, South Carolina

Circular Congregational Church was founded in 1681 and is Charleston's oldest church. It established the first Sunday School for religious education in South Carolina in 1816. Church leaders requested a new building to be used primarily as classroom space and office space. They also wanted to complement the beauty of the church grounds with the smallest possible footprint on the historic property, and include as many "green" design features as possible. "Green" features include Charleston's first green roof, a geothermal heating and cooling system and rainwater-collection cisterns for landscape use.

The green roof is located above the second floor of the Lance Hall addition. Its primary function is stormwater quantity control and thermal insulation. The water from the roof travels into an underground cistern for further stormwater control.

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Architect: Frank Harmon Architect

Private Residence - Charleston, South Carolina

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The new residence was designed to have as little impact on surrounding landscape as possible. The home features an extensive green roof above the guest/pool house, visible and accessible from the master bedroom. An Epay wood deck surrounds the green roof allowing the homeowners to walk completely around it and use the space as a rooftop terrace. The green roof was planted with drought tolerant species of Allium, Euphorbia, Talinum, Sedum, and Delosperma. This is the first residential green roof in Charleston, SC.

Architect: Studio A Inc. Architecture

Duke Smart Home, Duke University - Durham, North Carolina

Although Living Roofs, Inc. did not install the initial green roofs at the Duke Smart Home, we were contacted to replant the roofs after a severe drought and lack of maintenance resulted in the loss of the majority of vegetation. Plant plugs included species of Sedums, Delosperma, Sempervivum. Seeds were also cast of Talinum and Allium. In addition to the replanting, Living Roofs, Inc. installed an irrigation system which uses 100% rainwater from two large cisterns. A maintenance program was also initiated to ensure the establishment and on-going performance of the green roof. The green roofs are only one of many innovative features at the Smart Home which received LEED Platinum certification. They can be seen in their entirety at: Duke Smart Home

Architect: Frank Harmon Architect

Private Residence - Brevard, North Carolina

Photo courtesy of Patrick Cavan Brown - shadowdetails.com

The new residence is tucked into a mountain side near Brevard, NC. It has a small footprint and is oriented to take advantage of spectacular views of Pisgah National Forest and Brevard. Among other green technologies, two extensive green roofs were incorporated into the design of the house to minimize its impact visually and environmentally. As a result, the home is not visible from a distance and is visually integrated into the site itself. Lightweight Xero Flor pre-vegetated mats were used to reduce the increased dead load and to provide an immediate green roof effect; 80% plant coverage at installation. Completed May 2008.

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Click here for an article with more information about this home.

Architect: Stephens Smith Farrell Architecture

Builder: Sage Builders

Garden Pavilion - Raleigh, North Carolina

The new Garden Pavilion at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation will be used to demonstrate rain water collection, green roof systems, sustainable building materials, and native plant gardening. The green roof was planted in early Fall 2007 with seeds and starters of native prairie plants to mimic the surrounding prairie landscape.

Architect: Frank Harmon Architect

Private Residence - Knoxville, Tennessee

The owners of this residential roof contacted Living Roofs, Inc. to help them improve the view from an upstairs sun room. Originally, the large window from the upstairs room shared a periphery of air ducts, black tar, and sparse gravel. Living Roofs, Inc. designed and installed the extensive green roof to blend a

once unattractive structure into something alive and part of the surrounding landscape. The extensive green roof was installed during the spring of 2009, and the picture shows a vigorous first season's growth. The owners enjoy watching the many birds that visit the roof to rummage for food every day.

Private Residence - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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This unique project will include a lower roof with a semi-intensive green roof system planted with species native to Southeastern US, and an upper roof with an extensive green roof planted with Sedums and other succulents. A list of the native species can be seen on the research page. Growing media depth for the semi-intensive green roof will be at least 6 inches providing increased water retention and sufficient growth zone for larger rooted plants.

Designer/builder: Sustainable Design-Build, Inc.
sdbinc@nc.rr.com

Condominium Roof, Schematic Designs - Asheville, North Carolina

Design+CM:
Siegman Associates, Inc.

Living Roofs, Inc. worked with the developer, architect, and contractor of a new condominium project in downtown Asheville in order to provide concepts for the roof terrace. The concepts needed to help meet the project goals of LEED certification, project program, and a combination of green roof systems and hardscape areas for residents. Living Roofs, Inc. combined a pre-vegetated extensive green roof system with a traditional semi-intensive green roof system to allow for larger plantings. This project is in the design phase.

Private Residence - Durham, North Carolina

Renovation to the residence includes the use of an intensive green roof system as a second-floor garden space. The green roof is adjacent to a meditation/yoga studio and a wooden deck. The green roof planting medium ranges in depth between 6 and 12 inches allowing for a diversity of plant species, large and small, to be planted. A flagstone pathway and seating patio was integrated with the planting design.

Architect: Fredrick Stewart Architecture PLLC

James Island Charter High School - Charleston, South Carolina

In October 2007 the JICHS CP biology class was awarded a $10,170 grant from the Sustainability Institute of South Carolina. The institutes's G.R.E.E.N.S. Fund grant was used by JICHS to "green" the campus with features such as a rainwater harvesting system, a rain and butterfly garden, a pathway composed of recycled glass, and a green wall. Living Roofs, Inc. installed a green wall (green facade) system on two brick-faced walls located on either side of the gymnasium entrance. The cable trellis system provides a structure for climbing vines to grow vertically on the walls. The walls were planted with Bignonia capreolata (Cross vine), Gelsemium sempervirens (Carolina Jessamine), and Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle). Installation was completed April 2008.

For more information visit:

JICHS Orange and Blue Goes Green

The Post and Courier, Charleston May 15, 2008

The Post and Courier, Charleston May 24, 2008

The Sustainability Institute

Workshop - Raleigh, North Carolina

The workshop was constructed in a small space adjacent to a home. The design of the structure focused on having as little impervious surface as possible to control stormwater runoff. A green roof was decided upon early in the process which allowed for the design of a structure with the capability of supporting the required weight of the green roof. Six inches of growing medium was used to allow for deeper roots and larger, more upright plants. An assortment of flowering perennials, grasses, and evergreen species were used in the planting to provide for visual diversity and year round interest.

Plant composition includes species of Coreopsis, Euphorbia, Eragrostis, Perovskia, Sedum, and Delosperma. In addition to the green roof, approximately 60% of the lumber for the structure was reclaimed (Habitat for Humanity Reuse Center and construction waste).

Garden Shed - Raleigh, North Carolina

A small garden shed in a Raleigh, NC backyard was a perfect opportunity to incorporate a green roof. The green roof was designed prior to building the garden shed which allowed for the design of a structurally sufficient 7:12 roof system able to hold the weight of a fully saturated extensive green roof. A wooden grid was built on the roof to provide slope stabilization/soil retention. The grid was positioned 3/4" above the roof deck allowing water to drain freely below the grid.

Green roof plants include species of Delosperma, Sedum, Talinum, Euphorbia, and Sempervium (some of the plants provided by Emory Knoll Farms/Green Roof Plants).

Copyright 2006, Living Roofs, Inc. All rights reserved.