Green Roof Reno
January 8, 2009
Green Roof Course at CityTech
Through City Tech's Division of Continuing Education we will be offering a course on Green Roof Design and Installation starting this January 29th at their downtown Brooklyn location.
Whether you are a DIY homeowner intrigued by the possibility of a green roof, or a future Green Roof Professional preparing for the accreditation test later this year, this course will give you the tools you need to "go green." We'll start with the basics of green roofs, and work our way into all degrees of specificity in regards to plant design and maintenance, roof membranes and drainage, and current policy and incentives.
Please follow the link below to register . . .
http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/academics/continuinged/
For City Tech's Continuing Education complete course catalog please follow the link below (green roof course listing on p.25) . . .
http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/academics/continuinged/pdf/spring09_web.pdf
Thanks and Happy New Year!
October 21, 2008
Finally Planted!
So we finally got our green roof plant test plots underway – and to reiterate this is just our phase one installation: a chance for us to observe some different plants in action prior to planting roughly two-thirds of the roof in the spring. We’ll follow up with all the plant varieties and more of the process of installation soon . . .
In the prior post, I slammed the provider of the modules we bought, Green Roof Blocks, for sending us some modules that appeared to be dirty and used. Today, I want to commend them just as forcefully for their customer service. Getting good customer service these days is incredibly difficult – but this case, Green Roof Blocks handled the situation admirably. I received apologies from both the President and the employee responsible - in addition to receiving 20 new, clean, feet-in-tact modules within a week’s time. Amazing.
In the email from the President he explained that they rarely sell modules without the plants and soil, as I had requested. The employee in charge of packaging and shipping had assumed that “the focus was to be in what grew from the module and not the aesthetics of the module itself. Instead, he trained his efforts in getting your modules to you as quickly as he knew how.” Regardless, for me, whatever error they made on the first order was more than rectified by the way they responded to our complaint. I will look to use some of the used modules as samples in class I’m teaching this January at City Tech in downtown Brooklyn on green roof installation.
I intend to review other green roof products in the future. For starters, this website has a good breakdown of the different modular options - http://www.openecosource.org/roofing/modular-green-roof-information-us-suppliers
October 15, 2008
Major Colors
A quick trip up to Sunny Border Nursery in Berlin, Connecticut yielded some great options for green roof plants – not to mention some pretty nice photos if I may say so myself! The fields of rectangular sedum flats were vast and created a beautiful pixilated effect. With over 50 varieties of sedum on hand and 150 varieties of sempervivum, I was like a kid in a candy store. I bought some flats of Sedum spurium ‘Dragons Blood’, Sedum album ‘Limelight’, Sedum sexangulare ‘Weiss Tetra’ and a just released variety Sedum ‘Chocolate Ball’.
Although Sunny Border tends to cater more to the wholesale trade, you can buy things there retail. They will also pre-grow specific plants for you if your order is placed well in advance and substantial enough.
Score.
October 8, 2008
The Modules
The green roof modules finally arrived – our first step towards planting our Brooklyn roof! They came without soil or plants in a 2 x 2 x 2 box – 20 in all. Or I guess 21 if you count the two that were stuck together. To my shock and disappointment, the green roof blocks, or modules, were old, used and even slightly damaged. They looked like they had been recycled from a previous project! Even some of the protection board footers had fallen or were falling off. As you might imagine, I was pretty upset. I mean, who does this?!?
I had heard mixed reviews about the company previously but this really made me question my decision to go with “Green Roof Blocks.” Basically the modules are just anodized aluminum planters – 4 inches deep with protection board footers so that they sit on the roof and weep holes to allow for some drainage. I thought these modules would be best for our situation because they allow for flexibility and for the fact that I could get them without the soil or plants. I wanted to find my own sources for these – both to cut down on costs while also injecting some of my own decisions on soil and plantings into this process.
These modules do have some design flaws – they are missing a drainage layer and filter fabric which would definitely make for better soil conditions and more stormwater retention. But considering our still unresolved roof situation, the positives of flexibility outweighed the negatives.
I complained to my contact at Green Roof Blocks about the product we received - they actually agreed to send me an entirely new shipment. So, assuming that really happens I am not sure what else I could reasonably expect. Delivering old, used and dirty planters sucks, but recognizing the error and fixing it goes a long way. . .
Soil’s up next. I have a nice, lightweight, expanded shale and organic mix that I’m picking up in Connecticut later this week. . . .more to follow.
September 30, 2008
Back on Track
So . . . we're back from a summer hiatus – and things did happen – for one, our structural engineer said that the roof could hold the additional weight of an extensive green roof – about 12–15 lbs/sqft. As you may remember we are planning a green roof and deck for our private rooftop in our co-op building in Park Slope, Brooklyn. As far as the wood deck part of the design goes, after doing everything in our power to avoid having to use steel for the structure, it seems to be our only option at this point. The positive side of things is that using steel allows us to accommodate a lot more plant material – like vegetables, shrubs and even trees.
Another summer surprise is that, I became our new co-op president! I was fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on how you view the new load of responsibility) to have the departing co-op president lobby the other building shareholders on my behalf.
In any case, the new responsibility of managing the building required me to dig through the building’s pile of halfheartedly organized records – meeting minutes, old boiler info, tax documents and the like. In the most recent building inspection report I came across a full assessment of the roof condition that had been conducted in 2006. The recommendation from this inspection was to replace the roof in its entirety. At the time, in true short-sighted fashion, the co-op board decided only to patch up certain parts of the roof, leaving the long-term plan for the next group to deal with.
Our roof was installed about 15 years ago with no warranty (at least not that anyone is aware of), by a company that no longer exists. Water damage has been reported before and recently in my own observations I have noticed some bubbling up of the paint on the fourth floor hall ceiling. The roof membrane does look cracked in certain areas – specifically around certain roof penetrations and the central bulkhead. So, for our plans, what this means is that the co-op needs to install a new roof prior to us moving forward with the deck or green roof installation.
So although this throws a wrench in our timetable, we feel better knowing a new roof and waterproofing layer will be installed. Typical EPDM roofs can have about a 15 year lifespan. Putting a green roof on top of a newly installed EPDM roof will extend the life of the typical roof by two to three times – this long-term “payback” of saving on the cost of a future replacement roof is one of the bigger economic incentives green roofs have to offer. We’ll be getting roofing estimates over the next week or so – if you have any recommendations for trusted roofers we would appreciate it . . .
Due to the rapidly approaching winter, we have decided to do a “Phase One” green roof installation. With twenty 2ft x 2ft anodized aluminum trays, we will create a series of test plots. This is by no means a real integrated green roof like you would normally find – just a testing ground, a little flair, a small intervention of 80 sq ft of green onto a rooftop in Brooklyn - hey - you’ve got to start somewhere. Plus, we’ll be able to move these trays temporarily while the new roof gets installed.
This will be an experiment of sorts, to see how different plants respond to the overwintering and harsh roof conditions. The planting time is also rather late in the season and may affect the success of the plants. Technically the frost date isn’t until mid-November, but realistically the sooner the plants get established to the new soil and conditions the more plants will survive the cold winter months. We have chosen a variety of sedums, sempervivums, and delosperma as the guinea pigs. The trays are on a UPS truck as I write and we eagerly await their safe arrival . . .
Finally, some good news, as many of you I am sure know, NY State has passed a green roof initiative. Property owners will now receive a $4.50/sqft property tax abatement for every square foot of garden or green roof they install. Sponsored by Assemblyman Ruben Diaz of the South Bronx, this new initiative is a step in the right direction for Albany lawmakers. Although it is not nearly enough to boost this emerging green market, it is a start.
June 5, 2008
Yes We Can
Alright . . . I feel inspired by yesterday’s historic day. I would like to talk Green Roof Policy in NY. A good friend of mine in the policy world has been doing me a favor and following the progress of green roof bills in Albany. It’s really amazing how no one seems to have access to this information. There is such an amazing lack of transparency into our government – especially Albany. Case in point, the closed door vote made by our representatives on the congestion pricing bill - this is a maneuver enacted by our politicians to ensure that no one knows how their representative voted on the bill. There is no record or accountability. One unfortunate aspect of that bill being rejected was that a green roof initiative was pork-barreled onto it. The initiative was from Bloomberg’s PlanNYC and sought to provide a 35% tax abatement on small-scale green roof projects. My green roof policy expert reports below:
On March 31st, the NYC City Council approved the congestion pricing plan by a 30 to 20 vote, sending the bill to the state legislature for approval. On April 7th, the deadline when NYC would lose out on $354 million of federal money for mass transit improvements, the state Assembly, led by Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-64th AD, Lower East Side), killed the bill by deciding behind closed doors not to bring congestion pricing to the floor for a public vote.
The good news is that a couple of other bills have been sponsored in Albany – one of which looks particularly promising. Bill number A5449 is the one to watch. Write an email to the committee chairs to keep this moving forward.
Assemblyman Herman D. Farrell, Jr, Chair, Ways and Means Committee
See link: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=071&sh=con
Or email: farrelh@ assembly.state.ny.us
State Senator Carl L. Marcellino, Chair, Environmental Conservation Committee
See email: marcelli@senate.state.ny.us
Below is a description of the three bills currently sponsored.
1. Bill Number: A5449, introduced by Assembly Member Dinowitz of the West Bronx (the companion bill in the senate is S4362, sponsored by Sen. Marcellino of NW Long Island).
General Description: (1) Requires the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation to develop a program to evaluate and set standards for green roof construction and certification. (2) The bill amends the tax law by providing a tax credit for the installation of roof garden of 55% of the installation cost that shall not exceed $5,000.
Current Status: On January 9, 2008 the bill was referred to the Environmental Conservation Committee. On April 15th, it was amended to its current form and recommitted to the same committee. On May 13, 2008 the bill was reported out of Environmental Conservation and referred to the Ways and Means committee. The progress and movement of the bill is promising.
This bill has a companion bill in the Senate (and I’m told you need both houses to pass bills successfully before they can go to the governor for his approval), so . . . this bill currently has the best chances of being passed into law. We are definitely exited about this although, I can’t help but wondering if $5,000 is enough? First of all, in order to get a credit, you‘ll have to enter into the permit process at the DOB which should cost x amount of dollars and cause x amount of headaches. The bill is definitely intended only for the residential green roof owner - no commercial developer is going to give a hoot about a 5K tax abatement. But, hey . . we’ll take it. It’s a step in the right direction. Another incentive that seems to have been effective elsewhere is a fast-track DOB permitting process for green roof projects (see Portland, Oregon’s Office of Sustainable Development).
2. Bill Number: S6390, introduced by State Senator Serrano who represents N. Bronx, E. Harlem and Roosevelt Island. This has no companion bill in the assembly.
General Description: Any taxpayer shall be allowed a credit for the installation of a green roof. The amount of the credit shall be 55% of qualified green roof installation expenditures, but shall not exceed the maximum credit of $10,000.
Current Status: On January 9, 2008 the bill was referred to the Environmental Conservation Committee, where it still sits. The lack of progress of the bill likely means it will not move forward, possibly because of the larger maximum credit. It also currently has no companion bill in the assembly, which is necessary to be passed into law.
3. Bill Number: A10234, introduced by Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr, who represents the 85th AD in the Southeast Bronx. This has no companion bill in the senate.
General Description: Amends property tax law to : (1) Provide a tax abatement for $6.75 per square foot of installation of a green roof or maintenance of a green roof, not to exceed $100,000 or the tax liability of the eligible building, whichever is less. (2) Provide requirements for maintaining a green roof as a condition of receiving the tax abatement for three years, which can be revoked if proper maintenance isn't followed.
Current Status: On March 11, 2008 the bill was referred to the Real Property Taxation Committee, where it still sits. It also currently has no companion bill in the senate, which is necessary to be passed into law.
May 14, 2008
Green-Brownstones
We thought this seminar on Greening your Brownstone might be of interest to a lot of you. . . .Check it out this Saturday, May 17 from 1 to 5 pm!
New York City College of Technology
Division of Continuing Education presents:
Anatomy of a Brownstone: Green Roofs, Green Homes
A seminar devoted to the art and science of sustainable homes, NYC style
Saturday, May 17 1 to 5 pm
HHT 074 $40
25 Chapel Street (at Tillary) Howard Building Room 108
To Register:
Phone: 718 552 1170 Fax 718 552 1194 email:
kramlal@citytech.cuny.edu
Information: dsalomon@citytech.cuny.edu
Learn about green roofs, energy audits, whole house design, and
sustainable building products from experts and professionals in the
green design and build community. Discover how to save energy, reduce
waste, and increase the overall comfort of your home.
Speakers
How your home uses and loses energy 1:00 to 2:00pm
Larry Ubell, WNYC’s “Guru of How To” will show the important steps to
minimizing energy waste in your home.
Raising the Green Roof 2:00 to 3:00 Tony Caggiano is the owner of plant
connections and the NYC green roof installer for Green Living
Technologies. He’ll explain how green roofs are grown, installed and
maintained and how they can help your budget and the environment.
Landscape Architect David Seiter, will show examples of urban, public
projects and high-end residential green roof projects, from Brooklyn to
Singapore.
Panel Discussion: Small and large ways to green your home 3:00 to 4:00
pm
Gita Nandan, GreenHome NYC http://www.greenhomenyc.org
Rolf Grimstead Developer, 93 Nevins “Health House” http://93nevins.com/
Jeff Honerkamp, CEO Honerkamp Lumber, LEED supplier
James Garrison, Principal, James Garrison Architects
Kris Reed, Brooklyn Center for Economic Development
Green House Tours: 4:00 to 5:00pm
Greg Todd, developer and James Garrison, an Architect who has been
building green for several years, will show examples from completed and
in progress projects and explains that building sustainably does not
mean losing style. They’ll focus on the wide array of fixtures and
materials that can create a handsome, healthy interior.
Meet and Greet: Representatives from the NYSERDA Energy Smart Program
will be on hand to distribute flyers and share energy saving tips.
April 26, 2008
Go Green Expo
Just a quick note to say that if you are interested, you should check out the Go Green Expo this weekend. . . .
There will be some green roof and green wall suppliers on hand with their products.
The Hilton New York
Saturday 10am-6pm • Sunday 10am-3pm
See the project below from Seoul, Korea by Mass Studies Architects using G-Sky Living Wall Panels . . . A similar product by Green Living Technologies will be on hand at the expo . . .
April 22, 2008
Into the Ceiling
So even though Spring is here . . . We're still inside trying to figure things out. Our next step was to determine the structural load capability of the roof in order to determine how to proceed with getting the deck and green roof built. So we had to go into the ceiling and look at the beams.
I was excited to inspect the roof from below – to see the size and condition of the beams holding up our roof and measure their spacing. I choose the side of the skylight to cut into the drywall so that it would be least intrusive. It would also allow us to look above the ceiling without actually cutting into it. After removing a 10” x 18” drywall piece in the side of the skylight niche, I caught a faceful of some really old air. I mean who knows when this space was last open?
What we found was true 3” x 7” beams that are spaced 24” apart on center. From what I understand this is not great news . . . the depth of the beam is the key number here and seven is just not that impressive. New wood decks are often framed off of 2x12s spaced 18” to 24” on center . . . in other words with a lot more load capability.
On the positive side, the quality and integrity of the beams seemed intact; with no dampness etc., though one of the beams looks like it had some water staining at some point. Everything up there now seems dry as a bone. We actually have about 12 inches of space between the ceiling and the roof, which means we could raise our ceilings if we wanted to. Right now, it’s not even a consideration, with all our money and resources devoted to the green roof project.
One key thing to note, the load-bearing walls do not extend to the ceiling (12 feet) but stop at the fourth floor ceiling (11 feet). In this case, the load-bearing walls are the interior walls that run down the center of the building separating our apartment from our 4th floor neighbor. So what that means is that we will consider cutting into the roof and building up that load bearing wall to form a 2’ high parapet in middle of the roof. We would then frame the deck, and if need be, the green roof off this parapet and the side parapet.
But, we still have a lot of questions - What can we expect to pay for building up a 2’ parapet from the load bearing wall? How does this differ price-wise from using steel? We would like to still consider using steel, but want to know the price differential between these options. Is steel two times more expensive or ten times more expensive? Will the 3x7s at 24 inches on center be enough to support the 17 lbs/sq ft of the green roof modules?
April 2, 2008
The Meeting
Finally we met with our structural engineer, “Bob,” an old timer who seemed to know his bricks from his beams. Bob was recommended to me by a friend in the construction business who talked about him as someone who “knew how to get things done in Brooklyn.” We had chatted on the phone so he had a good idea of what we were after.
Bob was a wealth of information – both practical and historical. Although typical homes in Park Slope allow for a load of about 40 lbs/sqft, Bob said that sometime around 1950 they realized they didn’t need quite that load and resized things down a bit to 35 lbs/sqft. Since our building is from 1920 we should theoretically be able to handle more weight than some newer construction, but I guess we would also have to factor in the age of the beams. One thing we didn’t think of was that the ceilings of our apartment have to be factored into the load calculation, as they hang off the roof beams. Also included in that number should be the roofing material, of which there may have been three or four layers applied throughout the years.
I was beginning to think my green roof modules were doomed! At roughly 15-20lbs/sqft when saturated – could these work on our existing roof? Bob had a lot more questions, for instance - Where are the load-bearing walls? What size are the beams and how far apart are they?
His thought was that our type of building, a 29ft x 60ft building with a central staircase, would typically need to be supported by two load-bearing walls in order for the single wood beam to span the 29 ft across without sagging. A quick trip to the basement confirmed that our building had load bearing columns each about 10ft offset from the side walls of the building. See the image below for the 1936 basement plan with my annotations – my trip to the DOB was worth it after all!
Essentially what this means is that we could cut through the roof and build up from that load bearing wall to create a low wall, or parapet, in the middle of the roof. We could then frame the deck off that wall and the side brick parapet. Obviously the next steps are contingent on the investigation of the beams, but Bob’s feeling was that the green roof modules would be okay! Let’s hope those old builders in the `20s overcompensated on their structural load calculations.
Without original building plans, we will have to do some investigating into the beam size and spacing. So . . . we’re looking forward to cutting a hole in the ceiling! We always wanted to see if we could ever raise our ceilings higher – now here’s the chance. We’ll let you know how that goes . . .
We were also a little surprised to learn that architect, engineer, and permitting fees could be close to $5000 for even something this simple. In most cases, design and permitting fees should be between 10 and 20 percent of the total construction cost. So these projected fees definitely have us concerned, as they could be more than we’ve planned for. In any case, we’ll feel better about having it permitted, both for our own peace-of-mind and ease of resale somewhere down the line.
While this meeting was productive in moving the process forward, we still felt left with more questions than answers. Until we do our own investigations (i.e. the pending hole in the ceiling) we won’t really know anything. We also left feeling that we wanted a general cost comparison between using and not using steel on the roof. All you structural engineers out there - feel free to weigh in right about now!
Although we don’t want to get into specifics on finances, we understand it may be difficult to budget for these types of projects, so we will answer your budget questions by email. Also, we know how hard it is to find good people, so . . . we would be happy to share additional info about our structural engineer and other friends. Drop us an email at greenroofguy@gmail.com.