Green Roof Reno: October 2008
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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.
