Of Green Roofs, Mickey Mouse, and Petit Ermitage

What does Micky Mouse have in common with a chic West Hollywood hotel?  A green roof!  Yes, its true.  Whether you are eating a $4.00 churro or drinking a $15 martini, you will see vegetation on the roof.

While traveling through Southern California, I stayed at Petit Ermitage in West Hollywood.  A great, small hotel, it has a rooftop garden with lots of great plants.  National Geographic had a blog post by Lawrence Ferber about it from September 10, 2010, but it is no longer available.  I found a pdf of the article.  It reads in part:

 Even for Hollywood, boutique hotel Petit Ermitage boasts bragging rights to possibly the most exclusive regulars that frequent its gorgeous, private rooftop deck: hummingbirds.  The National Wildlife Federation recognizes the space as a butterfly and hummingbird sanctuary. 

Tucked within a residential crevice between busy Santa Monica and Sunset Boulevards, the greenery-nestled Private Rooftop Club and restaurant is one of Petit Ermitage's star attractions.

Chef Antonishek grows fresh herbs and produce on the deck's garden, including parsley, rosemary, peppermint, tomatoes, strawberries and kumquats, for use in dishes... 

Courtesy Tracygallagher.com

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I enjoyed my stay and would recommend it my readers.  The room was well appointed and comfortable.  I wandered down the halls admiring the extensive art collection.  The obvious question is why would I leave this wonderful location for Disneyland in Annaheim.  The answer is simple: my kids.

While at Disneyland, we stayed at the Grand Californian Hotel.  Done in American Craftsman style, the enormous great lobby has very tastefully done fake rocks and wooden beams.  It is a nice place and the accommodations were nice.  However, the green roof was found in the park itself.

Right across from Big Thunder Barbecue was this small snack shop with its green roof.  I almost missed it, as subtly blends in with the rest of the vegetation.

Many criticize Disney for its inaccurate representations of history and foreign culture, but you look hard, you can find some very sophisticated gardening and a tremendous variety of vegetation.

For a short trip to California, I managed to take in two green roofs, though I missed the monster of them all, the California Academy of Sciences, in San Francisco.  I will let you know the next time I head out there, as it is pretty amazing.

Green Roof Video Friday - The Solaire

I hope you enjoy this video about the Solaire, an apartment building in New York City with two green roofs.  The building also has on-site water treatment as well as a 33 KW solar system.  It is LEED Gold (the first multi-family high rise to do so)!

One of the most important elements of the green roofs on the Solaire is that they reduce storm water runoff.  In New York City, property owners are assessed a tax based on the volume of storm water runoff.  Fortunately, there is a tax reduction if the building has a green roof.

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The green roofs also reduce the heating and cooling costs by insulating the roof for both the heat of the sun, as well cold winds.  The green roof also reduce the heat island effect, which is when buildings in large cities absorb the heat of the sun and release the heat through convection.  This convection can raise the city's temperature over 6 degrees Fahrenheit.

Crossrail Canary Wharf Station Green Roof

To increase its public transportation network, London is in the process of building the Canary Wharf Station, complete with a green roof!

According to World Architecture News, the station will "...boost the British economy by at least £20bn, creating and supporting thousands of jobs and adding 10 per cent extra capacity to London's public transport network."

A project this size hasn't been seen in London for over 50 years, and fortunately building techniques have changed for the better. The building of the station is being carried out with

"...environmentally responsible construction methods, including the silent piling rigs and coffer dam to partially dewater the dock, minimise disruption to office occupiers, local businesses and residents.”

While pictures indicate a green roof on the Canary Wharf station, there has been controversy as to whether other stations will have green roofs also.

According to Building, in its 20 October 2008 article,

Cabe’s design review panel said the practice’s material for the proposed Isle of Dogs station was “largely illustrative,” and complained of a “lack of hardline drawings giving exact information”.

It said it was not convinced the scheme’s green roof could be achieved, asked for clearer detail on the predicted movement flow through the station, and said more work could be done to open up the park element of the scheme to visitors.

Although I haven't found any further updates on the controversy, London does have at least four additional designs for green roofs. More information can be found here.

This improvement to the underground system in London will provide not only improved quality of life inside the city, but also a better environment through green roofs.

Düsseldorf’s Kö-Bogen Green Roofs

Germany continues its green roof leadership with the Kö-Bogen development in Düsseldorf.

According to Inhabitat.com, the structure, designed for multi-use the structure is:

"...adjacent to the Hofgarten, Düsseldorf’s central park, the Kö-Bogen will help create a larger and more continuous open green space that runs from the city center out to the park and the Rhine. The green roof will help connect the building with the beautiful historical parks surrounding the downtown area, while reducing rainwater runoff and helping to significantly reduce heating and cooling costs."

According to its architect, Daniel Libeskind, funding has been secured, and construction is set to begin in early 2010. The building is due to open in 2013.

While a green roof is a significant element of sustainable design, Kö-Bogen also includes other green building elements. It will have solar panels, as well as a biogas cogenerator.

Another Green Roof for London

London is getting another green roof on top of a sustainable building! The 21,370 square meter new office building was designed by UK-based Fletcher Priest for Monteverde Group.

The building is designed to use a staggered step design, creating two separate green roofs on the structure. Additionally, the upper green roof will be private, while the lower green roof will be public.

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Designers chose green roofs to double the public use space as well as to provide additional views of the surrounding buildings.

World Interior Design Network and World Architectural News ran similar stories commenting upon the structure and its design. WIDN also reports:

"The design reuses and adapts the existing below ground structure. This means about 50% of the existing building will be reused. The spare structural capacity and the embodied energy of the existing structure are not wasted, resulting in savings with reduced risks and less disturbance during ground works."

Additionally, recycled green glass will be used in the windows, reducing energy consumption by 40%.

Grow indoors

London is becoming a home of environmentally friendly, sustainable buildings with green roofs. Although projects such as the Battersea Power Station development have floundered due to the poor economic conditions of 2008-09, London has pioneered green roofed bus shelters (which San Francisco followed), and other green projects.

Grow Cities with Green Roofs

Growing cities bring more air pollution. Cities such as Houston, Texas are using green roofs to combat air pollution and manage storm water runoff.

A recent NPR piece about growing and sprawling cities, states greater Houston's population at about 6 million people (podcast here). With its hot and humid climate, as well as oil refineries, air pollution is a very serious issue. Additionally, as Houston grows, storm water runoff and its management also becomes a more significant issue, as much of the runoff ends up in the Gulf of Mexico.

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The Houston Business Journal reported in 2007 people were thinking about and building green roofs. The green roof is 12% more efficient than a baseline building, and helps to reduce the urban heat island effect.

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From the article:

According to Wooten (Kirksey Associate Russell Wooten, project manager), green roofs address two green building issues that are of special concern in Houston:

• The heat island effect. Green roofs reduce what is known as the heat island effect: Due to large areas of hot paved surfaces in urban areas, it's often up to 10 degrees hotter in the city than in the surrounding countryside.
• Stormwater. The plant materials on green roofs absorb a large amount of stormwater.

...green roofs increase the roof's life span, filter pollutants and carbon dioxide out of the air and filter pollutants and heavy metals out of rainwater.

Another successful green roof project in Houston is the University of Houston Architecture School. Geoffrey Brune of the Architecture School states in a piece from ABC12.com:

"If all the buildings in Houston had green roofs then the temperature would be very different. … I think it would be significantly noticeable … by several degrees."

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Additionally, the U/H green roof is on a building with a sloped roof, not typically seen with green roofs. The building is proving that green roofs are feasible on not just for larger structures with sloped roofs, but also for residential structures, which typically do have sloped roofs.

As Houston's population continues to grow, the application of green roofs to new buildings will help bring cleaner air to its new residents.

Green Roofs at Airports

Although I have written about the green roof Kloten (Zurich) International Airport Dock E, I was thinking about a different type of green roof. What if there were green roofs on jet ways?

As I taxied to the gate in Boston, I thought about how hot, cold, or muggy the jet way would be. It is rare, at least in the U.S. airports that I have traveled through that jet ways were comfortable. Air France offers free stopovers in Paris.

So, what if they outfitted jet ways with green roofs? The would immediately be cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and would help with storm water runoff.

While retrofitting existing jet ways with green roofs is probably infeasible, it may more realistic with new jet ways. Designer cards at Cardstore.com

Just a thought for all of you airport managers out there.

Villa Santai, Bali's Green Roof

When people think of Bali, Indonesia, warm breezes, and a beautiful, unspoiled setting come to mind. Relaxing in such a beautiful setting is a dream for many, and a reality for just a few.

Victor Sinclair decided this was a place he wanted live and dream, while enjoying green roofs! His website starts with an excellent quotation that sets the stage for why he built Villa Santai with green roofs:

“ The nature that we have on the roof, is that piece of nature that we murdered, when put the house there ” , Friedenreich Hunderwasser, the leading architect for green roofs in the 1960's – 1980's.

Particular to this site are the ways Villa Santai manages water. Subject to monsoons and dry seasons, the Villa has a series of water storage tanks to capture heavy rains. While the green roofs take up some of the rain, the rest is divided for different purposes. In one tank, the water is filtered for drinking water. The other two tanks are used to recycle waste water, which goes to to maintain the plants. Water Barrels and Storage

The green roofs for the Villa specifically reduce the interior heat of the living area, which in tropical Bali is a must! Additionally, outside of the 36 acre lot, the major form of transportation is motorcycle or scooter. The green roofs help reduce the noise as people motor past. $20 Off AeroGardens

Found in the beauty of Bali, Villa Santai is an excellent example of using sustainable building, green roofs, and water conservation in a luxury setting. In addition to Victor's website, I highly recommend his article on greenroofs.com.

Chilean Hospitals with Green Roofs

Near Santiago, Chile, two hospitals have been designed with green roofs! The two beautiful designs are for large, accessible health care facilities to meet the growing need for both inpatient and outpatient care.

The two hospitals, 65,000 m2 each, designed by Architects Barbera (Spain) and
Murtinho+Raby Arquitectos (Chile), each had to serve not just the medical needs of the residents, but also fit suitably in the environment. The architects decided to include green roofs in their design. Hydroponic garden

In both cases, patient rooms would receive natural sunlight, while functional corridors and non-patient spaces would generally be inset into the landscape. By using the landscape and green roofs, the hospitals are both visually appealing and energy efficient. Additionally, the green roofs also help to reduce air pollution, which is significant in Santiago. Discover Top Rated Mighty Leaf Herbal Tea. Tea lovers love our delicious herbal tea blends. You will too. Save 25% on your first order!

Two videos are available from the site announcing the design of these buildings. They are in Spanish, but are beautiful to watch, if you don't speak Spanish.

Combining Solar and Green Roofs

Is it possible to make green roofs better? Sure, add solar panels! Although many think that green roofs and solar panels are incompatible, they aren't!

Although the benefits of green roofs are legendary, particularly the reduction of HVAC costs, and improved storm water control, air quality improvements, and reducing urban heat islands, adding solar just makes it that much better. Water Barrels and Storage

As I was researching the topic, I found some good information from Calfinder. A residential solar installer, Calfinder writes that green roofs improve the efficiency of solar panels, as they reduce the surrounding heat. "The green roof cools ambient temperatures around the solar panels, allowing the solar panels to stay cooler and function better." $20 Off AeroGardens

Calfinder also links to greenroofs.com, and the project pictured above, in Germany. An elementary school combined solar with a beautiful sedum roof. From the article:

Two hundred solar panels with an output of 23 kW(p) and a large extensive green roof now grace the top roof of this large school for primary and secondary grades in Unterensingen. The panels power enough electricity for the entire school.

The practice of combining green roofs and solar is a winning idea! Not only do both perform their functions improving the environment, but their synergy creates more efficient and longer lasting solar panels. Now, if the techonolgy for wind turbines improves for those of us in low-wind areas, that would be a triple play! Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food

Where Green Roofs are the Law

When writing my post about Toronto mandating green roofs for new construction over 2000 sq m., I had remembered that Tokyo had a similar law, but hadn't provided any source material.

Since then, I decided to find out what localities or countries required green roofs by law. While I don't wish to discuss the merits or demerits of mandating green roofs by the force of law, I am happy to discuss the benefits from the green roofs themselves. Water Barrels and Storage

As mentioned above, Toronto's City Council passed a law in May of 2009 requiring roofs over 2,000 sq m. to have green roofs that cover between 20-50% of the roof's surface. For Toronto, storm water runoff and pollution control are significant issues, as well as reducing heating costs. However, it turns out the Tokyo is the leader in legislating green roofs.

The Fujitsu Research Institute reports that the law, Ordinance on Environmental Preservation, originally passed in December of 2000, implemented in April 2001, and revised in June of 2008, is focused on reducing petroleum in general, though it also spells out other green activities, including green roofs.

Greenroofs.com highlights that the Ordinance requires "...new buildings greater than 1,000 square meters (10,000 sf) or over one-quarter acre to green at least 20% of its useable roof space." For Tokyo specifically, a key goal in implementing this ordinance was to reduce the urban heat island effect. Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food

Not to be outdone by the Japanese, Switzerland has a federal law requiring green roofs. The law, however, is administered at the Canton (state) level, with each state taking a slightly different interpretation.

Again, greenroofs.com is a wealth of information, with this quotation:

"The cities of Basel, Zürich, and Luzern, for example now require that every new flat roof be planted per building code. As of the end of 2005, approximately 20% of the flat roofs are green roofs within Basel in the city of Basel in a year there will be around 80. This equals about 80 city projects totaling 480,000 m2, with the outlying countryside projects also around 80, estimated at 500,000 m2 (Dr. Stephan Brenneisen, 2005)."

As we have seen, legislating green roofs does create great benefits for the localities in which the laws are past. Buildings use less energy as the green roofs reduce HVAC costs, and they also reduce the load on storm water management systems. Additionally, major cities reduce the urban heat island effect. Clearly, these are tremendous benefits, though I don't personally believe they should be mandated by law.

A New Green Roof in Delhi, Michigan

OK, the picture you see doesn't have a green roof, but the green roof is there, really! According to "Capital Gains," the Township of Delhi, near Lansing, Michigan put a 7200 square foot green roof on the Sam Corey Senior Center.

The Senior Center, in addition to having a green roof, also has "...a geothermal closed-loop ground source heat pump." Additionally, it is the first LEED-certified building in the Township. The Township decided to use the green roof to mitigate storm water runoff and reduce HVAC costs. The Township estimates the green roof will absorb 9/10 of an inch of rain and save 35-50% in HVAC costs. $20 Off AeroGardens

The green roof was built using elements from LiveRoof. Headquartered in the Netherlands, LiveRoof uses a modular system, making installation and maintenance easy. Similar to flats of annuals, if changes need to be made or changes in the design are desired, it is simple as replacing the flat.


As I mention in the title section of the blog, green roofs provide tremendous cost and environmental benefits without being overly complex or expensive. Were I a taxpayer in Delhi Township or the state of Michigan, I would congratulate the responsible parties for wise use of my tax dollars.

Great Video on Reducing Urban Heat Islands

Riverwired.com has posted a great video, which I have embedded below, about the green roof at Silvercup Studios in New York City.

The green roof is not only providing benefits such as reducing the urban heat island effect and reducing storm water runoff, but it is also a test bed and research station. FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50.00 at InhabitLiving.com

The green roof, according to LINYC, was installed in the summer of 2005. From the article:

"A matrix of 1,500 planters will have 20 different species of plants intended to show off their red, yellow and green colors, visible from the Queensboro Bridge when in full bloom. The carefully selected plants and soil - engineered to weigh only a fifth as much as typical dirt - help clean the air and absorb rain that would otherwise become storm-water runoff. And when many of them are clustered together, green roofs can reduce the urban heat island effect (densely populated cities tend to be hotter than surrounding areas because of the heat-trapping properties of tall buildings, asphalt and concrete)."

Enjoy the video!

Colombia Joins the Green Roof Movement

When many people think of green roofs, they generally think of cities such as Chicago, Washington, DC and Shanghai. While these cities definitely need the benefits of green roofs, non-polluted environments can benefit also. Take Colombia, with its varied geography and mild climate, is a great location for green roofs.

A recent project, designed by G Ateliers, in Guatapé, Antioquia, Colombia sports green roofs on structures that blend into the surrounding environment. FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50.00 at InhabitLiving.com

The structures, known as "Ecological Shelters," are about 2 hours from Medellin and were built for potential use in eco-tourism. The idyllic country-side, with rolling hills, and a large lake nearby creates a perfect setting for "getting away from it all."

What is also nice about these "shelters," is that the green roofs were designed to be used daily, and not just for their benefits, such as reduced HVAC costs, storm water runoff management, and air pollution reduction. Discover Top Rated Mighty Leaf Herbal Tea. Tea lovers love our delicious herbal tea blends. You will too. Save 25% on your first order!

Inhabitat.com notes that the complex also has hiking trails, dining, as well as a chapel. One wonders how long such a beautiful site can remain a secret?