US Postal Service Green Roof

The US Postal Service has finished a 2.5 acre green roof in New York City. The green roof, on top of the Morgan, an historic building in mid-town, should last 50 years.

Inhabitat.com posted the story in its regular email, though the USPS posted a press release on 22 July 2009. Free Shipping on any purchase over $25

According to the press release,

“The Morgan green roof is the largest in New York and one of the largest in the country,” said Sam Pulcrano, vice president, Sustainability. “Not only does it provide employees with a beautiful, serene outdoor environment, the green roof will help us meet our goal to reduce energy usage 30 percent by 2015.”

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The USPS wisely noted the value of green roofs, namely, reduced energy usage, as well as storm water runoff management. Additionally, green roofs reduce fine particulate matter air pollution. Of course, they are beautiful also! Chuck Norris wants YOU to get into shape! - Total Gym® Official Store. Try Total Gym® for 30 Days for only $1 - FREE Shipping.

As a US taxpayer, I am glad to see my money being spent in such a responsible way! Let's hope we see more green roofs, not just in New York City, but also in places such as Shanghai, Bangalore, and more in Mexico City.

Another Green City for China

In the 9/25/2008 issue of "China Daily," there is an article titled "China Singapore Team Up on Green City Project."

China, in cooperation with Singapore, is looking to build a new, green city on a piece of land that would otherwise be unsuitable for habitation.

From the article: "The eco city is located in Tianjin's Binhai New Area. It will cover a total of 30 sq km - 20 sq km in Hangu district and 10 sq km in Tanggu district. It is 15 km from the central part of the Binhai New Area, 45 km from downtown Tianjin, and 150 km from Beijing."

The planners are estimating a population of approximately 350,000 when complete in 10-15 years. Additionally, it will have five commercial centers.

From a sustainability point of view, "Clean energy and renewable energy resources - such as wind power, solar energy, underground heat pump and air source heat pump - will reduce carbon emissions in the city. All the buildings in the eco city will have to conform to green architectural design standards." Green roofs are included in the design.

This is the latest in a green building boom in China. Shanghai working on a green roof program, Dongtan is the green city in southern China, and Songjiang, the new green resort being built. In each of these cases, green roofs play a key role in reducing air pollution, the urban heat island effect, storm water runoff, as well as improved energy efficiency.

Interview with Atkins, Part II

This is the second part of the my interview with Atkins regarding the Songjiang resort complex, in Songjiang, China, near Shanghai. Read Part I here, and the original post ("China's Green Resort) here. Many thanks to Atkins for their time and cooperation with this interview.

Assuming the overall project is successful, does Atkins expect other Chinese hotels to use green roofs or event to remodel existing structures to promote cleaner air?
This depends on the context and location. Green roofs have their use and place but not in all situations. However it is our intention to promote green issues in hotel design in appropriate forms in all our projects.

What are the risks to this project? Specifically, are the current global credit situation or the cost of oil creating stress on the project?
Risks are that the budgets may be reduced and thus reduce the sustainability elements in this particular project. However certain features such as the green roof are an integral part of the design and cannot be omitted.

Outside of the Shimao, who are the key stakeholders in the project?
Shimao are the developers. They are currently negotiating with the prospective hotel operators. At the moment, the operator’s identity is confidential.

Has this project inspired inquiries by other hoteliers to create their own Songjiang-type hotels?
Yes we have had inquiries from a number of developers/operators in China as a result of this success. Some have specifically requested for sustainable content within their concepts.

China's Green Resort

China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and suffers the effects of that rapid growth. Air pollution and storm water runoff effect their major and minor cities.

The Chinese government has acknowledged these problems and has taken steps to improve the situation. One way is through green roofs.

Shanghai has defined targets for the number green roofs (details here) and design firms are lining up for cities' worth of opportunity.



Outside of Shanghai, in the Songjiang district, Atkins has designed the "Songjiang Garden City," with a resort as the focal point. According the Greenroofs.com:

The innovative design of the 400-bed resort hotel stands two levels higher than the rock face of the 100 metre deep quarry and includes underwater public areas and guestrooms... Sustainability is integral to the design ranging from using green roofing for the structures above the ground level to geothermal energy extraction.



As this is part of a larger project, as mentioned above, I will be conducting an interview with Atkins Design to learn more. Until I publish the interview, Greenroofs.com and Atkins both have good articles about this project.

Greening Kuwait

Lest people believe that green roofs are only used in Mexico City, Shanghai, Dongtan, or Chicago, Atkins Design of Epsom, UK has "...recently received the honour of CNBC Arabian Property Award High Rise Architecture Award" for the Al Sharq Office Complex in Kuwait. This was reported in World Architecture News.com.

From the article:

"The Al Sharq office building quietly pursues a rigorous sustainability agenda. A shallow plan office floor plate with heavily shaded facades reduces the tower's environmental footprint... The 180m tower will cover an area of 56,400sq.m and ... offers a variety of scenarios for business within a sustainable and environmentally responsible design."

As one can see from the artist's rendition, there will be what are refered to as "roof gardens" to provide shade and fresh air. While not displayed, this author hopes some form of green roof will be available, though given the climate, watering would be required.

Although storm water runoff management is not as significant an issue in Kuwait as it would be in Chennai, the reduction of fine particulate air pollution is certainly a benefit.

Jetsongreen.com provides this quotation from Nicholas Bailey of Atkins: "This is a green building - literally - because of its foliage camouflage. Vertical fins to the street elevation, formed in colored glass, are fitted with integrated solar panels that contribute to the building's energy needs."

One hopes that other countries such as the U.A.E., Qatar, and Saudi Arabia consider using green roofs and green building in their current and future construction.

Shanghai Green Roofs Grow!

Shanghai gets it! In an article in China Daily, it was reported that "The Shanghai landscaping administration bureau said more than 95,000 sq m of rooftops have been covered in grass and shrubs, very close to the annual target of 100,000 sq m. The city's annual construction of green areas will be about 200,000 sq m this year, the bureau said."

This is fantastic news. Shanghai's air pollution is the third worst in China, only behind Guanzhou and Beijing. The overall commitment to improve the cityscape with green roofs is real, although annual budgets aren't very high. From the article, "The city will spend 5 million yuan ($710,000) this year on the campaign."

Like other government sponsored green roof projects, like those of Chicago, the focus is primarily on government buildings. What is positive to note is scale and commitment of putting green roofs in Shanghai. Again, from the article, "Since the campaign began in 2003, at total 500,000 sq m of Shanghai's rooftops have been covered, more than 80 times the size of Fuxing Park, a popular recreational area in downtown Shanghai."

Let's hope that with the rapid construction in Shanghai, builders and government can work together to get green roofs on as many buildings as possible.

A New Green City for China, Interview Part II

As I have written in the three previous articles (here, here, and here), Dongtan is going to be "...a city powered by local, renewable energy, with super-efficient buildings clustered in dense, walkable neighborhoods; a recycling scheme that re-purposes 90 percent of all waste; a network of high tech organic farms; and a ban on any vehicle that emits CO₂."
To get more information about the project, I have conducted an interview with Arup, the city designer. This is the second of two articles with details from the interview.

So, how does this type of dream city actually get built? The simple answer is money. HSBC and Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL) are going to provide the majority of financing for the development. Both of these companies are natural contributors for this project.

From the HSBC website, "The HSBC Group is named after its founding member, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, which was established in 1865 to finance the growing trade between China and Europe." SDCL, from its site, "SDCL has an exclusive focus on projects which it considers: Have a positive environmental and social impact; Can create attractive levels of return on investment (commercial sustainability); and Are potentially transformational."

Continuing with the theme of balance between sustainability and Chinese design, it also helps to consider the philosophy of Mao Tse-tung, which considered nature an obstacle, and that of Hu Jin Tao, which declared the necessity for ecological balance and sustainability. In both cases, Dongtan will be the area to find that balance, both to sustain a growing population, as well as maintaining the highest ecological standards possible.

The final question I asked was whether Arup was persuing other similar projects? They highlighted two projects, Wanzhuang, in China and Treasure Island Community Development (TICD) in San Francisco. In both cases, sustainability, renewable energy, and ecological protection are the main drivers in the development.

I congratulate all of the parties involved in the Dongtan project and give my best wishes for their success. Further, I would like to thank Arup and its Press Office for being so generous with their time. As the project progresses, it is my intent to provide updates. Additionally, I will do the same for Wanzhuang and Treasure Island.

A New Green City for China, Interview Part I

As I have written in two previous articles (here and here), Dongtan is going to be "...a city powered by local, renewable energy, with super-efficient buildings clustered in dense, walkable neighborhoods; a recycling scheme that re-purposes 90 percent of all waste; a network of high tech organic farms; and a ban on any vehicle that emits CO₂."
To get more information about the project, I have conducted an interview with Arup, the city designer. This is the first of two articles with details from the interview.

As previously mentioned, the development is being led by the Shanghai Industrial Investment Corporation (SIIC). My first question was why China wants to build a "green" city, with all of the sustainable elements. The answer can be found in a speech by Chinese President Hu Jintao, at the 17th National Congress. While I am not fond of communist propaganda, he does mention several times the need to improve environmental conditions and reduce pollution.

The second question was why Arup was chosen. While the SIIC didn't comment specifically, Arup has over 30 years experience working in China and also uses a system called Integrated Resource Management (IRM), which is a tool to optimize land use. This tool accounts for water, waste, energy, and living space necessary on a given piece of land. In this case, Dongtan is projected to hold 500,000 people at capacity.

One item that will make this city unique is that Arup has provided a design specification for types of buildings. The specifications allow designers, architects, and developers to provide structures that reflect the Chinese character of Dongtan, while creating a sustainable, green living space. Many of these buildings will also have green roofs! Green roofs reduce utility costs, storm water runoff, as well as CO2 and air pollution. Green roofs also can provide aesthetic benefits for those living in and around the buildings. Since no building will be much over eight stories, these roofs should be visible from street level.

The next article will cover questions regarding financing partners, the potential for similar projects, as well as the public response. Many thanks to Arup for participating in the interview process.

Click here to read the second part of the interview.

A New Green City for China

**Be sure to read the update with Interview 1, Interview 2, and videos. **
Shanghai has a growing population, heavily polluted air, dirty water, and power shortages. But just a short ferry ride away is a wild-life preserve that will soon become its first green city.

Dongtan, which according to Business Week, "About the size of Manhattan, Dongtan aims to be energy self-sufficient using a combination of wind, solar power, and biofuels." The design is being done by Arup Group, out of London, with Alejandro Gutierrez as the Project Designer. Peter Head is the Project Director, and Roger Wood is the Project Manager. The final customer is Shanghai Industrial Investment Corporation (SIIC), and they will be making the final decisions. Cheap? No. 100% Free. Trade stocks for free on Zecco.com. The Free Trading Community. www.zecco.com

According to Gutierrez, as quoted in Wired Magazine, Dongtan will be "...a city powered by local, renewable energy, with super-efficient buildings clustered in dense, walkable neighborhoods; a recycling scheme that re-purposes 90 percent of all waste; a network of high tech organic farms; and a ban on any vehicle that emits CO₂." Of course, many of these buildings will have green roofs! Water Barrels and Storage

Because this is such an interesting topic, Arup has agreed to be interviewed about the Dongtan project. My goal is to bring you the details of this emerging and fascinating story! Green roofs are going to be a part of this major endeavor, and I predict it will only help their popularity.

Green Roofs in China, Helping Beijing Breathe

The greatest inspiration for me to blog about green roofs was my trip to Shanghai, China in January of 2008. There I saw incredible air pollution, which literally was choking.

While I sat in several different office buildings, many stories into the skyline, I observed huge swaths of flat roofs, mostly black, sitting idle. Additionally, I remembered the discussion about how energy starved Shanghai is, as well as concerns about water.

As one of my meetings ran long, and somewhat boring, I began to map out a strategy of how Shanghai could adopt flat green roofs, reduce air pollution, and minimize storm water runoff. I admit, the plan was grandiose, so that's why I settled on a blog instead.

It turns out that in 2006, several stories ran about green roofs in Beijing, where, according to the US embassy, has worse air pollution than Shanghai. Here are some quotes from articles at that time. There is also a nice mention of LEED in there.

"The Beijing Linked Hybrid project, a self-contained city of linked vertical buildings designed by Holl, includes hundreds of apartments as well as stores and schools, and every roof is green. Storm water collected in rooftops will help feed a self-sustaining water system to protect the buildings against water shortages in Beijing, Holl explained.

"They want it and they're willing to pay for it," Holl said of his Chinese clients.

China launched a nationwide drive last month to make energy-saving buildings that help ease fuel shortages and reduce greenhouse gases. The country has also signed an agreement with the United Nations to promote environmentally friendly practices in staging the 2008 Beijing Olympics." from "Landscape architects tend to a green roof" found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12512892/.

From the Christian Science Monitor:

""There isn't much pressure for us to promote the green concept," said science ministry official Yang Guoxiong at last week's green inauguration.

"The national government has incredible intentions for a green future." says Mr. Mars. "Really mind-boggling. But we are in an interesting paradox, and I am asking, 'Is it better to have high ambitions, or to be realistic?' " http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0403/p07s02-woap.html

Let's hope the rest of China can catch the green roof wave and bring clean air to their cities and citizens.