New Green Roof for the Department of the Interior

The US Department of the Interior announced on Dec. 16, 2008 that a green roof located on the 3rd wing of the Main Interior Building in Washington, D.C was completed. The project was a "...partnership among Interior’s Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, the General Services Administration, and the Department’s National Business Center. "

Washington D.C. has been know for storm water runoff issues and the city itself was sued by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to meet EPA guidelines. This new green roof will do the following according to the press release:

• Hold up to .7 inches of rain to reduce stormwater runoff entering the sewage system and reduce streambank erosion.
• Shield the roof from the sun’s direct rays, which extends the roof’s life span, insulates the building during the summer and saves energy as well as mitigates urban “heat island” effects.
• Improve air quality by filtering the air that moves across the plants and, through photosynthesis, convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.
• Provide habitat for songbirds and pollinators.
• Reduce noise transfer from the outdoors.
• Provide a visually attractive sight for employees and visitors.

It has also been reported elsewhere that Interior is planning to put green roofs on all six of its buildings in the District of Columbia. This marks a positive step by the US government to the acceptance and use of green roofs.

Green Roofs Control Storm Water Runoff

As I have mentioned in previous posts, the benefits of green roofs include reduced utility costs, reduced heat island effect, reduced air pollution, and reduced storm water runoff. In cities close to major bodies of water where storm water runoff is a major concern, green roofs can be used to help mitigate that concern.

In an article in Environmental Health Perspectives, Washington DC was sued to reduce storm water runoff in 2002. As part of the settlement, "...the DC Water and Sewer Authority provided $300,000 for green roof development....Those funds, managed by the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Foundation, seeded a program of incentive grants that encouraged eight builders to choose green roofs over other traditional devices as their primary stormwater control device (stormwater control plans are required for any new construction or redevelopment of more than 5,000 square feet in the District)."

Clearly, the District takes this issue very seriously. Green roofs are becoming more popular in Washington, DC. Hopefully, more federal buildings will look like Chicago's City Hall.