Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2013 - (Page 4)

ON THE ROOF WITH… ON THE ROOF WITH ... INDUSTRY LEADERS Amy Norquist, founder and president, Greensulate LLC HOW CAN LIVING ARCHITECTURE PLAY MORE OF A ROLE IN CREATING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES? Jamie James, president and founder, Tower Labs @MaRS Research Alliance In 2012, the United States experienced 11 extreme weather related disasters, each causing in excess of $1 billion in damages and many more on a smaller scale. Recently, Hurricane Sandy pummelled the U.S. so hard that the economic impact will likely top $60 billion. Natural disasters have an enormous impact on our infrastructure, ecosystems and on the health and livelihood of those affected. We are far from fully understanding the hidden potential of how living architecture systems can help our communities cope when various disasters strike. I spoke with seven industry leaders across North America to find out how they think living architecture can play more of a role in creating resilient communities; and what projects or policies they think champion green roofs and walls as a way to create them. INTERVIEWED BY: JENNIFER FODEN WILSON Lisa Lee Benjamin, principal instigator and consultant, Evo Design and UGLAB Jeff Joslin, director of current planning, Planning Department, City and County of San Francisco Dr. Dickson Despommier, director, Vertical Farming Project Lauren Mandel, project manager and rooftop agriculture specialist, Roofmeadow Karen Kubick, wastewater enterprise capital program director, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission HOW CAN LIVING ARCHITECTURE PLAY MORE OF A ROLE IN CREATING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES IN FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, RESOURCE SHORTAGES AND NATURAL DISASTERS? AMY: Green roofs and walls will play a critical role in helping us recover from the increased flooding, failing air quality due to rising temperatures and the negative health effects of climate change. The simple solution of reclaiming former green space, now available outside building envelopes is cost effective. It reminds people that we live in a natural environment and provides much needed green space to the shrinking natural footprint of cities. Additionally, reversing the loss of biodiversity due to climate change is important for habitat and the critical function—for food production—of pollinators like birds and bees. JAMIE: Living architecture presents an opportunity to LIVING ARCHITECTURE MONITOR / FALL 2013 / 4 LAM_FALL 2013-3.indd 4 8/9/13 10:23 AM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2013

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2013
Inside
From the Founder
Bookshelf – Eat Up: The Inside Scoop on Rooftop Agriculture
Green Roofs Boost Efficiency of Solar Panels
Grey to Green a Great Success
New & Upcoming GRHC Courses
On the Roof With… Industry Leaders
West Coast Green Innovation
Industry Research Collection
The Green Façade Inquiry
Creative Stormwater Landscaping
Leadership – Green Roof Leadership
Plant – Selecting Plants for Living Walls
Conference Agenda — CitiesAlive in San Francisco
Project – Green Walls for Greener Cities
Project – Living Architecture That Feeds
Project – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
New Corporate Members
GRHC Buyers Guide
Hey EPA

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2013