Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2009 - (Page 22)

POLICY: CITIES LEADING BY EXAMPLE A MORE BEAUTIFUL BALTIMORE A NEW CITY SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND LEED®-RELATED INCENTIVES ARE CREATING A HEALTHIER CITY FOR ALL By Cailin McGough ne year after the 6th Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards and Trade Show was hosted by the Baltimore, Maryland in 2008, the City’s roofs are looking even greener. This spring, the City began work on a nearly USD $2 million project to install a green roof on the Hilton Convention Center Hotel. Along with making needed repairs, the City opted to replace about 40 percent of the 32,640-square-foot roof with a new waterproof roof surface, walkway pavers and planting areas. While the Convention Center has long had a terrace, the sterile environment was less than inviting. Now, visitors will find grass, bushes, small trees and fountains surrounding a new cafe. Herbs planted on the Convention Center’s new extensive green roof will be used in the building’s kitchen. Though design plans are not finalized, the City next plans to install an intensive green roof at the Peoples’ Court Building. The roof, which may be accessible to the public depending on security, will be visible from downtown buildings including City Hall. Construction at the City-owned facility is planned to begin this fall. A 1,050-square-foot green roof is already in place at Sinai Hospital’s Cancer Unit. In early July, Sinai Hospital opened a green building O “In 2008, Baltimore had no permitting structure for green roof installations. The city’s Department of General Services is now charged with developing a permitting process for privately owned buildings.” expansion that includes a roof garden visible from the fourth and sixth floors. A green roof is also underway at the Maryland Science Center. The green roof will be approximately 6,000square-feet on the building’s southeastern side, adjacent to the museum’s observatory. This roof will serve as an outdoor classroom to the 200,000 students who visit the Center each year to demonstrate green roof technology. Concrete pavers will allow wheelchair access. While the roof will be available for school visits, it will likely be open to the general public for certain occasions. Work on the USD $800,000 project began in mid-July and is expected to take up to a year. The roof is part of a Waterfront Partnership initiative to make Baltimore’s Inner Harbor a showcase of sustainability. The Partnership is working with Biohabitats, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in conservation planning, ecological restoration and regenerative design. Baltimore is encouraging green roof installation through the Baltimore Sustainability Plan and a bill that would create tax credits for buildings that meet LEED® certification. Approved by the Baltimore City Council in March 2009, the Sustainability Plan identifies 29 goals including those related to ensuring water bodies in the City are safe for fishing and swimming. Strategies to accomplish this goal include reducing the amount of impervious surfaces through use of green roofs that reduce stormwater runoff.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2009

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2009
Contents
City Power
Cities Alive!
Welcome to Toronto
Part 2 of 2: Risk-Reduction Tools
Toward Bird-Friendly Living Architecture
Cities Leading by Example
Q&A: On the Roof With...
7 Million-Square-Feet
Seeding the Future
A Green Roof Capitol City
From "Beantown" To "Greentown"
Beyond the Debate
A More Beautiful Baltimore
Policy Support
Seattle's Green Factor
Understanding The Green Roof Evapotranpiration Process
GHRC Professional Development Calendar
Welcome New Corporate Members
The Girl Scout Knows Best

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2009