Re: green roofs

**j* e* m* s* <h*@sbcglobal.net>**

Penn State:
http://hortweb.cas.psu.edu/research/greenroofcenter/

Michigan State:
http://www.hrt.msu.edu/greenroof/

These two universities have green roof research centers and have 
extensive information. I've used them as resources several times for 
articles I've written. Also, GWA member Ed Snodgrass might be a 
decent source, since he has a fairly new book out on plants for green 
roofs, and might have anecdotal information about failures. I've done 
about a half dozen articles on green roofs and attended three 
conferences and not heard anything about failures. Depending on how 
far you wanted to go, you could talk Ford in Dearborn, Mich., which 
has 1 million+ square feet under a green roof.

jems

>Does anyone have any information on the success rate of green roofs on
>commercial buildings in this country?  Through a friend who has just
>completed a green room on his garden shed, I heard of someone in a condo
>in DC.  The association wants to redo the roof (which is in none too
>good condition) as a green roof. The person I heard about was voting
>"no" because he says the large commercial applications have a "high
>failure rate." That is, they leak, and plants die out and have to be
>constantly replaced at a great expense. My assumption is that they
>either didn't build them properly, or chose the wrong plants?   Any
>thoughts or information?  I know a huge percent of commercial builidings
>in Germany have green roofs, but perhaps we are still far behind in this
>country...
>     Thanks,
>     Catriona
>

________________________________________
Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
Garden writer, speaker, author, photographer
Region III Director Garden Writers Association
Phone: (317) 251.3261
Fax: (317) 251.8545
E-mail: hoosiergardener@sbcglobal.net
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