CUMBERLAND HALL GREEN ROOF
The College Park Campus’ first green roof system was installed on Cumberland Hall in the fall of 2008. The building’s new green roof covers more than 65% or 8,000 sq. ft. of planted area and included planting of over 12,500 seedlings.
 |
 |
Why build a green roof?
When mature, green roof systems offer the following long term environmental benefits:- Storm Water Run-Off: Green roofs absorb storm water run-off and filter out nitrates, phosphorous and other rain borne pollutants. Excess storm water not used by the plants is released more slowly helping to reduce soil erosion and flooding. Green roof systems are designed to reduce storm water run-off by up to 50-90% and can retain four times the amount of rainfall compared to a more conventional roof.
- Energy Efficiency: Green roofs act to insulate the building reducing summer cooling and winter heating costs.
- Air Quality: Green roofs help reduce dust and pollution levels by absorbing air borne contaminates and adding oxygen back into the atmosphere.
- Habitat and Biodiversity: Green roofs can provide a new wildlife habitat encouraging increased local diversity of birds, butterflies and other insects.
- Temperature: The difference in temperature between city and rural environments is due, in part, to the predominance of concrete, asphalt and other hard surfaces found in cities. These type of hard surfaces act to absorb solar radiation and “heat up” the surrounding temperature. This difference in temperature is referred to as the “Urban Heat Island Effect”. In helping to reduce the amount of hard surface, green roofs can contribute to a reduction of local air temperatures.
- Roof Life Expectancy: The plant and soil cover on a green roof acts to protect the underlying waterproofing components from temperature extremes, UV degradation and other damage potentially extending the life of the roof by 10 – 20 years.
Green roof plants
This green roof will be home to at least 15 species of low maintenance, drought resistant, flowering plants. In number, the dominant plant types are Sedums. Once established, the selected plants are capable of withstanding harsh growing conditions with minimal soil depth, water or fertilizer. When fully mature, the planting will form a low growing vegetative mat that flowers and changes colors according to season.
Green roof system components
« Back to Cumberland Hall
