Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2009 - (Page 16)

POLICY: CITIES LEADING BY EXAMPLE SEEDING THE FUTURE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT REGULATION AND OTHER GREEN ROOF INCENTIVES HAVE HELPED PORTLAND INSTALL 9.5 ACRES OF ECOROOF AND 11.5 ACRES OF GREEN ROOF – WITH ANOTHER 40 ACRES IN THE PIPELINE By Amy Chomowicz and Tom Liptan T he City of Portland first became interested in green roofs to help address its problems associated with stormwater management and in 1994 and began compiling green roof information with its first large-scale demonstration “ecoroof” on the Hamilton Apartments, a downtown apartment building installed five years later in 1999. Since then, small- and fullscale stormwater monitoring has taken place in the City (including on the roof of a garage owned by one of the authors of this story, Tom Liptan) with encouraging results that proves green roofs ability to mitigate stormwater. Ten years after the City turned its attention toward ecoroofs, Portland would host the 2nd Annual International Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Cities Conference, Awards and Trade Show in 2004. Although the full-impact of the 2004 conference is difficult to measure, it was considered by many to be a success. More than 500 people, from 11 countries attended and 45 vendors exhibited their products. Many associated events were held including a Mayor’s reception at the beautiful Chinese Gardens and tours of numerous ecoroofs in Portland. The City took on the task of creating a legacy project with many volunteers contributing pro bono work. The project evaluated potential stormwater management and energy benefits of widespread ecoroof installations in the central eastside industrial district of Portland. The results are still being used to help support the program work today. It has now been five years since the GRHC conference was held in Portland and the City has subsequently sponsored two new regional ecoroof events in 2006 and 2009. While the GRHC conference generated international excitement, these smaller events have also helped focus attention on local issues and supported the development of Portland’s green roof industry. The GRHC conference also helped CITY OF PORTLAND-OWNED SWAN ISLAND PUMP STATION FEATURING A 6,500-SQUARE-FOOT ECOROOF INSTALLED ON THIS NEW BUILDING IN 2005. Portland’s ecoroof program gain increased exposure, interest and validation, especially among the many international visitors. In this way, the conference also helped to promote green roofs as a viable roofing technique worldwide – and not just as a local concept. Portland also gained access to new research and data, and City-staff are now better equipped to understand the benefits of ecoroofs. Ecoroofs were subsequently added to the City’s 2005 Green Building Policy which targets the impact City-owned buildings have on the environment. Portland has provided incentives in the form of a Floor Area Bonus, and a stormwater management regulation that have both encouraged ecoroof implementation. Ecoroof implementation has been steadily picking up speed. In 1996 Portland had just one ecoroof that covered a garage. Six years later in 2004, Portland’s ecoroof program had expanded to 1.8 acres. Portland now has 9.5 acres of ecoroof and 11.5 acres of green roof. Over the next four years, Portland will construct an additional 40 acres of ecoroofs as part of the Grey to Green initiative which was launched in 2008. The Grey to Green initiative involves, among other things, a USD $5 per square foot incentive for all non-City owned, new and existing buildings to encourage rapid ecoroof construction. D Amy Chomowicz is the City of Portland Ecoroof Program administrator, and has worked with ecoroofs since 1997. Tom Liptan started the city’s ecoroof program in 1994 and is the City of Portland Ecoroof Technical Program manager. He was recently named an ASLA Fellow. LEARN MORE City of Portland ecoroofs website: www.portlandonline.com/bes/ecoroof In 2008 the City published a detailed cost benefit analysis of green roofs: www.portlandonline.com/bes/ecoroof In 2009, the City published the Ecoroof Handbook that contains technical information on different technologies and research on their performance in Portland: www.portlandonline.com Image courtesy of City of Portland http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/ecoroof http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/ecoroof http://www.portlandonline.com

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