Penn State Green Roofs Center

The horticulture greenhouses include facilities for plant growth and a weighing lysimeter system that allows precise measurements of water loss from green roof media and plants.

Penn state green roofs center.

Course eco roof and green technologies horticulture hort 497b was the first green roof technologies class in the nation created at penn state in 2005 and is taught every spring semester with students from many disciplines participating. The student health center is a new building finished in 2008. Green roofs on campus. Center for green roof research the center the only location in north america with small test green roofs on replicated buildings characterizes and quantifies the performance of green roofs and promotes their discoveries through education and outreach.

Faculty and students working on green roofs at penn state make use of many facilities on and off campus. Penn state faculty and students are actively researching multiple components of green roof performance including storm water quantity and quality management energy balance plant selection plant performance plant installation techniques media components roof system components and managements and materials testing. The greenroof plants were planted in september 2001 but the penn state green roof research center was finalized in the summer of 2002 and now offers graduate and undergraduate students many learning opportunities. Their major drawback is the initial cost.

Lengthening roof membrane life. Green roof media testing penn state college of agricultural sciences. The roof is a sedum meadow roof. Green roofs are increasing in popularity in the us because of the benefits they provide over traditional roofs such as reducing stormwater runoff and improving runoff quality.

The green roof was installed and planted by scott s landscaping. 814 863 2190 or email protected visit the penn state center for green roof research website. It is not accessible to the public but can be viewed from the upper deck of the eisenhower parking garage. Reducing air conditioning costs.

The office of the physical plant has been proactive in applying our research and promoting green roof technologies as one solution to storm water management issues on our campus. Penn state is committed to developing and sustaining a green campus. On campus the root cellar has a 4 500 square feet roof that is used for monitoring runoff and evaluating green roof plants and the forest resources building has a 4 700 square feet demonstration and display roof. A typical extensive green roof of 3 5 inches depth will reduce the volume of runoff by about 55 in central pennsylvania and attenuate the peak runoff rates to the level of the pre development land use.

For project information contact dr. And providing an aesthetically pleasing roof. In such all new buildings will utilize green technologies and many will have green roofs.