Penn State Green Roofs Center

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 green roofs center.

The student health center is a new building finished in 2008. The green roof covers the 4th and 5th floor roofs. 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. Green roofs are very effective stormwater bmps.

And providing an aesthetically pleasing roof. Lengthening roof membrane life. Green roof media testing is important for characterizing the physical and chemical properties of the medium. 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 roof is a sedum meadow roof. The green roof was installed and planted by scott s landscaping. Some of the cutting edge research performed in the penn state center has included studies in storm water runoff quality and quantity building energy consumption and insulation value media chemical and physical characteristics plant selection plant water use waterproofing resistance to root penetration. Penn state ag sciences plant science research research centers center for green roof research reports publications center for green roof research research.

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. In such all new buildings will utilize green technologies and many will have green roofs. Research facilities faculty and students working on green roofs at penn state make use of many facilities on and off campus. Formerly led by dr.

Reducing air conditioning costs. Center for green roof research. David beattie associate professor of ornamental horticulture and director center for green roof research the current center director is dr. 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.