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By creating an adaptable, modular green roof system, we strive to regreen large expanses of city roof space.
How It All Started
In the spring of 2012, while planting window boxes on my deck, and looking out over the rooftops of Seattle toward the green of the Cascade Mountains, I would often imagine what the now developed Puget Sound area once looked like - a lush temperate rainforest, which Seattleites frequently visit in the neighboring preserves. As I watched simple cuttings of neighbors' local plants quickly flourish in the temperate rainforest climate, it dawned on me that much of the land space once filled with lush greenery is still available and unused, only elevated in the form of rooftops. I began to investigate green roof technology, and quickly noticed the lack of options for fitting a green roof to an existing roof. I set about designing and building a simple, adaptable modular system that could be fitted to existing roof surfaces.
*The 1st prototype
Working with PVC pipe and corrugated plastic sheeting, I created an interlocking system of trays that terraced to compensate for the slope of most residential roofs. I used broken-down styrofoam packing to augment the growing medium and reduce weight. The drought resistant sedums I planted quickly grew in, and I set about looking for a place to mount a larger prototype installation.
I contacted a friend who planned to incorporate an intensive green roof into their 600 sq ft carport remodel. She generously offered to let me install my modular system instead. While she completed the initial remodel work, I modified the design to fit the minimal slope of her carport, gathered supplies, and in January 2013, my wife and I began construction.
A Bit About Green Roofs
Green roofs provide a variety of benefits, both financial and environmental, and have experienced a massive growth in popularity over the last few years. The sedums typically used in most green roofs require minimal watering and weeding, sequester carbon, filter polluted air, and reduce roof temperatures and the urban heat island effect significantly. Energy bill reductions have been shown to equalize the cost of a typical green roof after just seven years, and the life of a green roof can be up to twice that of a traditional roof.
Stormwater runoff from typical roofs collects pollutants, creating water quality issues in urban water basins. Green roofs absorb and filter rainwater, reducing strain on civic water management systems, and preserving water quality.
Green roofs also beautify and activate unused urban space, raising real estate value and the quality of the urban experience for both the green roof owner and their neighbors.
Our Modular Green Roof System
With the knowledge gained from our successful first installation, we altered the design slightly to produce a simple yet adaptable module, which attaches to the roof via cables, and utilizes PVC segments to adjust to varying slopes. Modules can be grown in offsite, and installed quickly and easily, fully grown. Integrated walkways allow for easy access, and excess water is transferred to the next module for easy watering and runoff management.
Adding reclaimed styrofoam to the growing medium reduces weight, and keeps a harmful and resilient waste product out of the landfill.
Cutting up retired dock floats.
We Need Your Help
Because of the relatively large size of the modules, the cost for an injection mold is abnormally high, so we need your help with this initial setup cost. If we reach our funding goal, we can order the mold and the first production run, and begin growing in modules.
How The Perks Work
Risks and Challenges
Because roof design is highly variable, permitting for installations can be a complicated process. We are working with the City of Seattle to streamline the process and ensure each installation is safe and sustainable. Progressive programs in Seattle and other metropolitan areas are continually making it cheaper and easier to install green roofs.
As we begin to expand, planting and growing modules offsite will likely require a large amount of space. We are working with the City of Seattle and local nurseries to make use of vacant spaces, adding greenery to the urban environment and educating the public about sustainable architecture at the same time.
Perks
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Help support this campaign by making a $25.00 contribution and get a $25.00 sponsored Gift Card from places like BEST BUY, THE GAP, STARBUCKS, THE KEG, TOYS R US, SEARS and more! This Perk is sponsored by the Crowd Funder TV Show! We will contact you within 7-days so you can select your perk.
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Help support this campaign by making a $50.00 contribution and get a $50.00 sponsored Gift Card from places like BEST BUY, THE GAP, THE KEG, TOYS R US, SEARS, BOSTON PIZZA and more! This Perk is sponsored by the Crowd Funder TV Show! We will contact you within 7-days so you can select your perk.
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- 4 claimed
Help support this campaign by making a $25.00 contribution and get a $25.00 sponsored Gift Card from places like BEST BUY, THE GAP, STARBUCKS, THE KEG, TOYS R US, SEARS and more! This Perk is sponsored by the Crowd Funder TV Show! We will contact you within 7-days so you can select your perk.
- 3 claimed
Help support this campaign by making a $50.00 contribution and get a $50.00 sponsored Gift Card from places like BEST BUY, THE GAP, THE KEG, TOYS R US, SEARS, BOSTON PIZZA and more! This Perk is sponsored by the Crowd Funder TV Show! We will contact you within 7-days so you can select your perk.
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