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October 28, 2005

Green roof guru says the idea is taking root in NW

By DIPIKA KOHLI
Journal Staff Reporter

Photo
Photo by Dipika Kohli
Louise Lundberg of the Scandinavian Green Roof Institute says Seattle can support a lot of green roofs downtown.

A Swedish expert on green roofs says it's "old-fashioned" to think they leak.

Louise Lundberg is a plant ecologist and superintendent of the Scandinavian Green Roof Institute in Malmö, Sweden, where she takes care of a botanical roof garden and shows people what's possible with green roof design.

Some green roofs never have to be watered or weeded, she said. But in general, the level of upkeep depends on how complex the greenery is. "You can have a 'bonzai' green roof that needs pruning twice a day."

Any building can have a green roof, as long as it's not too steep and it can support soil, Lundberg said.

Plants should fit the climate. In Seattle, drought-tolerant species like sedum work well, as they do in most parts of the world, she said.


Seminar Monday
Louise Lundberg will speak Monday at "Inspiration From Abroad, Action in Seattle — Green Roofs Seminar," sponsored by International Sustainable Solutions.

The event is at the Seattle Central Library and costs $72 with an online advance purchase, and $85 at the door. For information contact ISS at www.i-sustain.com


But even property owners who like the idea, worry about putting one on their building, fearing they'll be expensive, heavy and leaky.

Lundberg said because the U.S. market for green roofs is small, prices are higher here, especially compared to Sweden.

But she said Americans tend to act quickly once they like an idea, perhaps more than Europeans. She said building owners shouldn't be afraid to experiment. People will drive the move to build green roofs and that is starting to happen in Seattle. "You're getting there."

A modern green roof isn't prone to leak any more than a normal one, she said.

In Europe, a waterproof skin is installed to cap the roof and hold the soil and plants. The membranes, made of a material called modified bitumen, are less than a quarter-inch thick.

Germany, Austria and Switzerland have been building green roofs for half a century, Lundberg said, and Sweden is catching up.

In the last 15 years, the number of green roofs in Sweden has grown as more cities encourage developers to add green roofs to compensate for land lost to buildings.

Some developers have really gone green, putting green roofs not only onto their high-rises but also nearby bicycle sheds and recycling buildings, too. The roofs capture stormwater and freshen air, and have aesthetic value for people looking down from above.

Asked how people in Seattle can learn more about green roofs, Lundberg said, "Have a look at Portland." This is America's green roof hot spot now.

Lundberg, who did research for a Swedish university before joining the institute, said Pennsylvania State University has done green roof research and so can Seattle.

"Go talk to the universities," she said. "They already know about this."

As architects learn about green roofs, they'll tell clients. As clients ask, the market will respond and plants will sprout on roofs. That's what happened in Sweden.




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