2005 winner
Prairie Technologies, Rockford, Minn., won NRCA's 2005 Excellence in Design
Award competition for the ERSystems and Prairie Technologies Corporate Headquarters,
Rockford.
The company's 500,000-square-foot (4645-m²) manufacturing and office facility
in Rockford, Minn., features a roof system that is registered with the U.S. Green
Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program. The roof
system was designed as an integrated building asset and exhibits the following roof
system technology:
- About 25 percent of the rainwater from the roof is captured and reused for irrigation.
- More than 50 percent of the roof system is a white PVC membrane. In the center of
the PVC section is a 5,000-square-foot (464-m²) prairie garden.
- The remainder of the roof system is an EPDM membrane coated with a reflective white
acrylic coating.
- Between the two roof systems is a 5kW solar array. The solar panels are fixed to
racking that is held in place with ballast. The power produced by the panels travels
down an exterior wall.
- A weather station and Web camera are located at the roof system's south end.