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Abstract
Over the last 30 years the metro-politan Atlanta area has experienced unprecedented urban growth along with a subsequent loss of greenspace. The detrimental effects of this rapid growth are attributed to a variety of factors including the use of impervious covers in contemporary land development. This method of construction has degraded the City’s air and water quality, and over-burdened the sewer system resulting in the urban heat island effect through-out the Atlanta region. The City of Atlanta Greenroof Pilot Program is anticipated to generate measurable hard data confirming the ecological and economic benefits of greenroofs, and in turn, provide an example for the Southeast of protecting and improving urban air and water quality. The City Hall pilot site will be approximately 3,300 square feet on the fifth floor right outside of a cafeteria, which will serve as a patio for patron use. It will be easily accessible to the public which is important for researchers, educators, and the community. As Atlanta is currently in non-compliance with levels of air quality, greenroofs could be retrofitted onto the majority of government buildings and included as a requirement for new construction. Legislation can be created to encourage and promote greenroofs by: requiring a minimum saturated weight load requirement for new and retrofit construction; offering tax edits/ incentives; incorporating a zoning ordinance for increased floor/area ratios to developers/individual property owners; offering grant, subsidy or rebate programs, such as a Cool Roof Rebate Program; incorporating greenroof infrastructure in the City of Atlanta’s Building Code and Stormwater Management Manual; offering incentive programs/ reductions in stormwater fees; and including greenroofs into landscape ordinances. The City hopes to generate reliable technical data on greenroof performance in areas such as energy efficiency, stormwater retention, the extension of roof membrane life span, plant survival, and increase the awareness of greenroof technology by exposing professionals to a working pilot.
Over the last 30 years the metro-politan Atlanta area has experienced unprecedented urban growth along with a subsequent loss of greenspace. The detrimental effects of this rapid growth are attributed to a variety of factors including the use of impervious covers in contemporary land development. This method of construction has degraded the City’s air and water quality, and over-burdened the sewer system resulting in the urban heat island effect through-out the Atlanta region. The City of Atlanta Greenroof Pilot Program is anticipated to generate measurable hard data confirming the ecological and economic benefits of greenroofs, and in turn, provide an example for the Southeast of protecting and improving urban air and water quality. The City Hall pilot site will be approximately 3,300 square feet on the fifth floor right outside of a cafeteria, which will serve as a patio for patron use. It will be easily accessible to the public which is important for researchers, educators, and the community. As Atlanta is currently in non-compliance with levels of air quality, greenroofs could be retrofitted onto the majority of government buildings and included as a requirement for new construction. Legislation can be created to encourage and promote greenroofs by: requiring a minimum saturated weight load requirement for new and retrofit construction; offering tax edits/ incentives; incorporating a zoning ordinance for increased floor/area ratios to developers/individual property owners; offering grant, subsidy or rebate programs, such as a Cool Roof Rebate Program; incorporating greenroof infrastructure in the City of Atlanta’s Building Code and Stormwater Management Manual; offering incentive programs/ reductions in stormwater fees; and including greenroofs into landscape ordinances. The City hopes to generate reliable technical data on greenroof performance in areas such as energy efficiency, stormwater retention, the extension of roof membrane life span, plant survival, and increase the awareness of greenroof technology by exposing professionals to a working pilot.
Date
5/2007
5/2007
Author(s)
Benjamin Taube
Benjamin Taube
Page(s)
Keyword(s)
green roof; air quality; water quality; Atlanta
green roof; air quality; water quality; Atlanta