Kent State University’s first green roof was installed at Taylor Hall on Oct. 22. The green roof project was funded through bond money that is part of the university’s Foundations of Excellence initiative.
Melanie Knowles, sustainability manager at Kent State, says a green roof like this has many benefits.
“Green roofs help maintain cooler temperatures, reducing cooling costs for buildings,” she says. “They protect roof membranes, so roofs may last longer. They slow the speed of storm water to release stress on drainage systems. And on top of that, they’re visually appealing.”
The rooftop garden installation is part of a $2.3 million Taylor Hall renovation project, which also included window replacements, concrete and masonry restoration and upper roof replacement.
The green roof has a leak-detection system and encompasses roughly 6,200 square feet of the roof plaza area. The garden roof has a walkway that partially overlooks the May 4, 1970, Site and Memorial.
Beth Ruffing, assistant director in the Office of the University Architect and project manager for the roof garden, says the green roof will require very little maintenance. The plants, which come in 12 varieties of sedum, are watered by an irrigation system and do not require mowing. There will be no chemical weed control.
Tom Euclide, associate vice president for Facilities Planning and Operations, says the new green roof may have educational benefits for students.
“Green roofs tend to stand out and encourage people to ask about them. They become an educational tool for students to learn about sustainability,” Euclide says.
Kent State plans to install green roofs at the new architecture building and on at least one building at Kent State University at Stark.
Click here to watch a short video of the green roof installation at Taylor Hall.
For more information about the green roof at Taylor Hall, contact Ruffing at eruffing@kent.edu.
For more information about sustainability initiatives at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/sustainability.