The Windsor Terrace Library, located in Brooklyn, N.Y., has taken 7,000 sf of previously unused space on its roof and turned it into a green, living roof. The new green roof brings additional habitat space for animals and also provides energy efficiency, improved air quality, and stormwater management.
The new roof reduces runoff by as much as 50%, which limits the amount of rainwater released during storms and lowers the combined sewer overflow. The soil and plant layers act as insulation and increase the energy efficiency for the library while also removing carbon dioxide from the air and reducing the urban heat island effect.
Shrubs, perennial groundcovers, and ornamental grasses were planted on the roof, including sedum, witch hazel, butterfly weed, and Carolina rose. The green roof was proposed by local residents and selected for $250,000 in funding through the participatory budget process in the 39th Council District. This process allows New Yorkers to decide how City capital dollars are spent in their neighborhoods.
The New York City Department of Design and Construction installed the roof.
Related Stories
Contractors | Jan 20, 2020
Wellness is for builders, not just for buildings
New research on wellness in the construction sector highlights interventions that could be effective in addressing dehydration, weight management, poor air quality, and stress.
Green | Jan 10, 2020
How the new EC3 tool raises the bar on collective action
Nearly 50 AEC industry organizations partnered to develop the groundbreaking Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019
101 Top Products for 2019
Building Design+Construction readers and editors select their top building products for the past 12 months in the fourth-annual 101 Top Products report.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 12, 2019
Top Building Envelope Products for 2019
Sto's beetle-inspired exterior coating and Dörken Systems' UV-resistant vapor-permeable barrier are among the 28 new building envelope products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.
Building Owners | Dec 2, 2019
What building owners and AEC teams need to know about New York’s Climate Mobilization Act
On April 18, 2019, the New York City Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act, a suite of laws aimed to meet the city’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Sustainability | Aug 15, 2019
Paris will soon be home to the world’s largest rooftop farm
Agripolis is spearheading the project.
Codes and Standards | Jul 15, 2019
USGBC calls for proposals for feedback, concepts for next LEED version
The move follows successful public input on LEED 4.1.
Green | May 8, 2019
Does wellness pay off?
Getting wellness to pay off may not be that simple, or even a wise investment to begin with, according to a new peer-reviewed study of 32,000 employees.
Green | Apr 23, 2019
Top 10 green buildings for 2019
The Amherst College Science Center and Frick Environmental Center are among the high-performance projects to be honored with AIA 2019 COTE Top Ten Awards.
Resiliency | Apr 22, 2019
Turner Construction doubles down on jobsite efficiency
The company targets a 50% cut in greenhouse gas emissions and water use from construction activities by 2030.
