Introduction

1. Conclusion Methods Introduction • When the UWGB campus and tunnel system was first being constructed, a green roof was created over the Instructional Services (IS) building. This roof was constructed according to best management practices which were recommended for the technology available in 1969. The IS green roof area has expanded since then, as the campus tunnel system expanded, however the green roof system has not been upgraded to incorporate current best management practices. • Facilities management is progressive about implementing sustainable technologies of all types on the UWGB campus. Chris Hatfield, of facilities management, has worked hard with our Stormwater Management Group to recommend new technologies which he would like to explore and implement here at UWGB. A thriving green roof for the IS building is a project which Mr. Hatfield would particularly like to see happen, as it can be installed for a relatively low cost. This research is designed to inform the process of implementing a new IS green roof installation. • Currently the grass and trees planted over the IS building are not thriving. • Facilities management would very much like to replace the existing grass and trees with a more sustainable option, however, doing this over the whole of the existing IS plaza presents some formidable problems. Firstly, The height of the curbs surrounding the planting beds might have to be raised in order to accommodate the appropriate depth of soil. They would certainly have to be rebuilt in order to allow for adequate drainage from the planters. Also, full sized, beautiful trees would have to be removed in order for the new plantings to be installed. This would raise legitimate objections and would be difficult to justify when the proposed BMP’s are untested for retrofitting to this location. Removing large trees is also not a recommended step in maintaining carbon neutrality. • In order to move forward with implementing successful new green roof technology unhampered by the previously mentioned difficulties, a test plot was recommended. • There is a rectangle of land over the west part of the IS roof which is an ideal place to create a green roof test plot (Blue rectangle). Current best management practices will be adapted to this site’s specific conditions. Because it is preferable not to disturb the existing well functioning roof membrane, excavation for grass removal will be done to as shallow a depth as possible. Also, because the natural grade of the land allows stormwater to run off to the west down a gentle grass covered slope, it is difficult to justify the expense of the drainage/water storage layer. This layer will therefore not be retrofitted to this site. The test plot retrofitting will include removal of dead grass, addition of soil, addition of mulch and addition of drought tolerant, shallow rooting, low growing, low flammability plants. The conclusion is that the recommended plot is a very suitable site for the installation of an amended current BMP green roof test plot. Current best management practices can easily be amended to fit the existing site without compromising the improved performance of the new green roof. The successful implementation of current BMP’s in this site will be a useful springboard for more adaptive green roof retrofitting at other locations on the UWGB campus. Current BMP’s will not be fully implemented here, firstly because it would significantly increase the cost of the project if the existing rubber were to be damaged, so excavation cannot go deep enough to allow for proper placement of the root barrier and insulation layer. Secondly, the natural grade of the land allows stormwater to run off to the west down a gentle grass covered slope. This provides some natural stormwater bioremediation for this local site, which is a unique situation for a green roof. Due to this natural benefit, it is difficult to justify the expense required to install the water drainage/storage layer as in this context it would not significantly improve stormwater remediation performance. The proposed selective retrofit of the current BMP’s will take advantage of sight conditions and add new mechanisms which will improve site performance even further. Native species of plants are easily found, with the help of Dr. Dornbush and Mr. Neil Diboll, which will thrive in the site conditions where a standard lawn grass has failed. These plantings will be a beautification of the site as well as being a habitat benefit to local animal species. These plantings will also reduce the campus’ carbon footprint since they will require no watering, pre-emergent weed treatments, fertilizers or mowing. The community involvement generated with this project will be a benefit for UWGB in that it will provide positive community experiences here on the campus, however it will also assist in fulfilling the WI MS4 Stormwater Discharge Permit Educational Component which is administered by Jill Fermanich. Figure 3 Current Best management practices Instructional Services Proposed Green RoofAlice Billing, Linda Filo, Julie Maas, Chandala Doodihalli Nagendrappa, and Sarah WingertUniversity of Wisconsin – Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr., Green Bay, Wisconsin 54311 Figure 1 IS west existing green roof www.greenroofs.org, 2007 Figure 4 Blazing Star photo, Plant recommendations and partial plant list Plants For Greenroof Application- Full sun or half day full sun Criteria for Green Roof Plants; Drought tolerant Shallow rooting Low growing Low flammability Flowers Plant Rooting Flower Bloom Species Common Name Height Depth Color Time Notes Allium cernuum Nodding Pink Onion 1 - 2' 1 - 2' White July-Aug Self sows Allium stellatum Prairie Onion 1 - 2' 1 - 2' Lavender July-Aug Goes dormant in summer Coreopsis lanceolata Lanceleaf Coreopsis 1 - 2' 1 - 2' Yellow June-July Self sows Coreopsis palmata Stiff Coreopsis 2 - 3' 1 - 2' Yellow June-Aug Creeps by rhizomes Dodecatheon meadia Shooting Star 1 - 2' 1' White May-June Goes dormant in summer Geum triflorum Prairie Smoke 6" 1' Pink May-June Slow growing Helianthus occidentalis Western Sunflower 2 - 3' 1' Yellow July-Aug Creeps by rhizomes Liatris aspera Rough Blazingstar 2 - 5' 2' + Pink Aug-Sept. Liatris squarrosa Scaly Blazingstar 1 - 2' 2' + Pink Aug-Sept. Rough Blazingstar Figure 6 Successful green roof Al Johnson’s Restaurant, Door County WI Recommendations • Our recommendations are to prepare for a spring 2009 installation of this proposed green space by • Taking soil cores in the next month to determine soil type, and consistency of that type within the site overall. • From the soil information we will plan which plant species to use, create a specific plan and present this plan for the approval of Chris Hatfield and all of Facilities Management staff. • When approval is granted, seed plantings will happen in the Lab Sciences greenhouse as classes resume next January in preparation for planting on Earth Day, 2009. • When the snow melts and before planting day, soli and mulch will be brought in to the site, and final preparation of the paths and stone borders will be arranged. Results Results of site examinations with regard to implementation of current BMP’s as well as the results of talks with knowledgeable experts regarding site implementation components have revealed some interesting findings. Chris Hatfield has provided blueprints of the proposed green roof site as well as access to the history of the existing green roof and its underlying structure. He has also provided access to members of his staff such as Mike Van Lanen who have given invaluable practical recommendations such as changing the winter management of the area around the site in order to prevent it from having snow salt build up, and recommendations for the reshaping of the planters so that when this successful green roof is implemented in the rest of the IS building, the current planters will be designed to give the vegetation optimal draining conditions. Dr. Dornbush provided invaluable advice about choosing primarily sand prairie plants for this site and which ones to choose to be both beautiful and functional. He also provided information about opportunities for us to grow some of the plants ourselves in the Lab Sciences green house this winter. And he graciously volunteered his student’s help, and time in the coming Earth Day program, for us to incorporate planting the proposed site as a community event. This is an important component of the WI MS4 Education Component of the stormwater discharge permit requirements which is administered by Jill Fermanich. Dr. Fermanich provided information on how to administer soils tests, how to collect soil samples and which tests would be most productive for us to perform. He will be assisting me further with soils investigation during the next few weeks. Neil Diboll, a former UWGB alum, and current owner on Prairie Nursery in Westfield, WI has offered invaluable practical information, at the species level, concerning which plants would thrive best in our unique site conditions, and about how to give them the best possible start to make this project a success Figure 5 Prairie Smoke planting possibility Figure 2 IS green roof proposed test plot site Sources Cited Prairie Smoke Dr. Matt Dornbush, UWGB Botanist, 2008 Dr. Kevin Fermanich, UWGB Soils Specialist, 2008 Jill Fermanich, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, 2008 Neil Diboll, UWGB alum, owner Prairie Nursery, 2008 Chris Hatfield, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, 2008 Dan Cibulka, UWGB ENVS&P Graduate Student, photo, 2008 Phil Hahn, UWGB, ENVS&P Graduate Student, GIS, 2008 www.ecogeek.org, 2008 www.epa.gov, 2008 www.greenroofs.com, 2008 Acknowledgements Dr. Matt Dornbush, UWGB Botanist Dr. Kevin Fermanich, UWGB Soils Specialist Jill Fermanich, University of Wisconsin Green Bay Dr. Patricia Terry, UWGB Water Chemistry Dr. Laurel Phoenix, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Neil Diboll, UWGB alum, owner Prairie Nursery Chris Hatfield, University of Wisconsin Green Bay Dan Cibulka, UWGB ENVS&P Graduate Student, photo Phil Hahn, UWGB, ENVS&P Graduate Student, GIS Capstone Stormwater Management Group Members Nick Cibula, SGA Senate Speaker Figure 7 successful green roof Chicaco City Hall Building