APRIL 2014

SITELINESLandscape Architecture in

LIVING ARCHITECTURE

The Business of Living Architecture | Early Green Roofs on Hornby Island | Prairie Green Roofs | Green Roofs and Wall Systems | Living Walls, Water Management, and Lighting | Green Roofs Improve Acoustic Soundscape Experience | In Defence of Urban Agriculture | The Dynamics of Bio-Engineering and Green Infrastructure New products to inspire a new perspective on play

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President Robert Evans Green Roofs, Living Walls and Rain President Elect Jacqueline Lowe Gardens: BC Business Exports Innovative Past President Nastaran Moradinejad Technology to North America. For Landscape Registrar Frank Basciano Treasurer Geoff Gooderham , the Sky is the Limit! Directors Elizabeth Balderston It is a great pleasure to acknowledge the Emily Dunlop accomplishments of BC Landscape Architects James Tuer Daryl Tyacke over the past 50 years in living architecture Elizabeth Watts and green roof design. In particular, two Jana Zelenski collaborators championed “landscape and Maureen Connelly, , and Randy Sharp on Saturna Island. Image courtesy CSLA Rep. Pawel Gradowski architecture as one”. Cornelia Hahn of Carol Smith. Directors (non-voting) Oberlander, LMBCSLA, FCSLA, FASLA, OC and UBC Liaison Cynthia Girling Arthur Erickson defined West Coast modern can we transform the urban landscape of Intern/Associate Rep. Patricia Gooch Student Rep. Caelan Griffiths design, expressed in ecological designs and Vancouver by replicating the coastal bluff Exec. DIRECTOR Tara Culham landscapes over structure. This month we are ecosystem on the rooftops? Sharp & MEMBER SERVICES & also celebrating the book launch for Cornelia Diamond Landscape Architecture is building COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Jessica Tan Hahn Oberlander, Making the Modern resilience to climate change by embracing Sitelines is published six times per year; Landscape by Susan Herrington. Living Architecture in our work. February, April, June, August, October, and December by the British Columbia Society of In 1998 at the ASLA convention, Tom Liptan, The seeds of green roofs in BC were planted Landscape Architects and is mailed to all BCSLA Landscape for the City of on a group of waterfront cabins next to the members, registered landscape architects, associates and affiliates. The editorial deadline is Portland, introduced the topic of adopting ferry dock on Hornby Island. Goya Ngan, the 8th and advertising is the 16th day of the European green roof technology for the MBCSLA, will take us on a journey of intervening months. Advertising rate informa- West Coast. Fifteen years ago, the “modern” growing up in the hand built homes covered tion is available on request. Inquiries regarding editorial, advertising, or other issues should be movement of green roofs was initiated in with meadow roofs on Hornby. Our next addressed to the Sitelines Editor, c/o the BCSLA at British Columbia on the wildflower stop will be Calgary where Kerry Ross, the above address. To view the full-colour version meadows of Saturna Island with Cornelia B.Arts & Sciences, BArch, MRAIC, LEED® of Sitelines, please visit www.sitelines.org. Oberlander and Dr. Maureen Connelly, GA, GRP, Principal, Green T Design, will tell MAIBC, PhD. We challenged ourselves: how us about the Ecoroof Initiative > Sitelines Group Guest Co-Editor Randy Sharp Co-Edi tor Jessica Tan In this Issue: 604.682.5610 Advertising Tara Culham The Business of Living Architecture...... 604.682.5610 3 fax: 604.681.3394 Early Green Roofs of Hornby Island...... 5 Graphic Design Addon Creative Prairie Green Roofs...... 7 604.738.2768 Printing Initial Printing Inc. Green Roofs and Wall Systems ...... 8 604.669.2383 Living Walls, Water Management, and Lighting...... 10 The purpose of Sitelines is to provide an Green Roofs Improve Acoustic open forum for the exchange of ideas and Soundscape Experience...... 12 information pertaining to the profession of In Defence of Urban Agriculture...... 14 landscape architecture. Individual opinions Cover Image: Local green roof supplied The Dynamics of Bio-Engineering expressed are those of the writers and not and installed by Architek. Image courtesy necessarily of those of the BCSLA. of Ron Schwenger. and Green Infrastructure...... 16

April 2014 SITELINES 3 Bernard Avenue, Kelowna, BC Kelowna, Bernard Avenue, Golder Associates Architect: Gabe Ross, Ltd. Landscape

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4 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects Continued from page 3. and the wonderful diversity of prairie Early Green Roofs oƒ plants that thrive on “ecoroofs”. Back in British Columbia, Ron Schwenger, Principal of Architek, will give us the “dirt” on how to HORNBY ISLAND install and maintain both extensive and By Goya Ngan, MBCSLA intensive green roofs, as well as the importance of green facades for big box retail. Nicolas Rousseau, BSc, MSc, Horticulture Engineer, President of By Nature Design Inc. is teaching GROW 1500 – Green Wall Course, at the Centre for Architectural Ecology at the BC Institute of Technology (BCIT). He will compare the metrics of hydroponic versus soil based living walls, as well as water distribution and lighting systems to ensure long-term performance.

Taking a look at the big picture, Dr. Maureen Connelly of BCIT, will introduce the concept of “soundscape” and the application of acoustic design to green roofs and urban Shingle Spit Resort and the Thatch, Hornby Island. Image courtesy of Goya Ngan. landscapes. Bryce Gauthier, MBCSLA co- founder of The Projects In Place Society, is Hornby Island, two short ferry rides from inspiration came from Norway and from a building demonstration plots for urban central Vancouver Island, is well known for building in Garibaldi Park near Black Tusk. agriculture, rooftop gardens, day care its creative, hand-built architectural tradition He may have been referring to an old lodge spaces and neighbourhood play areas in and beautiful beaches. The first green roofs that was there. He liked seeing the flowers in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. David on Hornby Island were built at the Shingle the spring, and the thermal benefits of Adkins, Project Consultant with Denbow, Spit Resort during the 1950s. A second summer cooling and winter insulation. The will bring us back to the ground by cluster was built on the Downes Point introducing innovation in bio-engineering owner of the Shingle Spit Resort, Jack Parnell, property, starting with my family’s home in and green infrastructure. How can green used Erickson’s plans as “rough guides” for 1971. Blue Sky Design began building their roof technology such as engineered growing building up the resort. The closest to the first green roofs, including the house at media be applied over industrial buildings, original design was likely cabin #3, the Dunlop Point, in the mid 1970s. The practice highway embankments, stream restoration burgeoned and green roofs became the smallest; it has since been sold and relocated corridors, and vegetated landscape island’s vernacular for blending a building probably at the time the resort was stratified. retaining walls? with the surrounding coastal bluff landscape. Cabins 5, 6, and 7 were larger but also had I hope that you enjoy this rooftop and They were called “sod roofs” but if you look at green roofs. I remember what a perfect vertical garden journey. We have now gone the vegetation composition, typically mosses, picture they made, dots of white stucco with full circle with green roofs having created a sedums, grasses, and bulbs, they would be red detailing stretching out to the end of the vibrant growing industry in British classified as “extensive green roofs” according spit with their green roofs matching the grass Columbia. There will be green roof and to the definitions widely in use today. above the pebble beach. He also installed a living wall tours offered during the green roof on at least one home on the other BC Land Summit May 14-16, 2014. We The initial idea to put sod on a roof on side of the spit. A few years later, possibly would like to pass the torch to the next Hornby Island began with none other than 1957, Parnell built a pub once again using generation of Landscape Architects who our visionary architect, Arthur Erickson. His Erickson’s design, only this time enlarging it can celebrate their achievements and the design for a modest cabin at Shingle Spit next wave of innovation in another included a green roof. One source thinks it considerably. It also had a green roof and in 50 years. Just remember, “Landscape was a graduation project of his. Where did the mid-1970s was renamed The Thatch. The architecture is the art and science of this idea come from? That’s the question I cabins and The Thatch continue to be the possible”. Thank you Cornelia! You posed to him when Cornelia Oberlander important landmarks for Hornby, visible to are an inspiration to all of us! SL introduced me to him in 2004. He said his all people arriving by ferry. >

April 2014 SITELINES 5 My parents, Anne and Wayne Ngan, bought Shingle Spit green roofs (Sedum forsterianum), Hornby Island, Cape Gurney House by Blue Sky Design. Image courtesy of Michael McNamara a share of land at Downes Point in 1969. They locally referred to as Spanish moss. These chose a building site that was set back from were scattered onto the sod and have proved the waterfront allowing a view of the sea well adapted to the conditions. The framed by trees with a grass meadow membrane was renovated with a BUR foreground. They built the house in 1971 membrane in 1980. This was then covered Helliwell and Kim Smith of Blue Sky using salvaged driftwood and other free or with a modified bituminous membrane in Architecture also designed many green roofs inexpensive materials. My mother, who 1996, a vast improvement, which I expect around the region, an evolution born out studied architecture and worked in John will last much longer. The plants and of their early Hornby experience. substrate are still the originals as they were Lantzius’ office, wanted the house to fit into Why does little island, with a year round always saved and simply put back on. Today, the meadow landscape. The green roofs at population of not quite 1000, have such a the vegetation forms a complete carpet of the Shingle Spit cabins were a new idea to high proportion of green roofs? Erickson succulents (Sedum forsterianum dominates, her and she was eager to try it on her home. planted the seed of an idea which was which S. spathulifolium, S. oreganum and many At the time, it was unclear how best to detail a was picked up by a wave of creative back-to- other sedum species were added in later green roof. The Shingle Spit green roofs were the-landers wanting to try new building years; Sempervivum tectorum), grasses first built with black poly on plywood—a designs and a beautiful ecosystem to match (Bromus and other species) and a variety of solution that worked better than you would the conditions of a roof—I think they all mosses and lichens. One oddball plant is contributed to the proliferation of green expect but eventually fell out of favour. Orobanche uniflora. It is parasitic and obtains roofs on Hornby Island. Our roof definitely had a layer of black nutrients from sedum roots; it seems not to poly—whether or not there was a tar harm them and provides pretty purple Many thanks to those who shared their green membrane or asphalt shingles beneath is flowers in April. This 43-year-old green roof roof recollections with me: Anne Ngan unclear. On top were placed pieces of local is about 10 centimetres in depth, not (2014), Michael McNamara (2003, 2014), sod. Michael McNamara, later a founder of irrigated and minimally maintained. Don and Rosemary Nixon (2014), Tina Blue Sky Design, had just arrived on Hornby Walker (2004), John Ross (2004), and Arthur Green roofs were so common on the island by and was eager to learn this building technique. Erickson (2004). SL the early 1980s, that when the Community He writes, Hall was expanded, there was no question— “Helping your parents put sod on the roof of it would have a green roof. The members your family home is one of my favourite early of the design committee, Ernst Snijders, Related publications: Hornby memories. The hot tar was in place, Lloyd House, and Michael McNamara, were Helliwell, B., & McNamara, M. (1978). and we spent several days bringing soil over all versed in green roofs. Blue Sky Design Hand-Built Houses of Hornby Isl. went on to design about 24 green roofs from Tom Burrows’ excavation and spreading it Architectural Design, 48(7), 450-491. on Hornby and more beyond. Their Cape over the roof. Quite an educational experience!” Gurney residence, visible from Whaling Kahn, L. (2008). Builders of the Pacific Coast. For plants, we were given cuttings from the Station Bay, is a stunning example. Bo Shelter Publications, Inc.

6 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects Prairie Green Roofs: By Kerry Ross, B.Arts & Sciences, BArch, MRAIC, The Alberta EcoRoof Initiative LEED® GA, GRP, Principal, Green T Design Many have insisted that green roofs While Calgary has figured consistently in the Benefits to the Region annual Green Roofs for Healthy Cities weren’t relevant or useful on the Prairies The flood of 2013 in Southern Alberta is inventory, which is aimed at measuring the given our lengthy winters and all too short Canada’s largest natural disaster and caused increase in uptake in green roofs in North summers. To those who build green roofs $1.7 billion in damages for which we will feel America, this inventory captures only the and love to garden, our climate can certainly the effects for years to come. It is hoped that be a challenging one given our short growing work of their members. It is our experience that there are many green roofs primarily we use this window of heightened awareness season, late spring blizzards, high variability on single-family residential and small to aggressively move forward with much in both daily and seasonal temperatures, not commercial projects as owners long for their needed change to the way we protect the to mention the Chinook wind phenomenon own patch of green. Smaller urban quality of our city and watershed including which offers a unique perspective on green communities such as Red Deer, Stettler, and the implementation of green roofs as well as roof design. Many of us in the local green Cochrane have been keen to implement other low impact development strategies to roof industry have resorted to creating our green roofs and develop supportive policies. build resiliency into our city and region. own recipes for success. It is hoped that prominent new projects such Other key benefits to our region include It was in this context and culture that the as the Vegetated Roof Replacement Project the provision of rooftop amenity space Alberta Ecoroof Initiative (AEI) was founded in on Calgary’s Municipal Hall, the Federal and habitat for biodiversity, building energy 2004 to learn about green roofs Building in , as well as a number efficiency and the protection of waterproofing through hands-on experience. TheAEI is a of other experimental works including of roof assemblies. long-term project designed to increase public prototypes for Calgary’s Parks Department awareness and experiment with green roof and instrumented research projects at the Another potential benefit is to make green systems and plant species. Located in Enjoy Centre in St. Albert, the Natural Sciences roofs more ecological where the inputs to Innovation Park just north of the University and Engineering Research Council of and outputs from are kept to a minimum. of Calgary (Alastair Ross Technology Centre), Canada-funded project at the University of Opportunities abound for experimentation this project has not only demonstrated the Calgary as well as the AEI in Innovation Park, with new aesthetic designs on rooftops for a viability of green roofs in Alberta’s unique may further advance better understanding blending of urban conservation with climatic conditions, but serves as a hub for and regionally appropriate designs. contemporary expressions to create projects that are exciting and well suited to the green building leadership through tours and While some projects initially struggled, failed prairie ecozone. SL outreach. This summer, the roofs will be fully to live up to their design intent or required instrumented for new research. remedial work, this has not deterred those strongly committed to living architecture in Top: The Alberta Top: The Foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the province. Some of the common reasons wildflowers and grasses of the short grass prairie. Flood. Image for these shortcomings include: courtesy of Daniel Nguyen. Bottom: Alberta Ecoroof Initiative, green roof test plugs. Right: Alberta Ecoroof Initiative, • Failure to install anti-erosion strategies in Bottom: Nose Hill green roof at the Alberta Technology Centre. wind-prone sites. Park, Calgary. Images courtesy of Kerry Ross. • Lack of maintenance plan or budget An example of a resulting in no site reviews or upkeep. short grass prairie. Image courtesy • Formal design patterns misaligned with of Randy Sharp. maintenance budget. • A one-size-fits-all design that ignores building geometry and/or microclimates. • Insufficient growing medium depth relative to selected plant species.

April 2014 SITELINES 7 The Business of Living Architecture: Green Roofs and Wall Systems By Ron Schwenger, Principal, ARCHITEK

“The entire fruit is already present in the seed.” Tertullian

The seeds planted by the pioneers should be thoughtfully designed and VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitors Centre of living architecture, over a decade ago, executed with both infrastructure and green roof by Sharp & Diamond Landscape Architecture and Cornelia Oberlander. have created a thriving new cottage industry horticulture given equal weight. In the Image courtesy of Nic Lehoux. in British Columbia. Green building absence of established standards such as professionals like Cornelia Oberlander, American Society for Testing and Materials urban plazas, water features, garden Dr. Maureen Connelly, and Randy Sharp (ASTM) or FLL (Forschungsgesellschaft structures, and/or urban agriculture. were well ahead of the curve when they Landschaftsentwicklung Landschaftsbau), a Intensive green roofs often require more articulated their vision for green roofs and few basic principles are provided in this intensive maintenance, structural loading, living walls. Today’s green roof and living article to ensure that the green façades, living and significantly more cost. wall specialists have the metrics, the walls, or green roofs have the best chance of mechanics, and the design tools, as well as not only surviving, but thriving. the commitment to maintain and monitor Basic Principles living architecture for long-term performance. Extensive green roofs – typically • Select a proven engineered build-up from By collaborating with the design team and have (lightweight) growing medium at a a green roof (GR) system supplier with a partnering with the green roof and wall depth of 4-6 inches (100–150mm). Extensive proven track record locally. industry, we share the collective vision to green roofs may be retrofitted onto • Collaborate with the landscape, transform the urban landscape. an existing building or planned as part architectural, structural, and building of new construction. “Living architecture is defined by the envelope consultants. integration of inorganic, non-living structures — or more • Scope of work for the supply and for superior ecological, social, and economic Intensive green roofs commonly called “rooftop gardens”, or installation of extensive green roofs should performance.” The Rise of Living Architecture “landscapes over structure”, typically be included under Division 7, Roofing. by Steven W. Peck. have a depth of 8-48 inches (200-1200mm) • Important: Use engineered growing media So what does that mean? It means that of growing medium to support trees, company that meets FLL standards. The performance and longevity should trump shrubs, lawn, sport fields, basketball courts, balance of organics, lightweight aggregates low-cost installations. Living buildings private patios, outdoor amenity spaces, and other materials is critical to the

8 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects “From a small seed, a mighty trunk may • Include a maintenance contract at the grow.” Aeschylus time of tender to ensure regular on-going maintenance. For some walls, that may Greenscreen green façade at MEC North Vancouver store designed by Sharp & Diamond Land- only entail two visits per year. scape Architecture, supplied and installed by Architek. Image courtesy of Randy Sharp. • In the Spring, check for winter damage and tightening of brackets, especially if long-life of a healthy thriving green roof. Green Facades — trellis systems or a stainless steel wire rope or web net is Refer to the FLL Guidelines for the cable structures installed for climbing plants used, as well as a greenscreen or rigid Planning, Execution and Upkeep of to grow vertically without attaching to the trellis panel system. Train new branches Green-Roof Sites. surface of the building. to spread out. • Select a community of plants based on local • In the Fall, after the climbers finish conditions and climate hardiness zones. Basic Principles blooming, prune to encourage lateral • Collaborate with the architectural team to growth, production of fruit (if desired), • Ensure that the depth of the growing design the building’s structure to support fragrant flowers, and fill in at the base media matches the requirements of the a green façade. where there may be more shade. chosen plants and rooting systems. • Retrofit existing buildings with either • Protect the membrane with a compatible attached or freestanding green facades. Living Walls — part of the building green roof build-up system including envelope system where plants are actually protection board (for intensive GRs and • Select climbers to match the orientation planted and growing in a wall system. For more urban agriculture), mechanical root barrier, of the wall (N, S, E, W), the microclimate, information, please read the next article, Living drainage layer or integrated drain mat, and soil conditions to allow sufficient soil Walls, Water Management, and Lighting by moisture retention fleece and other volume for the rooting zone to support Nicolas Rousseau and Randy Sharp. elements. top growth. In summary, green roofs, living walls, and • Avoid planters that may be too small for • Select an experienced, certified installer, green facades offer multiple benefits including climbing plants that may grow 30 or 40 preferably a Green Roof Professional biophilia that allows building occupants to be feet (9–12m) in height. (GRP). For more information, visit in contact with nature. They provide clean air, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities • A 24-month establishment maintenance a positive soundscape, a productive work www.greenroofs.org and attend Cities Alive period is essential for good foliage environment, and comfort for building in Nashville, Tennessee November 12-15, coverage of the climbing plants. occupants. With proper installation and a 2014, www.citiesalive.org, or the Portland • Remove the nursery stakes and ties and commitment to maintenance, we can all Ecoroof Symposium, May 21, 2014 train the vines to spread out horizontally breathe much easier, and enjoy the cool fresh www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/53845. and vertically. oxygenated air. SL

April 2014 SITELINES 9 property manager. On a 1000sq foot living wall, the owner may invest $150K to install and another $30K per year to keep in Living Walls, beautifully maintained. Structural, architectural, MEP, horticultural Water Management, design considerations: a bio-filtration wall can be a key component of a building By Nicolas Rousseau, BSc, MSc, Horticulture Engineer and Randy envelope or interior mechanical system, not and Lighting Sharp, MBCSLA, FCSLA merely an add-on for decoration. A bio-filtration wall is a type of active interior living walls that functions as a Green walls offer multiple vertical hydroponic garden complete with a benefits including biophilia re-circulating water system. Fabric pockets that allows urban dwellers to be on a large frame support plants in a bare in contact with nature. They root condition. “As a living air filter, it provide clean air, a positive removes common indoor contaminants and soundscape, a productive work improves the quality of the air. Indoor air is environment, and comfort for actively drawn through the green wall of building occupants. Greens plants, activating highly specialized, natural walls are trendy. Retail stores, biological processes to break down pollutants hotels, and restaurants attract into their benign components of water and customers, integrate branding, CO2. Clean cool air is distributed throughout and display merchandise in the space via the mechanical system”. front of green walls. With the massive ModuloGreen interior living wall. (www.nedlaw.com) shift in the demographic of the baby Image courtesy of Nicolas Rousseau. The demand for this new course is actually boomers, we are building new housing for the green wall industry has enjoyed stellar symptomatic of the marketplace: home aging in place and health care facilities with growth. The current size of industry in owners, municipalities, retail managers therapeutic programs. North America (NA) is estimated at $70M, and office workers have been hearing of the annual growth in revenue is between A key component of a healthy community is the positive impact of plants on health, 30–50%. In 2005 we imported French and establishing and maintaining an urban productivity, and well-being. At the same Japanese technology. In 2013, we exported forest. If there is not sufficient soil volume or time they, are fully aware that new British Columbian technology to four space to plant large canopy trees, green technologies and systems make it possible continents including Europe and Asia. facades offer bio-mass and conductivity with today to install beautiful and healthy the greater landscape from street level up to If we assume that landscape architects living walls that were not possible ten years the green roof and to interior spaces. Vertical calculate our fees at 10–15 % of construction ago. Yet there are still very few certified gardens also play an important role in value for specialty projects, we can assume contractors that can properly educate their providing places for urban agriculture in $7–10M in professional fees for green wall customers and answer their questions. tight spaces and gardening on balconies for design and contract administration on an Green wall trained design high density residential. annual basis. There is a lot of coordination professionals, policy makers, property with the owner, the architect, structural, and Green walls offer expanded project scope, managers, horticulturalists, and contractors mechanical engineers for water supply increased fees and heightened visibility for have the knowledge to understand the and interior bio-filtration wall, as well as landscape architects – yet lingering concerns nuances of green walls; differentiate living nursery supplier and/or greenhouse for over viability, liability, and effectiveness have walls from green facades; decide what pre-vegetation, and maintenance contractor. kept practitioners from adding green wall technology is most appropriate to vegetate a design to their professional service offerings. On-going maintenance: Partnerships with specific wall; and understand the different BCIT is offering GROW 1500 – Green Walls local nurseries and landscape horticultural components involved to plan, design, install, Course, an introductory course that identifies specialist contractors generate another and maintain leading edge technologies. opportunities and challenges associated with $15M in maintenance fees (NA). They are knowledgeable in plant choices, green walls. The following is a sampling of Liability concerns and how to lower risk, growing medium, irrigation, as well as course content: collaborative design and division of labor. team management, job site logistics, and Despite the downturn in the US economy, This is a major commitment by the owner or maintenance in order to guarantee the long-

10 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects Living walls or integrated vertical garden systems comprise two different technologies available in the marketplace: hydroponic and soil based systems. Both technologies present pros and cons including different water requirements. For instance, a hydroponic living wall relies on a retention mat and/or horticultural rock wool to absorb and retain the nutrient solution, while a soil based retains more water for a longer time, reducing the weekly irrigation frequencies. Soil based living wall system are heavier and may require special installation equipment such as a frame integrated with a scissors lift platform. The fabric based hydroponic living walls may annually use 700–800L of water per square metre, with significant loss through evapotranspiration. Enclosed soil based living walls may only require 200 – 300 L of water per square metre per year. A hybrid hydroponic enclosed rock wool vertical garden systems may require 400 – 500 litres.

For interior installments with supplemental lighting, both hydroponic and soil based living wall technologies have the similar lighting requirements. To ensure healthy attractive plants for easy maintenance, minimum light levels are required. It is extremely important to always choose the plants according to the natural light ModuloGreen exterior living wall. Image courtesy of Nicolas Rousseau. available on-site. However, in our northern climate, most indoor applications require term performance and healthy appearance • Select appropriate plant material and some supplemental metal halide lights or and can identify horticultural engineering system(s) for different wall applications; energy efficient full spectrum LED lights issues that can lead to failures. interior with supplemental lighting, for growth, flowering, maintenance, and bright interior with natural daylight, special effects. In addition, green wall trained and exterior N, S, E and W. professionals can: In summary, living walls are part of a larger • Propose the most appropriate green wall family of engineered greening systems that system to meet the design intent, living • Recognize the difference between a living include green roofs, green facades (climbers architectural metrics; environmental wall and a green façade, hydroponic and attached to structures), vegetated landscape mandate, and specific site / soil based. retaining walls, and integrated planter bio-climatic conditions. systems and with cascading plants. Living • Understand the different components • Design a living wall, develop a logistics walls typically require plants adaptable to involved including structures, frames, plan, and a project management timeline more extreme conditions and stress, inside attachments, water proofing, water for an efficient green wall installation. or outside, free standing or attached to supply, automatic controls and buildings or infrastructure. SL monitoring, cold climate applications, • Create a complete maintenance plan, a maintenance equipment, and BC Work contract, and long-term care requirements. Safe requirements. • Prepare a cost estimate or a quotation for For more information on GROW 1500, a green wall project of your choice. • Evaluate the feasibility and options visit www.bcit.ca or contact Nicolas for green walls for new and existing • Evaluate the risks, challenges and the Rousseau at [email protected] or installations. opportunities related to your project. www.bynaturedesign.ca.

April 2014 SITELINES 11 Improve Acoustic Soundscape Experience

Green Roofs By Maureen Connelly, MAIBC, PhD

The capacity of green roofs to increase affects theTL however, the effect of different Intensive rooftop garden at Broadway Tech of buildings green roof plant communities on TL are not Centre by Sharp & Diamond Landscape the ecological performance Architecture. Image courtesy of Randy Sharp. and contribute in a positive manner to the significant; root structures which increase urban soundscape has been determined by the porosity of the vegetated substrate only recent investigations of the acoustical minimally reduce TL as the plant community characteristics of green roofs. The research establishes.1 The noise pollution may be ability of a floor roof assembly to isolate to date confirms that green roofs increase the external, such as in residential and mixed- impact noise like footfall or objects being sound isolation of roof systems, increase the use densification developments below flight dropped or dragged. International building impact isolation of roofs, increase the sound paths; green roofs will reduce noise level for codes requires a minimum IIC of 45 for field absorption of the roof surface, and alter the the inhabitants. Alternatively, the excess test in new construction, under this rooftop soundscape. To advance the state of noise level may be generated internally, and parameter, the SBS reference roof (IIC 41), practice, findings are presented in an the landscape/acoustical design objective is and concrete pavers with plastic pedestals interdisciplinary manner as design principles to meet city noise level ordinances; night (IIC 44) do not comply with the requirement. for landscape architects to address the clubs in mixed-use downtown zones and The concrete pavers on rubber pad (IIC50) acoustical quality of building interiors and district water pump stations which operate the wooden deck on polystyrene (IIC 55) rooftop soundscapes. 24/7 in residential communities are examples complied; however, the two green roofs out of sites which could benefit from green performed both of these decks by providing Implementing a green roof system can roof technology. double the isolation with an IIC of 64. The provide a decrease in the amount of noise green roof with a substrate depth of the 150 Impact noise from people walking on transmitting through the roof by at least mm roof did not have a measurably increase Transmission loss (TL) characterizes 50%. roofs and using the rooftop for activity is of isolation over the 75 mm of substrate depth.2 the reduction of sound level due to energy effectively eliminated by a green roof. losses as a result of the sound transmission Field test of the 75 mm and 150 mm green The green roof acts as a sound attenuating through an assembly. Extensive green roofs roofs, the two-ply SBS reference roof and absorptive ground on the roof. Green roofs increase TL from 5 to 10 dB at low common deck material at the BCIT Green have a diverse complexity of porosity and frequencies, up to 20 dB at mid frequencies, Roof Research Facility, provided the first moisture content in established plant and more at higher frequencies relative to a data on the impact isolation classification communities; as such, the sound absorption comparable reference roof. Substrate depth (IIC) of green roofs. The IIC quantifies the coefficients of green roofs range significantly.

12 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) from 0.2 performance. In the two rooftop case studies which the sonic quality of occupied spaces to 0.6 indicates the potential to absorb investigated, the rooftop with plants, trees on rooftops is of concern. Restorative design between 20 and 60% of the incident sound and green roofs had more than six-times the process are a point of entry for design energy.3 However, it is critical to note that incidence of bird calls, bird sounds, and professionals to address the acoustical the NRC is not dependent on the depth of sounds of water, than a rooftop without quality of outdoor spaces and utilize new substrate once a plant community is vegetation. The sounds of water can be knowledge of the acoustical characteristic of established. As an example, a moss-sedum enhanced through the design of water green roofs and their potential contribution community has a lessor NRC relative to harvesting and distribution. The sounds of to the ecological performance of the building grasses on rooftops: this is due to the moss’ wind contains contextual information envelope and the soundscape. need to retain water at the surface level regarding the external environment, and the Many of the acoustical characteristics design unlike deep rooted grasses. The green roof plants – as different leaf and branch structures principles of vegetated roofs may be applied with highly absorptive properties can be generated sounds at different frequencies and to living walls. Current research has been used as a source control for rooftop rhythms.5 Birds and insects which inhabit initiated on the acoustical potential of living mechanical equipment noise propagation. green roofs introduce new sounds. High walls, internationally and at the BCIT Centre The absorption mechanism attenuates street sound reflections from urban surfaces are for Architectural Ecology. Stay tuned! SL level noise which diffracts over the roof edge known to affect communications within bird from street level and propagates across the communities.6 Greening rooftops and green roof.4 The absorption capacity of green creating sky paths will affect bird population, roofs will reduce reverberation within and appropriate green roof plant species will References rooftop spaces enclosed by walls by reducing provide habitat for songbirds, bees, and even 1. Connelly M. Connelly and M. Hodgson, the reflection of sounds from equipment and crickets at the rooftop scale. “Experimental investigation of the sound-absorption characteristics of activity, such as foot traffic and movable Moving forward, urban places such as parks vegetated roofs”, submitted to J. Acoust. equipment, from typically highly reflective and courtyards have been identified as Soc. Am., 17 Jun 2013 building materials. having opportunity, through soundscape 2. Rodriguez, J. R., Connelly, M., 2013, Compara- tive field test evaluation of the Impact planning, to increase the aural experience Green roofs alter the urban soundscape Insulation Class (IIC) of roofs: 11th Annual 7,8,9 experience on the rooftop. The soundscape and human enjoyment. Rooftops can now Greening Rooftops for Sustainable is not only altered by the absorptive be added to this list. The contribution of communities, San Francisco 2013 characteristics of the green roof which green roofs as a design solution to meet an 3. M. Connelly and M. Hodgson, reduces noise propagation, the balance of acoustical program and for soundscape “Measurement of the sound absorption natural sounds changes with the inclusion of planning is site specific and depends on the characteristics of vegetative roofs”, Canadian Acoustics 38(3) 150-151 (2010) the plants on the roof. On the rooftop, natural overall design of the building and the site 4. Van Renterghem, T., Botteldooren, D. (2011). sounds can be introduced through plants, context. The acoustical and soundscape In-situ measurements of sound propagat- through the habitat supported by plants, and benefits of green roofs will only be realized if ing over extensive green roofs. Building and through the interaction people have with the design professionals (urban planners, Environment, 46(3), 729-738. green roof plant community. Natural sounds landscape architects, architects, and 5. Dramstad W. E., Olson, J. D., Forman, R.T.T. are known to reduce stress, cardio disease, engineers) recognize the potential of green (1996). Landscape ecology principles in and increase cognitive development and roofs and embrace a design program in landscape architecture and land-use planning Harvard University Graduate School of Design; , DC, Island Press, and the American Society of Landscape Architects. 6. Roberts J.P., Kacelnik, A., Hunter, M.L. (1979). A model of sound interference in relation to acoustic communication. Animal Behaviour, 27, 1271-1273. 7. Ulrich, R. S., Simons, R. F., Losito, B. D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M. A., Zelson, M. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11(3), 201-230. 8. Kaplan, R.,S., Ryan, R. (1998). With people in mind: Design and management of everyday nature. Island Press 9. Brown, A. L., Muhar, A. (2004). An approach to the acoustic design of outdoor space. Journal of Environmental Planning and Extensive Green Roof Plants in absorptive, lightweight mineral substrate. Image courtesy of Randy Sharp. Management, 47, 827-842.

April 2014 SITELINES 13 used for roof top farming. Most parkades are not built to the same structural standards as occupied space, so it took considerable engineering effort to develop a workable farm plan that did not exceed the structural limitations of the roof deck. In addition, there were a long list of code issues that needed to be addressed, for instance: multiple code-compliant egress points were necessary, as well as a fire suppression system, code compliant railings, and safety lighting. Ultimately, these design challenges were overcome, but a disagreement between the Left: Sole Food Urban Farm, design by Projects In Place Society. Image courtesy of Jim Parkes. building owner and SOLEfood scuttled the Right: Sole Food Urban Farm. Images courtesy of Bryce Gauthier (top) Randy Sharp (bottom). project, proving that once again, the biggest challenge to urban farming is finding an In Defence of Urban Agriculture appropriate space. By Bryce Gauthier, MBCSLA, Director of The Projects in Place Society Aeroponic Design: Ken Spencer Science with Contributions from Heather Wray, Engineering PhD Candidate, University of Park, Science World – A child’s concept of food typically begins and ends at the dinner smell, and vectors are tightly controlled. These To some, the idea of urban agriculture is plate. One of the greatest benefits of bringing factors, combined with spatial constraints and an esoteric pursuit: the focus of “foodies” food back into the city is giving kids a better the temporary nature of many urban farms and young idealists—a quaint idea. Yet a understanding of where their food comes from has led to the consideration of roof tops as a closer look at projects here in Vancouver and as well as the consequences associated with potential alternative to empty lots. Rooftop the Downtown Eastside (DTES) in particular, food production. illustrates how urban agriculture can address farming, however, presents its own challenges. a range of important issues. Heather Wray, an Environmental Engineer Ken Spencer Science Park is a wonderful and early pioneer in the rooftop gardening interpretive children’s open space designed by SOLEfood: Vancouver’s First “Street” industry co-founded The Sky Garden, a PFS Studio as part of Science World’s recent Farm – The first SOLEfood farm was built on lightweight rooftop vegetable garden at the facility upgrade. Projects In Place was engaged a vacant lot, transforming 15,000 square feet University of Toronto. The Sky Garden to design and build a series of urban agriculture of derelict and dangerous space into produc- produces over 500 pounds of organic vegetables elements designed to demonstrate high-tech tive “crop land”. Its operators had ambitious every year and serves as a living laboratory for methods of food production. An array of goals: to improve the urban environment; research and education. Automated drip green roofs, vertical planters, raised garden provide training and employment opportuni- irrigation and rainwater capture reduce potable beds were installed and centred around a 2m ties for local residents; give the community water consumption as do initiatives like on-site tall aeroponic planter, which towered over members access to fresh produce; and advance seed saving and composting. Lightweight children, bursting with vegetables. the concept of urban farming in Vancouver. greenhouse structures extend the growing Aeroponics, a method of growing plants Projects in Place designed the farm and orga- season and a portion of the harvest is preserved using drip or micro-head irrigation mist nized a series of volunteer builds to get the with a solar dehydrator. instead of conventional irrigation and soil is farm operational. The Sky Garden’s semi-hydroponic design a closed-loop system that uses a fraction of minimizes the depth of growing media so the water and nutrients as conventional Four years later, SOLEfood is a thriving as not to exceed the structural capacity of the agriculture. This installation was a great enterprise with farms spread throughout the building. Semi-hydroponic or fully hydroponic opportunity to introduce children to some of DTES. Beyond the success of the enterprise container gardens typically do not exceed the challenges and potential solutions that itself is the impact it has had on the community a weight of 100 kg/m2, comparable to are associated with food production. and its residents. But large scale urban farming the capacity of extensive green roof systems, is not without its detractors. Because those and lower than most intensive green roofs The Rice Block: Addressing the Problem who lease the spaces sometimes get a tax that would traditionally be required for of Food Scarcity in the DTES – Residents receipt, there is a cost in the form of lost tax food production. who face economic challenges make their revenue. This underscores a larger issue: even food choices out of necessity. In the DTES, derelict spaces can be expensive. Therefore, SOLEfood II: Rooftop Farm – Stymied in many get sustenance from a mix of soup finding adequate space can be a challenge. their attempts to find new sites on the ground kitchens, convenience stores, and dump- and inspired by the idea of roof top farming, sters, making the pursuit of a healthy diet The Sky Garden, Toronto: A High Tech SOLEfood identified a potential site on a difficult. Compounding matters is that fact Garden – Cities are highly controlled parkade in Chinatown. It was a long process to that the area is effectively a food desert, with environments where issues like waste, noise, determine that the parking structure could be few grocery stores in the vicinity.

14 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects The garden built behind The Rice Block spaces to increasingly upmarket businesses, aquaponic technology. Aquaponics, is a food housing development provides food for the institutions that were once providing production system that combines conventional women battling addiction. It gives them the support are disappearing, leaving long-time aquaculture, with hydroponics in a symbiotic opportunity to access healthy produce, but residents alone and increasingly isolated. environment, incorporates the excretions beyond its function, it is an example of how To address this issue within the Chinese from fish as a fertilizer to feed plant production. small community gardens can have a positive community, an empty lot will be converted However, this project is about more than just effect on people who are facing significant into a multi-generational community garden using a fancy technology to grow vegetables. economic hardships. The garden brings project with a special focus on growing The produce will be donated to an adjacent residents together in the pursuit of growing traditional Chinese vegetables. The primary easy to prepare produce in a safe and shelter. The display is planned on an exterior objective is to give elderly Chinese the supportive environment. wall in order to make it visible to the public. opportunity to get exercise and stay engaged The temple hopes the display will bring The Keefer Garden Project: A Multi-Gen- in their community. different cultures and generations together erational Approach to Urban Agriculture and to attract new members. There are also – The – While groups dealing with dependency and Vancouver Buddhist Temple plans in place to convert unused classrooms Vancouver Buddhist Temple was established mental health issues command much of into a learning environment to teach people in 1904 and has stood at its current location the attention, there is a less well understood about the benefits of urban agriculture. segment of the DTES that is also under threat: in front of Oppenheimer Park for more than the elderly. 40 years. Like many of the cultural buildings Conclusion – Time will tell if the pursuit of in this neighbourhood, their congregation urban agriculture really changes the way we Beginning in the 1970s, suburbanization, drug has gradually moved away, while those who produce, consume, and think about food, addiction, and crime, coupled with economic remain are older and left with the burden stagnation began to push/pull families out of but it is important to bear in mind that the of maintaining a culturally significant, yet the neighbourhood, but those who did not impact of this kind of food production deteriorating building. marry or start families tended to remain. extends beyond the simple metrics of Many were immigrants from a wide range of Projects In Place has been working with the production. Measuring urban agriculture in cultures who relied on a support network of buddhist temple to integrate a vertical farming quantitative terms misses the point. There churches, temples, markets, barbershops, low project into the temple. With support from the are many other important reasons why this rent bars, and gambling dens. As landlords City of Vancouver, the project would grow kind of practice is important and relevant to capitalize on the opportunity to rent their culturally significant Japanese vegetables using our communities. SL

Julia Ryan, Vancouver 604.649.4367 cell [email protected]

Designed by Efrain Velez Olithas

DESIGN. CULTURE. CRAFT.

April 2014 SITELINES 15 The Dynamics of Bio-Engineering and Green Infrastructure By David Adkins, Project Consultant, Denbow

All life depends upon health of the biosphere. The biosphere system consists of the continuous cycling of matter. In the last 250 years, has humankind’s intervention been with global consequences? Bio- engineering, or bio-mimicry, redresses this imbalance by minimalizing the environmental impact of development by using green infrastructure technologies that replace, or integrate with, costly grey infrastructure such as rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, compost blankets, and vegetated mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. Products from waste streams, for example, forestry residuals and compost, can be diverted from landfill and be reused in these technologies. has become a global priority. The use of Cascade Live Retaining Wall by Denbow. Image courtesy of David Adkins. The Challenge sustainable performance rating tools, is now In the developed West, 75% of the population commonplace such as Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment lives near polluted rivers and landscapes that replenishes and releases water, and reflects Methodology (BREEAM), Leadership in include: coliform bacteria, metals—Cu, Cd, Cr, sunlight and encourages plant establishment. Energy & Environmental Design & Green infrastructure can also be designed to Ni, Pb, Zn, nutrients, nitrogen and potassium, Sustainable Sites (LEED®), Low Impact integrate with storm water management high turbidity TSS (clay and fine silt sediment) Development (LID), and ESTIDAMA (Abu plans. Tools to deliver LID including: and petroleum hydrocarbons—motor oil, Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s rating diesel fuel and gasoline. Storm water run-off • Green Roof Systems system), to assess and “score” the relative from the built environment and rising river • Vegetated MSE retaining walls sustainability standards of buildings, and and sea levels have attributed to increased • Green facade walls associated landscapes. Since 1990, 200,000 flooding and the need to manage polluted • Bioswales and rain gardens buildings worldwide where awarded discharge. The main sources of storm water • Erosion and sediment controls BREEAM certification. Many of these pollution include: parking lots, residential • Runoff control ecoblankets organizations then moved on to assess the development, highways, streets, rooftops, golf • Vegetated filtre strips sustainability standards of a community as Courses, lawns, pet parks, farms, industrial • Engineered growing media a whole. For example, LID assesses restoring • Channel liners and check dams development and processes, and construction. natural site hydrology for residential • Streambank and slope Stabilization Priority areas that have incurred damage developments. In 2009, Toronto became • Biofiltration and bioretention Systems include: rivers & lakes (eutrophic), trout- the first city in the world to enact a green • Terraseeding and hydroseeding salmon bearing streams, reduction of natural roof bylaw, Masdar City in • Flood alleviation dykes and berms capital, beaches and shorelines, red data became the first Carbon Free City • Slope interruption and run-off diversion endangered species, and habitats such as development, and the VanDusen Botanical • Detention ponds-surface/subsurface wetlands, forests, and grasslands. Gardens Visitor Centre became the first • Permeable paving Canadian Living Building certified by the Living Architecture Metrics: Cascadia Green Building Council. Many of these products incorporate forestry LID, LEED, BREEAM, ESTIDAMA and composted waste products. Compost, With the emergence in 1990 of ICLEI Designing with Green has been hailed by experts from across many (Local Governments for Sustainability Infrastructure and Compost disciplines and professions as a natural formerly International Council for Local Soil Products solution for successful re-vegetation, Environmental Initiatives), sustainable Green infrastructure mimics the natural establishment and long-term plant growth. development and storm water management processes that cools, absorbs, filtres, stores, The physical and microbial benefits of

16 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects Top Left: BC Hydro Field Operations Centre, Maple Ridge by Sharp & Diamond Landscape Architecture Inc.,

Filtrexx terraced hillside by Denbow. Image courtesy of Randy Sharp.

Top Right: South view eco-building in the UK. Image courtesy of David Adkins.

Bottom: Terra seeding by Denbow. Image courtesy of David Adkins.

• Improvement of the quality of and minimizing polluted water discharges to the natural environment • Added value while minimizing development costs such as drainage grey infrastructure costs. To conclude, urbanists, landscape architects, architects, engineers composts are extraordinary, including the used in hydrology for predicting direct and city planners have the unique take up and breakdown of pollutants. runoff or infiltration from rainfall excess). opportunity to advance biophilic sustainable city design that extends beyond conven- Performance parameters must be applied to The key benefits green Infrastructure tional urban parks, and building-centric all composting technologies and include: products and compost are: design to integrating green infrastructure oxygen concentration, FAS and particle size with existing natural capital, corridors and and structure, carbon to nitrogen (C:N) • Removal and microbial breakdown of resources. It is about re-defining cities as ratio, moisture content, temperature, and pH pollutants and protecting water quality places of, sustainable development, landscape level. Approved product specifications are of surface and ground waters. character, livability and restorative nature. available from sources such as the Compost • Reduction of carbon foot print by Council of Canada, Filtrexx International, diversion of natural materials from waste and more recently, Metro Vancouver’s streams, e.g. composted forestry residuals. compost specification review. Bibliography • Increase of natural capital and developing 1. Denbow ESC/Green Infrastructure Based on storm water run-off curve, USDA greenways to promote regional Presentations SCS (final infiltration rate of 0.15 to 0.30 interconnectivity by building sustainable 2. The Sustainable Site Design Manual urban green space planning networks. For Green Infrastructure & Low Impact in./h) a parking lot driveway, storm sewer Development, Dr Britt Faucette, or roof scores 98 and a vegetated- seeded 2” • Control of erosion, reduction of Alexander Marks, Rodney Tyler Compost Blanket 55, which is the same run-off, turbidity, and peak flows 3. USDA SCS score as natural woodland 55. (SCS runoff from urban developments, roof water, 4. European Landscape Convention (ELC) curve number is an empirical parameter and other stormwater. 5. Green Infrastructure Coalition Ontario

April 2014 SITELINES 17 PLANT A BIG IDEA. WATCH IT CHANGE A CITY. We don’t just want more urban trees – We want them to last. The Silva Cell’s open, modular design protects soil under paving, providing maximum rooting area for the tree and allowing water to permeate the entire soil column. This means healthier, longer-lived trees and a truly sustainable urban landscape. www.deeproot.com

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April 2014 SITELINES19 MutualMat_8.5x11.indd 1 3/15/11 3:54 PM