Philadelphia Stormwater Manual V2.1 Philadelphia Stormwater Manual V2.1 This Pageintentionallyleftblank Simplified Approach Design Criteria Rooftop Systems
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7 Stormwater Management Practice Design Guidelines 7.1 Green Roofs 7.2 Rain Barrels and Cisterns 7.3 Filter Strips 7.4 Filters 7.5 Bioinfiltration / Bioretention 7.6 Detention Basins 7.7 Berms and Retentive Grading 7.8 Swales 7.9 Constructed Wetlands (see PA Stormwater BMP Manual) 7.10 Ponds & Wet Basins (see PA Stormwater BMP Manual) 7.11 Subsurface Vaults 7.12 Subsurface Infiltration 7.13 Porous Pavement 7.14 Pre-fabricated and Proprietary Designs (see PA Stormwater BMP Manual) 7.15 Inlet and Outlet Controls Philadelphia Stormwater Manual v2.1 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Philadelphia Stormwater Manual v2.1 Simplified Approach Design Criteria Rooftop Systems This section provides the following information about eco-roofs and roof gardens: S Typical cross section S Description S General specifications S Checklist of minimal information to be shown on the permit drawings S Construction inspection requirements and schedule S Link to landscaping requirements S Link to example landscaping plans S Link to operation and maintenance requirements S Link to photos 7.1 S Link to drawings 7.1 S Eco-roof Central City F.A.R. bonus guidelines Green roofs (vegetated roof/eco roof/roof garden) consist of a layer of vegetation that completely covers an otherwise conventional flat or pitched roof. The hydrologic response of a green roof bears closer resemblance to a lawn or meadow than impervious surface. The green roof system is composed of multiple layers including waterproofing, a drainage City of Portland, OR layer, engineered planting media, and specially selected plants. Vegetated roof covers can be optimized to achieve water quantity and quality benefits. Through the appropriate selection of materials, vegetated covers can provide rainfall retention green roofs green roofs and detention functions. Stormwater Management Manual Page 2-16 key elementsAdopted July: 1, 1999; revised September 1, 2002 • Extensive green roofs with engineered media at least 3 inches in depth can be considered pervious in stormwater design calculations. • Vegetated roof covers intended to achieve water quality benefits should maintain a soluble nitrogen level of 4ppm. • Internal drainage, including provisions to cover and protect deck drains or scuppers, must anticipate the need to manage large rainfall events without inundating the cover. • Provide urban green space and aesthetically pleasing views. • Act as heat sink to reduce heating and cooling costs. • Can extend roof life by two to three times. • Improve air quality by filtering dust particles. potential applications stormwater regulations Residential Subdivision:Case by case Water Quality: Commercial: Yes Infiltration: No Volume Reduction: Ultra Urban: Yes Yes (no infiltration) Industrial: Yes Channel Protection: Retrofit: Yes Not included in DCIA Flood Control: Highway Road: No Low acceptable forms of pre-treatment N/A Philadelphia Stormwater Manual v2.1 7 - 1 7.1 Green Roofs in the Urban Landscape Unlike conventional roofing, green roofs promote retention, slow release, and evapotranspiration of precipitation. This stormwater management technique is very effective in reducing the volume and velocity of stormwater runoff from roofs. Green roofs can be installed on many types of roofs, from small slanting roofs to large commercial flat roofs. Green roofs are an ideal option for new buildings that are taking long term cost savings and energy conservation into consideration. Many existing buildings can also be retrofitted with green roofs. Although green roofs are more expensive than conventional roofs up front, they provide long term benefits and cost savings. The vegetated cover assembly should be compatible with and designed to protect the underlying waterproofing materials. By protecting the waterproofing from mechanical damage, shielding it from UV radiation, and buffering temperature extremes, the service life of the roof can be extended by two to three times. Green roofs also may reduce energy costs by acting green roofs as a heat sink. The roof slowly absorbs energy from the sun during the day and releases it as the air cools, thereby reducing heating and cooling costs. The benefits will be greatest during the summer months, especially for low buildings. Green roofs also reduce the urban heat island effect by providing evaporative cooling and can © 2004, Roofscapes, Inc. Used by permission; all rights reserved. improve air quality by filtering dust particles. Example of a green roof at the Heinz 57 Center Pittsburgh, PA Components of a Green Roof There are two basic types of green roofs. An extensive green roof system is a thin (usually less than 6 inches), lighter weight system planted predominantly with drought-tolerant succulent plants and grasses. An intensive green roof is a deeper, heavier system designed to sustain more complex landscapes. A green roof system, extensive or intensive, is often comprised of the same components: • Plant material • Growing medium • Filter fabric • Drainage layer • Waterproof membrane/root barrier • Roof structure Plant Material The plant material chosen for green roofs is designed to take up much of the water that falls on the roof during a storm event. Plant selection is very important to the sustainability of the roof. About 50% of the vegetation on an extensive green roof should be Sedums. Plant material also collects dust, creates oxygen, releases moisture, and provides evaporative cooling. Philadelphia Stormwater Manual v2.1 7 - 2 7.1 Growing Medium The growing medium is a critical element of stormwater storage and detention on a green roof, and provides a buffer between the roof structure and vegetation for root development. Storage is provided by a green roof primarily through water held in tension in the growing medium pores. The growing medium in an extensive green roof should be a lightweight mineral material with a minimum of organic material and should stand up to freeze/thaw cycles. Filter Fabric An engineered filter fabric prevents fine soil particles from passing into the drainage layer of the green roof system. Drainage Layer The drainage layer may be either a lightweight granular medium or a synthetic layer that underlays and promotes free drainage of the planting medium. In some City of Portland, OR assemblages, synthetic drainage layers green roofs green roofs may also incorporate depressions that can intercept and retain small quantities of runoff. Figure 7.1: Cross-section view of roof garden Waterproof Membrane/Root Barrier To maintain structural integrity of the roof, a waterproof material is laid above the roof structure. Some waterproofing materials are inherently root resistant, whereas others require an additional root barrier. Roof Structure The load capacity of a roof structure must be taken into account when considering the installation of a green roof. Extensive green roofs typically weigh between 15 and 30 lbs per square foot and are compatible with wood or steel decks. Intensive green roofs weigh more than 36 lbs per square foot and typically require concrete supporting decks. Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Manual Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Manual Ponding of water on standard rooftop Rooftop after greenroof installation Philadelphia Stormwater Manual v2.1 7 - 3 7.1 Recommended Design Procedure • Investigate the feasibility of the installation of a green roof. A Structural Engineer should verify that the roof will support the weight of the green roof system. It is important to consider the wet weight of the roof in the design calculations. • Determine the portion of roof that will have a green roof. • Extensive green roofs that have an engineered media at least 3 inches thick are permitted a DCIA reduction equal to the entire area of the green roof. • Impervious roof area directing runoff onto the green roof cannot exceed 50% of the green roof area. • The minimum thickness of the green roof growing medium is 3 inches. When only a portion of a roof is a green roof, it is acceptable to drain runoff from the impervious portion of the roof to the green roof. The minimum thickness of the green roof qualifying as pervious area is determined using the following formula, where impervious roof area/green roof area ≤ 0.50 : Minimum thickness (in inches) of green roof growing medium = 3” + [3 * (Impervious roof area/ Green roof area)] • The contributing area of rooftop to each disconnected discharge point must be equal to or less than 500 square feet. • Runoff from impervious roof area onto green roof must be dispersed evenly across it and pass through the growing medium. Drainage piping may be necessary to ensure distribution. green roofs • The green roof is considered pervious area when determining whether a redevelopment project has reduced DCIA by 20%. • The area of the green roof is not included in the calculation of the Water Quality Volume, because it is not considered DCIA. • The area of the green roof is not included in the calculation of the Channel Protection Volume, because it is not considered DCIA. • The green roof area can be considered pervious open space in good condition with moderate soils when determining post-development flow rates for the Flood Control requirement. • Although green roofs are not considered as impervious surfaces when determining applicability of stormwater management requirements, they are not zero discharge systems. The roof drainage system and the remainder of the site drainage system must safely convey roof runoff to the storm sewer, combined sewer, or receiving water. • Green roofs with a media thickness less than 3 inches can only be considered pervious if the designer can demonstrate that the initial abstraction of the green roof will be 0.5 inches or greater. • Develop Planting Plan based on the thickness of the planting media. • Complete construction plans and specifications. Materials Presently, the most complete established standards for green roof construction are those developed in Germany by the Forschungsgesellschaft Landschaftsentwicklung Landschaftsbau (FLL). The FLL standards and guidelines include industry standard tests for the weight, moisture, nutrient content, and grain-size distribution of growing media.