Photo Credit: Courtesy of Rockford Park District and LiveRoof
Visitors to Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens in Rockford, Ill., have been seeing plenty of green—not on the ground—but on the roof. Construction of a 4,300-square-foot green-roof garden at the conservatory began in July 2012 and was completed in August 2012. A viewing deck, which can accommodate 20 to 30 people, opened to the public during select hours beginning in the latter month. The green roof is the first project of its kind in the park district.
The LiveRoof hybrid green-roof system from LiveRoof LLC (Spring Lake, Mich.) was selected for the project. Christiansen Roofing Inc. of Rockford installed the roof, which was made possible by the financial support of Aqua-Aerobic Systems Inc. (Loves Park, Ill.).
“The green roof decreases storm water runoff, reduces energy use by insulating the rooftop, and extends the service life of the building’s structural roof by shielding it,” says Ruth Miller, manager of the facility. “In addition, [it] allows us to enhance educational opportunities by teaching visitors about sustainability during select times when the green roof is available for tours.” The conservatory is a LEED-certified facility, and the new roof will increase the building’s LEED points.