Tag Archives: sustainable

Dispelling the myth of the maintenance-free vegetated roof

Maintenance-free vegetated roofs do not exist. The intensity and the frequency of maintenance varies with the plantings chosen, the density and coverage of those plants, and the maturity. After making certain in the design and implementation of the vegetated roof that accessibility has been ensured and potential problems headed off, maintenance is essential to perform on a regular basis.

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Think Globally, Act Locally: Net-zero impact development

The phrase “think globally, act locally” is a good way to describe how sustainable design projects are conceptualized. From the building to the community scale, the goal is to minimize the initial and ongoing effects of development by striving for net-zero impact and focusing on ecological restoration. (Net-zero refers to a balance of resource use and restoration on an annual basis—producing as much energy through renewable sources as consumed, sequestering equal or greater amounts of carbon as emitted, or diverting all waste from landfills or other harmful means of disposal).

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The Sky’s The Limit: Designing airports with wood

Before the 1850s, wood was commonly used as a primary structural building material in myriad types of non-residential construction around the world. Many of these timber-built structures remain standing and are still in use today, including factories, warehouses, schools, temples, and churches—some dating as far back as the seventh century, demonstrating the durability and strength of building with wood.

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Waterproofing considerations for green roofs

Green roofs are continuing to gain recognition as a sustainable building design feature throughout North America. These vegetated assemblies contribute to many credits under the Canada Green Building Council’s (CaGBC’s) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
To ensure performance of these systems, the Single-ply Roofing Industry (SPRI) association has passed two design standards and a test procedure specific for vegetative roofs in the last couple of years.

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