Pa. nurturing green roofs to manage storm water

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.comLuzerne County Reporter

More green roofs may sprout up in Pennsylvania because the state is now encouraging them, said Josh Longmore, manager of the Luzerne Conservation District.

The state recently included green roofs in its best practices manual covering storm-water management and conservation, he said.

“We’re trying to get the word out that this is a viable option as part of a storm-water management plan,” he said.

Property owners may not have to construct a green roof from scratch. The Conservation District set up a sample of vegetative panels that may be installed atop existing structures. The panels, on display outside the district’s Jackson Township offices, are essentially recycled plastic trays that contain a special soil mixture and plants.

Tobyhanna Army Depot installed the panels atop a 14,000-square-foot wing of the headquarter building in August 2006 using federal funding that encourages pollution prevention projects.

A protective cover was placed on the roof membrane before the 2-by-4 foot panels were set in place.

Randy Didier, chief of the Depot’s Environmental Management Division, said he likes to stand on the green roof on a hot day.

“You can tell the difference. There’s at least a 40-degree swing between that and the other roofs,” Didier said.

Depot officials want to install panels on other roofs, but first they’re conducting tests to measure differences in storm-water run-off and temperature between the wing with a green roof and one without.

Didier said he’s confident the green roof will win because the vegetative panels noticeably absorb rainwater.

Modifications may be required to structures to support the added weight of the panels, Didier said. He believes roofs with the panels will last longer because they shield the roof from sun and water.

“They also add color and habitat back to the space,” he said.

For more information

Obtain information about green roofs and other conservation and storm-water reduction techniques by contacting the Luzerne Conservation District at 674-7991.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.