Living Green Roof at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 | Author: admin
JEFF HODSON, METRO VANCOUVER
November 07, 2008 08:59
In a years time the big green living roof of the new Vancouver Convention Centre is going to be a Vancouver icon as well-known as B.C. Places air-supported roof or Science Worlds geodesic dome, Premier Gordon Campbell said yesterday.
The living roof is going to be something that is recognized around the world, said Campbell, taking part in a ceremonial planting to mark the completion of the 2.5-hectare plant-covered roof, the largest in North America.
More than 350,000 indigenous plants and grasses have been planted in a 15-cm deep substrate of sand, organic mulch and lava rock and will be watered by 43 km of irrigation piping.
There are more living plants on the roof of the Vancouver Convention Centre than flowers in all of Vancouvers 200 parks.
The facility, to be completed in March, is built to a Gold LEEDS environmental standard and uses an in-house treatment system to reclaim water from the roof.
Campbell said the building will use 70 per cent less water than a comparable building. As well, the green roof will act as an insulator, reducing heat gains by 95 per cent in summer and heat losses by 26 per cent in winter.
When the convention centre opens its doors — to the 1,000-strong American Bar ociation convention in April — the final budget will be $883.2 million. In 2003, its cost was estimated at $495 million.
The centre has already booked 159 events.
Video credit: CBC
Duration : 0:3:11
Tuesday, 13. January 2009
What about the long …
What about the long term energy savings? This project symbolizes a break from old ways of thinking… actually a revival in old. We should focus on moving forward creating more of its kind, leading to improved cost effectiveness - financial and environmentally.