May 14 2008
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) today announced the availability of The Roof is Growing!, an educational resource for middle-school students and teachers about green roofs and their environmental benefits. The resource includes a lesson plan, workbook, and online interactive program designed to engage students on how green roofs cool cities, clean the air, create habitats, and control stormwater.
“Green roofs can serve as a creative solution to many issues facing the environment and urban infrastructure. By learning about green roofs, we hope to inspire young students to think creatively and use their imaginations as future landscape architects or any path they choose,” said Nancy Somerville, Executive Vice President and CEO of ASLA.
A green roof replaces traditional roofing with a living environment of plants and soil. Among the many benefits they offer, green roofs remove pollutants from stormwater and reduce the amount of water that flows into sewer systems. The plants store excess carbon from the atmosphere, lower radiant heat in the summer, and create habitats for local wildlife. Additionally, green roofs provide extra insulation to buildings and last two or three times longer than traditional roofs.
The Roof is Growing! is designed for middle-school students (grades 6-8), and is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and a generous contribution from the landscape architecture firm Lewis Scully Gionet, Inc. To learn more about green roofs or schedule a tour of ASLA’s award-winning green roof, visit www.asla.org/greenroof.