Green Roof Douses Urban Heat on Fire Station
The urban heat island (UHI) effect can raise daytime temperatures in urban areas from 2° to 10° F. over surrounding countryside. To combat UHI, the Chicago Department of General Services installed “green” roofs on 4 fire stations in the city. The department required a green roof system that was easy to install, cost effective, and lightweight, especially for the 100-year-old Engine Co. #98 station (shown). It selected the GreenGrid Green Roof System, with nursery-preplanted, recycled-plastic modules of plants and soil that install quickly on location. Modules weigh 10 to 12 lbs./sq. ft. for 212-in. units; 15 to 18 lbs./sq. ft. for 4-in. modules; and 30+ lbs./sq. ft. for 8-in. modules, fully saturated. For the Engine Co. #98 site, GreenGrid installed a 1,056-sq.-ft. modular green roof with a mixture of hearty sedum species at just 3 plants per sq. ft. to reduce weight even more on the century-old building. Because of the modular components, 2 of the green roofs were installed at other locations during winter months. GreenGrid Roofing Systems, Inc., Vernon Hills, IL