American University’s Green Roof Installation

From September 4-8, 2010, American University (AU) and its neighbors from McLean Gardens worked hand-in-hand to install a green roof on the Kogod School of Business, in an effort to help reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.  

With direction from DC Greenworks, over 50 volunteers – AU students, faculty, staff, their families, and neighbors – installed the 2,500 sq. foot green roof of low-maintenance plants on Kogod’s ground-level roof. Residents of the nearby McLean Gardens helped so that they too could learn the benefits of installing green roofs, with a goal of installing these energy-efficient roofs in their own community.   

Some of the benefits include:  

•  Cleaning storm water that runs into the Bay

•  Reducing the Heat Island effect by making the air cooler

•  Lengthening the lifetime of the roof

Hager Sharp pitched this green story to media in the Washington, D.C. market. Check out this story on CBS affiliate, W*USA 9, “AU Green Roof Built With McLean Gardens Neighbors,” which aired on September 8, 2010, featuring American University’s Chris O’Brien, Director of Sustainability.