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It's not just pretty plants
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| Staff photo by Mark Boxley Tammy Hess, the executive secretary of ABC Supply, explains a heat monitoring system on the roof of the company's building off Riverside Drive. The different kinds of rock and plants help insulate buildings and make them more efficient. |
By Hillary Wundrow
Daily News staff writer
Milwaukee latest city to push green-roof concept
ABC Supply Company's roof-top gardens keep sprouting up around the country as cities encourage the use of the energy saving technique.
And one of the latest cities looking to push the idea is Milwaukee, where Mayor Tom Barrett has Beloit ties through his wife, the former Kris Mansfield.
Buildings with the mobile gardens can increase roof longevity, lower energy costs and prevent runoff from entering rivers and sewers, said Don Mischo, ABC Supply director of special projects.
"It's an ecologically beneficial roofing system," Mischo said.
Mischo designed the GreenGrid System in 2002. Modeled after European style rooftops, the GreenGrid gardens are movable and can be installed in less than three weeks.
ABC Supply Company, based in Beloit and owned by Ken and Diane Hendricks, has created GreenGrid gardens for the tops of businesses, hospitals, residential buildings and other institutions. ABC Supply uses Weston Solutions Inc., an engineering firm to design and install individual GreenGrids.
One of the garden's appeal is the economic benefits it can provide.
Due to their insulating abilities, the gardens reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 25 and 50 percent as well as increase the life of the roof.
"No matter what type of a roof, it will leak. The question is when," Mischo said.
Lawsuits over roofs account for 80 percent of construction litigation, Mischo added.
Because of the large construction industry in Chicago, Mischo said many of the city's contractors consider adding the gardens to prevent lawsuits.
In Chicago, ABC Supply Company has sold the roofs to Best Buy, Target stores, hospitals and four fire stations.
"Mayor (Richard) Daley is our biggest salesman," said Dan Mischo, director of special projects at ABC Supply.
In 2002, ABC Supply sold 15,670 square feet of green grid and by 2003 the company had sold 32,000 square feet. In 2004 to date, the company has sold 109,896 square feet.
This fall ABC Supply added a GreenGrid garden to the Burpee Museum-Discovery Center Museum Campus expansion project in Rockford.
Other projects are located in Milwaukee, Los Angeles and as far away at the Blenheim Palace in England.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, married to Kris Mansfield from Beloit, said the gardens make economic sense in both Milwaukee and Beloit.
"The GreenGrid system is the ultimate low-tax solution to overflows into the sewer system. They save energy and have aesthetic value," Barrett said.
Milwaukee's Highland Gardens, high rise apartments soon to be erected, are just one of seven green roofs in the Milwaukee area.
The roof will hold a 20,000 square foot garden, the largest GreenGrid on any residential development in the Midwest.
Barrett also has plans to add the gardens to 3,000 units of public housing in the future.
Because of their economic benefits, Barrett often discusses tax incremental financing (TIF) possibilities to developers who will consider adding green roofs.
"A developer will come to the city and ask for a TIF. When they are seeking a TIF we will be talking to them about the prospect of having a green roof and waste water reduction techniques," Barrett said.
Although the roofs aren't going to work for every project, Barrett said it's important to have it as one of the options on the table.
"Our leverage increases if they want dollars from the city coffers. During the course of seeking TIF or during the permitting process, it's a fair question to ask a company about sustainable development," Barrett said. "It may help the community in the long run."
Although the roofs are taking off in Milwaukee, Beloit Economic Development Director Andrew Janke said limited resources in Beloit may make it difficult to offer incentives to companies at the present time.
"For a city of the density of Milwaukee, there are probably a lot more compelling reasons than in a community like Beloit. Our resources are very limited," Janke said.
Although Janke doesn't foresee any incentives for the roofs now, he said it is possibility down the road, especially if the upper floor housing initiative takes off.
"If a desire and a need arises it is possible," Janke said. "Not only is there an aesthetic appeal, but there are some apparent energy efficiencies that can be gained."
Although states and cities across the country provide incentives to those participating in its green roof initiative, no national movement exists at this time.
"Unfortunately there are no national incentives now. Incentives will grow with the knowledge of the public of the benefits," Mischo said.
ABC Supply Company's roof-top gardens keep sprouting up around the country as cities encourage the use of the energy saving technique.
And one of the latest cities looking to push the idea is Milwaukee, where Mayor Tom Barrett has Beloit ties through his wife, the former Kris Mansfield.
Buildings with the mobile gardens can increase roof longevity, lower energy costs and prevent runoff from entering rivers and sewers, said Don Mischo, ABC Supply director of special projects.
"It's an ecologically beneficial roofing system," Mischo said.
Mischo designed the GreenGrid System in 2002. Modeled after European style rooftops, the GreenGrid gardens are movable and can be installed in less than three weeks.
ABC Supply Company, based in Beloit and owned by Ken and Diane Hendricks, has created GreenGrid gardens for the tops of businesses, hospitals, residential buildings and other institutions. ABC Supply uses Weston Solutions Inc., an engineering firm to design and install individual GreenGrids.
One of the garden's appeal is the economic benefits it can provide.
Due to their insulating abilities, the gardens reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 25 and 50 percent as well as increase the life of the roof.
"No matter what type of a roof, it will leak. The question is when," Mischo said.
Lawsuits over roofs account for 80 percent of construction litigation, Mischo added.
Because of the large construction industry in Chicago, Mischo said many of the city's contractors consider adding the gardens to prevent lawsuits.
In Chicago, ABC Supply Company has sold the roofs to Best Buy, Target stores, hospitals and four fire stations.
"Mayor (Richard) Daley is our biggest salesman," said Dan Mischo, director of special projects at ABC Supply.
In 2002, ABC Supply sold 15,670 square feet of green grid and by 2003 the company had sold 32,000 square feet. In 2004 to date, the company has sold 109,896 square feet.
This fall ABC Supply added a GreenGrid garden to the Burpee Museum-Discovery Center Museum Campus expansion project in Rockford.
Other projects are located in Milwaukee, Los Angeles and as far away at the Blenheim Palace in England.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, married to Kris Mansfield from Beloit, said the gardens make economic sense in both Milwaukee and Beloit.
"The GreenGrid system is the ultimate low-tax solution to overflows into the sewer system. They save energy and have aesthetic value," Barrett said.
Milwaukee's Highland Gardens, high rise apartments soon to be erected, are just one of seven green roofs in the Milwaukee area.
The roof will hold a 20,000 square foot garden, the largest GreenGrid on any residential development in the Midwest.
Barrett also has plans to add the gardens to 3,000 units of public housing in the future.
Because of their economic benefits, Barrett often discusses tax incremental financing (TIF) possibilities to developers who will consider adding green roofs.
"A developer will come to the city and ask for a TIF. When they are seeking a TIF we will be talking to them about the prospect of having a green roof and waste water reduction techniques," Barrett said.
Although the roofs aren't going to work for every project, Barrett said it's important to have it as one of the options on the table.
"Our leverage increases if they want dollars from the city coffers. During the course of seeking TIF or during the permitting process, it's a fair question to ask a company about sustainable development," Barrett said. "It may help the community in the long run."
Although the roofs are taking off in Milwaukee, Beloit Economic Development Director Andrew Janke said limited resources in Beloit may make it difficult to offer incentives to companies at the present time.
"For a city of the density of Milwaukee, there are probably a lot more compelling reasons than in a community like Beloit. Our resources are very limited," Janke said.
Although Janke doesn't foresee any incentives for the roofs now, he said it is possibility down the road, especially if the upper floor housing initiative takes off.
"If a desire and a need arises it is possible," Janke said. "Not only is there an aesthetic appeal, but there are some apparent energy efficiencies that can be gained."
Although states and cities across the country provide incentives to those participating in its green roof initiative, no national movement exists at this time.
"Unfortunately there are no national incentives now. Incentives will grow with the knowledge of the public of the benefits," Mischo said.
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