Olyssa Starry, PhD Candidate with UMD's PSLA Dept., explains her green roof research to participants of the Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science and Technology Symposium.
Image Credit: Edwin Remsberg
Experts from around the globe converged on the University of Maryland campus this summer to discuss the future of a growing trend atop buildings worldwide: green roof systems. Organized and hosted by Dr. Steve Cohan and Dr. John Lea-Cox from UMD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science and Technology Symposium was held August 16 and 17.
The two-day conference featured “a dream team of researchers,” according to Dr. Cohan, a professor with the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture (PSLA) and head of the landscape management program. The line-up included Dr. Manfred Kohler with the University of Applied Science in Neubrandenburg, Germany, who served as keynote speaker, and experts from Columbia University, Michigan State University, Penn State University, St. Mary’s University and the University of Auckland in New Zealand. From PSLA at the University of Maryland, Dr. John Lea-Cox, Dr. Andrew Ristvey and Olyssa Starry were also featured speakers.
Long popular in Europe, green roofs have been growing in popularity in the United States in recent years because of their potential to lower energy costs, reduce storm water runoff and improve air quality. The University of Maryland is at the forefront of this movement with three green roofs already in place on campus buildings and several more planned as part of future construction projects. Participants of the Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science and Technology Symposium also had the opportunity to tour the University of Maryland’s Research Greenhouse Complex (RGC) where several green roof projects are currently underway. Graduate students Olyssa Starry, Whitney Gaches and Clark DeLong discussed evaluation of native plants as green roof candidates, development of green roof substrates and monitoring green roof performance for developing storm water models.
Organizers of the Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science and Technology Symposium hope it will further discussions about the monitoring and performance of green roof systems as well as help develop resources for green roof designers throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
For more information contact Sara Gavin at 301-405-9235 or sgavin@umd.edu.
