Yes, youCgreen is still in the works.

**Some updates**
I have yet hear back from the UCI Energy Manager. Patience is certainly a virtue. Also, because student elections are taking place right now, I believe the TGIF Sustainability Commissioner has been busy. I've been having a hard time getting in touch with him. 

Did anyone know that other UC systems have already implemented green roofs on their campus? Tom Hawkins of FloraSource, Ltd, recently informed me that UCSF, UCSD, UCLA, and possibly UC Berkeley already have forms of green roofs. Though this eliminates UCI of being the first UC campus with a green roof, I'm so glad these universities are using green roofs. It encourages me that the existence of a green roof at UCI is indeed possible. I am adamant on making it happen.

I want to see the green roofs at UCLA and UCSD...time for some adventures. More updates (with pictures) to come! Stay posted.

PS. Earth Day this Sunday.

Study Break!

Today I met with David Palmer, the manager of the Performing Arts Center at Soka University, for a tour of the university's new green roof. To begin, let me just tell you all how beautiful their campus is...it's beautiful! 

The fountain is divided into three separate sections in front of the Founder's Hall. Although the fountains are stunning, after taking my Water Resource Policy course this past quarter, I couldn't help but think about how much water was being wasted for just this aesthetic purpose. Soon I met with David to begin my tour, which, may I mention, was very thorough and more than I could have asked for. David was wonderful and kind, he added fun facts here and there to help me understand the full scope of the sustainable efforts on their campus. 

**NOTE: My thoughts of misusing the water for the fountains subsided when David explained to me that the fountains actually serve a dual purpose. The OC Fire Department requires to have water available for fire suppression purposes since the university is in the middle of a high fire risk zone. Instead of building an unappealing tank to contain the necessary water, the university created the 15 ft-deep fountains in the open space. If needed, a helicopter could fly down, pump their hoses, and extinguish any fires. Safety and architectural beauty all in one. Wow!

We continued the tour to the green roof on the Academic Building (the Performing Arts green roof is only accessible to campus facility). There I was, just a few steps away from seeing my first green roof... 

Entrance door to gain green roof access 

Left Side

Front View

Right View

The view was beautiful as it spanned over the seemingly endless hills and canyons. 

The sign indicates that you must be tied to the rail if you go past it

This green roof is sedum specific so requires very little maintenance and watering. Maintenance workers do come up once a month to take care of weeds and such for no extra cost.

Notice the snail-like critter

The sedum is wind resistant of up to 120 mph blowing winds and creates a habitat for wildlife. It is about 4 inches deep and is watered by a sprinkler system that uses the same reclaimed waste water used throughout the school. 

4-inch think plant sedum

There were three different ground compositions on this particular roof: black stones surrounding the drainage holes, the plant sedum, and the concrete walkways. 

The concrete was hottest surface and the sedum, the coolest. Relate it to the top of your car. When the top is hot to your touch, so is the inside of your car. So, a cool green roof helps keep the respective space below at lower temperatures. Green roof car tops, anyone?

The plant sedum is greener along the edges of the building because they get more shade and water from copper downspouts seen in the picture below. The downspouts channel rainwater from the roof above, which is not a green roof.

                                              

                                              

Many people questioned how architects and engineers planned on getting water for the irrigation system way up here. David explained that they actually implemented false downspouts on the side of this building (the one in the picture you see is a real downspout). Hidden within the false downspout is the irrigation pipe connected to a water source down below for the sprinkler system. Look closely and see the false pipes that line the outer right and left edges of the building. 

Next, we went into the Performing Arts Center and the Academic Building, both of which benefit from the green roofs. The HVAC (Cooling and Heating System) automatically regulates the temperature of the building with sensors that detect the heat surrounding the building. Since the green roof keeps the overall surrounding temperature of the building cooler, the system's motor does not need to start up or shut down as often to keep the temperature within the building in the specified range. You see, starting up the motor several times a day becomes more expensive than just letting it run. The electric cost is cut down dramatically it's more efficient, overall.

A very special thank you to David for his time and kindness. His tour was definitely the highlight of my finals week and he enlightened me with so much information that I plan on applying to youCgreen.

Green Alert

Soka University in Aliso Viejo: 

This is the new performing arts building at Soka University in Aliso Viejo (about 20 minutes away from Irvine, 15 minutes if you drive fast). Completed in 2011, the project was built with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards in mind so the green roof was already incorporated into the construction process. Like the green roof at Chapman University in Orange, this goes to show that green roofs are viable in our South County climate. 

Source: Soka University Website

Happy Tuesday

Good afternoon to all of you! Earlier this week, Nancy from FloraSource sent me this catalogue. It is very informative and answered many of my questions. Thank You, Nancy! 

My meeting with Dahnish, The Green Initiative Fund Sustainability Commissioner, got rescheduled for...just an hour ago actually. The meeting was brief but it definitely helped youCgreen take a step forward. 

Dahnish told me that the UCI staff (different from faculty) could help me with my project and that TGIF would be more than happy to fund it once everything is approved. Right now we're waiting on hearing back from a couple people he e-mailed, so we all just have to be patient...Dahnish explained to me that TGIF has funded many educational events in the past but would like to fund more infrastructure based projects like mine. If things go according to plan, UCI will be the first UC with a green roof!

Anyways, it's getting chilly and my fingers are getting too stiff to type, so I must scurry to class. Before I leave, here's my view from my bench in Aldrich Park. iCgreen! 

Baby Steps...

Some highlights from this past week:

- Made contact with FloraSource, Ltd. I told them about my project and they said they could help make it happen!

- So many supporters; includes professors, students, green roof advocates, and friends

- Scheduled to meet with The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) chairman on Thursday to discuss my project

Still don't know what a green roof is? Well, here's a more thorough explanation:

"Green roofs supplement traditional vegetation without disrupting urban infrastructure -- they take a neglected space and make it useful.

Green roofs last longer than conventional roofs, reduce energy costs with natural insulation, create peaceful retreats for people and animals, and absorb storm water, potentially lessening the need for complex and expensive drainage systems. On a wider scale, green roofs improve air quality and help reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect, a condition in which city and suburban developments absorb and trap heat. Anyone who has walked across a scalding parking lot on a hot, summer day has felt one effect of an Urban Heat Island.

The layers of a green roof must, like any roof, accommodate drainage and protect the building from the elements with a waterproof membrane. But they also must create a growing area and potentially provide support, irrigation and root protection barriers while staying as light as possible."

Would you like to read more?

Resource: What is a Green Roof  by Sarah Dowdey on HowStuffWorks.com 

Shrek says: "Green roofs have layers. Ogres have layers. Green roofs have layers. You get it? We both have layers. "

A semi-failed mini adventure:

Last week I wanted to see what the roof of the Social Ecology building looked like. I was very happy with what I came across! Here are some pictures of what different levels of the roof look like now. Although the roof looks like the perfect roof-candidate for the youCgreen project, I don't know if the building is structurally sound. 

 

First Level Rooftop

 

Another Section of the First Level Rooftop

 

           Second Level Rooftop

I walked up from one floor to the next thinking of the endless possibilities. So much potential space just waiting to Cgreen. Then I went further up the stairs and....dead end. 

I should have figured I wouldn't be allowed on the roof...but I mean, a girl can try...

Stay posted.

Green Roofs

Hello out there. My name is Connie, I'm a student at UC Irvine and green advocate, nice to cyber-meet you! 

Have you ever heard of a green roof? If not, I'll tell you a little bit about it. In a nutshell, a green roof is like having a low maintenance lawn on top of a building to provide benefits like stabilizing the building's internal temperature, creating a natural habitat for wildlife, and preventing storm water run off. Universities like UPenn and Chapman have projects like this on their campuses, which has made me wonder why we don't have something like this on UCI's campus...I believe it's doable. 

My project is called youCgreen and my goal is to create a green roof on one of the buildings at UCI, preferably the Social Ecology building by Middle Earth (one of the freshman dorming communities for those of you who don't go to the UCI). I want the green roof to be a rooftop study lounge kind of area for students to enjoy the great outdoors while reading and catching up on hw before class and just to hang out. Hopefully youCgreen will eventually expand out to other UC campuses to start green roofing too. youCgreen is still in the fetus stage, its existence was conceived just a few days ago. Follow my blog to keep track of its growth. I'll update it as much as I can.

I'm so excited about youCgreen and would appreciate your support. Spread the word! If you have any questions, ideas, or just want to chat, feel free to email me at youcgreen@gmail.com. Thank you!

More sites to learn about green roofs:

Chicago Gardens

Wise Words of Wikipedia on Green Roofs

LiveRoof