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Interactive Digital Systems for Green Roofs
CEE 1210: Final Paper
8 December 2014
Meghan Greenawalt, Alex Prunchak,
Robert S. Johnson, Chris Urtz
Executive Summary
In an effort to become a more sustainable and environmentally conscious school, the University
of Pittsburgh installed green roofs and solar panels on many of its buildings. The implementation of green
roofs on Benedum Hall and Falk Hall has been successful, but there is very little student awareness or
involvement in the projects. This can be attributed to the limited public knowledge or access to the green
roofs. To ensure the continuing success of these sustainable projects, the university should consider
making efforts to generate student awareness and involvement in the green roof projects. Student
involvement in this project will not only help students learn more about green roof design, but will also
help promote and expand the University’s current green building projects. For this reason the University of
Pittsburgh should consider turning the existing green roof projects into a living laboratory to promote
sustainability and student involvement.
Although the university does not own the building, Phipps Conservatory currently leads the way in
connecting Pitt students to state of the art green building technologies. Phipps also houses the Center for
Sustainable Landscapes, a net zero energy building. While these features help promote sustainable
design, Phipps is located near the edge of campus and is not routinely visited by most students. In order
to better raise student involvement and awareness in the University’s green roof projects, more emphasis
should be placed on the promotion in dormitories and lecture halls. This could be achieved by placing
visual monitors in the lobbies of university buildings with green roofs or solar panels so that students and
faculty can see how these projects affect the energy use of the building. These monitors could measure
water quality, water quantity, microclimates, temperature control, species inhabiting garden, and energy
saved with solar panels. The university could also consider making certain green roofs accessible to the
public, creating a unique environment that promotes the university’s sustainability efforts. This would not
only boost student awareness and involvement, but also provide quantifiable results that could be used to
draw more funding to the University’s green roof efforts. Since green roofs only cost roughly $2.70 per
square foot and have a six-year payback period over their forty-year lifespan [Cost Benefit Analysis], this
initial boost in green roof awareness could generate up to $15 for each additional square foot of green
roof space added.
1.1 Motivation
This year, the University of Pittsburgh began a campus-wide sustainability initiative deemed the
Year of Sustainability, which marks the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Mascaro Center for
Sustainable Innovation (MCSI). Pitt officials are providing $37.5 million in funding to support
sustainability-related academics and research. Sustainability initiatives will be created and executed by a
special sustainability task force [University].
The University of Pittsburgh currently employs numerous sustainability efforts around campus.
There are several recycling initiatives in effect for material such as cardboard, aluminum, glass, plastics,
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paper, batteries, cell phones, and even iPods. The university also composts waste from dining halls to
reduce waste production by 75% [Sustainable Pitt]. Furthermore, there is a green roof atop the MCSI and
a few other buildings. As a part of the Year of Sustainability initiatives, our group wanted to create a
project that would further benefit the environment, as well as the university, faculty, and students. In
order to do this and grow Pitt’s sustainable vision, our team wanted to take advantage of the existing
green roof on top of the MCSI. The current space is inaccessible to students and provides no educational
or research opportunities. There are many examples of living laboratories in universities throughout the
continent. Developing the green roof accessibility on Benedum Hall and possibly other buildings across
Pitt’s campus will help to broaden awareness and engage students in sustainable practices.
Pittsburgh is also home to Phipps Conservatory, a botanical garden and model of sustainability.
Phipps is a leader in green building technology and has integrated sustainability into every aspect of the
gardens. The Phipps welcome center is certified LEED Silver, the greenhouses are both ‘green’ and
energy efficient, and behind the gardens is the Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL). The CSL was
constructed as part of the Living Building Challenge and is a net-zero energy building, meaning that the
amount of energy consumed by the building in one year is equal to the amount produced by renewable
sources on site [Phipps Conservatory]. The building utilizes various green technologies to create a
building and landscape that is both environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. Phipps
Conservatory shows us that it is possible to bring nature back into an urban area in a way that can benefit
the people and the environment.
1.2 Background
What is a living laboratory?
Climate change is a global problem that will be affecting humanity for centuries. The changes
from the poor environmental practices of the past are finally coming to the forefront of scientific discussion
as the negative results become more readily apparent. Yet the alarming global temperatures and sea
level increases are rising almost as quickly as the scientific push towards sustainable design. The
realization of global warming as a true threat to the world’s standard of living and future progress has
sparked many debates, discussions and research about how to decrease greenhouse gas emissions,
excess water runoff, and the numerous other types of pollution that exist. Much of that research has taken
place at universities across the globe, resulting in the increasing trend of “living laboratories” on campus
as both a method of teaching and sustainable practice.
A living laboratory, as defined by the Association of the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher
Education, is a “place where modern problem-based teaching, research, and applied work combine to
develop actionable solutions that make a place more sustainable” [Developing]. This definition has two
critical components: sustainability and student research/participation. The first component, sustainability,
is being introduced on an increasing number of university campuses worldwide. One of the reasons many
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campuses are “going green” is purely monetary. From an economic standpoint, using efficient
technologies that decrease the use of water, energy, and other resources will provide each institution with
more funds to allocate for different uses. Other schools are going sustainable as part one of their
institutional ideologies; in other words, some schools are investing in a sustainable future as a matter of
principle, “just because it is the right thing to do” [Sobelsohn]. Such a shift toward sustainability is
beneficial to both students and faculty, not only from an environmental and financial standpoint, but also
the institution is viewed more positively in the public eye.
Interestingly, a 2008 study done by the college admissions services company, The Princeton
Review, found that incoming college freshmen increasingly name sustainability as a contributing factor to
their choice of schools to attend. In fact, of the 10,300 students surveyed, approximately twenty-three
percent said that sustainability would “strongly” or “very much” contribute to their school choice
[Dautremont-Smith]. Therefore, it is often in a university’s best interest to enhance their sustainable image
in order to attract students and better cater to this ideological shift and curricular needs. This trend is likely
to continue into the future as sustainable culture increasingly pervades society.
However, while most campus living laboratories are inherently sustainable, not all sustainable
campuses are living laboratories. Ultimately, student research and participation is the key factor required
for a campus to be termed a living laboratory. The symbiosis resulting from university facilities used as a
means of instruction and, in turn, using the learned material to improve the facility and its surroundings is
beneficial for both the students and the university. By making sustainable design ubiquitous on university
campuses, students are constantly exposed to “green” solutions to pollution, energy use, and efficiency.
Such exposure hopefully provides a thought-provoking environment which engages students and allows
them to see real improvement across campus. As such, living laboratories provide students with hands-on
learning opportunities to view and work with sustainable technology operating in the real world, further
advancing progress in sustainable design as well as providing working examples of subjects learned in
class.
What are examples of living laboratories at other Universities?
The phrase “living laboratory” has a very broad definition that can be interpreted many ways. As
such, a great variety of living laboratories can be found throughout the United States and across the
globe. The concepts can range anywhere from sustainable practices and construction to efficient
technology and design. Of the many schools joining the living laboratory movement, one U.S. university
that stands out among the rest is Cornell University.
Cornell, based in Ithaca, New York, is a leader in the living laboratory movement. In their drive for
sustainability, Cornell has pledged to reduce their carbon emissions to zero by the year 2050 [Living Lab
Ver2]. To accomplish this monumental task, the 149 year old school has developed a myriad of campus-
wide initiatives to take a holistic approach to creating a green and sustainable living laboratory. The most
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obvious and visible of Cornell’s plans is the Green Buildings initiative as well as the Space Planning and
Management enterprise. Under the Green Buildings plan, Cornell has put in place a standard to ensure
that all new construction costing over five million dollars must be rated Silver under the United States
Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainable
building certification program. The LEED rating system has four levels to categorize the best, most
sustainable building strategies and practices [LEED]. These certifications, from lowest to highest include
Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Moreover, Cornell has created guidelines for these buildings to
ensure that they achieve a minimum thirty percent energy savings compared to projects of comparable
size. This goal is obtained through careful planning of building orientation, transportation requirements,
runoff, and utilities consumption [Green Buildings]. Likewise, through their Space Planning and
Management plan, Cornell has opted to make more efficient use of current infrastructure to avoid new
construction. As stated on Cornell’s website, “deferring campus growth could avoid about 26,000 tons of
CO2-e emissions annually by the year 2040” [Space]. Essentially, this approach consolidates used space
within a building, freeing excess space to be used for university growth.
Cornell’s Building Dashboards website and its Green Building Education Program both provide
ways for students and faculty to monitor energy usage and learn about sustainable design on campus.
The Building Dashboards’ website aptly states “if energy isn’t being properly measured, it isn’t being
properly managed” [Building Dashboards]. This initiative provides students and faculty access to real-time
electrical, steam, and water usage of individual buildings to provide a more detailed look at campus
operations and possibly more efficient use of these utilities. The Green Building Education Program also
helps to educate both students and visitors about the green technology integrated into buildings tours and
community outreach. To further supplement these programs, Cornell is looking into creating a smart
phone app, designed to provide performance statistics and information on efficient and sustainable
building systems.
Lastly, Cornell University provides students with a host of opportunities to learn about
sustainability and green technologies by providing over 300 related courses with more than 318 faculty
currently engaged in sustainability research across 66 departments [Living Lab Ver2]. Moreover, the
Cornell University Sustainable Design initiative encourages students to become engaged in real-life
projects utilizing information taught by using a research-based, interdisciplinary approach [Cornell].
Examples of projects with student research and involvement include researching sustainable technology
in a model home in Nicaragua, energy generation on Roosevelt Island in New York, and conceptual
design on a student activity hub on Ithaca’s Beebe Lake.
Can living laboratories enhance education and research?
Living laboratories are a very effective way to increase sustainability on a university campus. The
integration of a living laboratory on campus can be equally effective at improving educational
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opportunities. Most universities follow lecture-based style of teaching involving in-class lectures and
exams to test students on the information covered in class. This type of learning style is economical for
the university but offers little to the students. It involves little student participation and creates an
environment in which students must learn and reinforce information at home. Learning is an active
process, so if the students are not being involved than it makes it difficult for them to learn [huff post].
While the traditional lecture-based learning style may be appropriate for lower level general education
courses, a hands-on learning environment is needed to effectively teach students at a higher level. By
implementing living laboratories into a university setting we will be able to replace lecture-based learning
with a more effective hands-on approach.
Hands-on learning is an effective way in involving students to create focused learners and
improve the retention of information. By engaging students in hands-on activities they are allowed to
develop their problem solving and critical thinking skills. Students are faced with a problem or task, are
allowed to investigate and process the information at hand, and then use their knowledge to come to an
appropriate solution. Hands-on learning also allows student to work as a team and develop their
communication skills. By working in teams, students are presented with an opportunity to communicate,
discuss, and present information with each other. This can benefit students and possible employers by
preparing graduates for the workplace. In this type of environment students also receive a more personal
relationship with professors. Close participation with professors tends to benefit students who struggle
academically and also creates a two-way learning environment. In addition to the benefits that students
receive from a hands-on learning approach, are the effects that it has on the teaching staff. Teachers are
able to immerse themselves in the learning environment rather than lecturing to a room of students. The
environment created is more fun and lower stress [Resources for Teaching].
Creating living laboratories within universities gives students the opportunity to work with
professors and their peers to apply critical thinking and problem solving skills to real world applications.
They can take these skills and apply them once they graduate or use them to perform research within the
university. Living laboratories can offer an enhanced research experience by allowing students and
professors to study topics and issues that relate to real world problems in controlled setting within the
university. Research and solutions produced could be used in industry or by the university to become
more sustainable. By turning universities into living laboratories we are able to create a better and more
sustainable educational environment for both students and teachers.
2.1 Goals and Objectives
The main goal of this project is to increase awareness of the green roof around the campus and
to expand the green roof across multiple buildings. Sustainability is an issue that can only be beneficial if
it is addressed by a large group of people. Society as a whole needs to contribute to a more
environmentally friendly environment in order for a difference to be seen. The best way to increase
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awareness would be through education and influence on, but not only, younger generations. College
students flow through Benedum Hall everyday making it easy to educate them on the issue. The greatest
obstacle to educating the college student is to capture their attention. With the interactive device, the
digital aspect would draw the students and faculty to reading the information. The information will then be
presented to the students in relatable terms. For example, relating the cost of energy to money saved by
using the solar panels could influence the students later in life to invest in solar panels for their personal
residence. The digital interactive system will raise awareness of the student body and faculty while
improving the environment. Both should be the main objectives for the University because it will project a
positive image and generate positive attention for the school.
The three main objectives of the green roof projective includes:
Provide the University of Pittsburgh evidence that this project will be environmentally
and economically beneficial
Present a reasonable plan and options for the installation of equipment on the green
roof
Influence the joint participation in allegiance with Phipps Conservatory to promote the
project
2.2 Living Laboratory Alternatives
There are also several alternatives that could be used to expand and promote the use of green
roofs on the University of Pittsburgh campus. Since the roofs of most buildings are off limits to students,
most have never seen or heard of the university’s current green roof projects. For this reason a small
marketing campaign may greatly boost interest among university students. Allowing limited or open
access for students to the existing university green roofs could also solve this problem. Options such as
these do not directly contribute to the efforts of the university’s green roof projects, but help generate
funding and awareness. The university could also fund the construction of living walls made up of different
species of plants onto the blank facades of many of the on campus buildings. The implementation of living
walls could serve a double purpose by helping the university maintain more environmentally friendly
buildings and promoting the green roof project. While these ideas all should be carefully considered by
the university, they do present special challenges, which make their implementation less viable than other
courses of action.
A campus wide marketing campaign could help generate more interest in the University of
Pittsburgh’s green roof projects. This campaign could be carried out through flyers, posters, and
advertisements on the local campus radio and television stations. This could promote research on the
project in the schools of business and arts and sciences, where students could study how best promote
green building practices. Due to the high volume of people walking through the university’s campus this
could also generate widespread interest among all students, and potentially generate revenue through
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donations. While this advertising campaign may generate some revenue and student interest, it does not
directly produce any positive environmental effects. Increasing the air quality on the university’s campus
and make campus buildings more environmentally friendly is primary purposes of green roofs. If this
marketing campaign fails to generate revenue or student support, the time and finances spent will detract
from the ultimate goal of the project.
Another option to generate awareness would to allow more public access to the
university’s existing green roofs. This could either be through guided tours, or freely accessible
walkways to all students. Due to their restrictive nature, guided tours would probably generate less
interest than public walkways, but would also pose less risk to the university. Allowing people to freely
access the roofs of lower buildings would pose the risk of both vandalism and student harm. On many
roofs additional safety systems might need to be installed adding an additional cost to the project. The
addition of safety systems and pathways may also detract from the available roof space for some
projects, reducing the university’s ability to help the environment through the green roof project.
The implementation of living walls onto the sides of some of the university’s buildings could also
promote green building projects while helping to further the project’s environmental goals. Living walls,
otherwise known as “green walls,” are self-sufficient vertical
gardens that are attached to the exterior or interior of a building
[Green Over Grey]. These walls would be clearly visible to
students, and would allow them to see the university’s
sustainable green building developments first hand. This project
would make otherwise boring architectural features into
stunning pieces of art, improving the university’s visual
appearance. Since different designs can be achieved using
different kinds of plants, the wall can act as a giant billboard to
advertise the university’s programs as well as corporate ads.
This could potentially generate a lot of revenue for the
university, as well as promote its image as an environmentally
conscious institution. One PNC Plaza in downtown Pittsburgh is
a perfect example of how this project could be implemented on
a large scale. In 2009 PNC installed a 2,380 square foot living
wall on the side of their headquarters taking the title for largest
living wall in North America [Meinhold]. This façade not only
advertises the company, but also cooled the wall by 25% and
helped improve the air quality in downtown Pittsburgh. The wall weighs roughly twenty-four tons and
required a team of engineers to build, making it an expensive but sustainable investment. While the
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Figure 1- Example of Living Wall at One PNC Plaza, Pittsburgh PA [Civic
Arts Project]
university may not have the money for a large-scale project, implementing small scale living walls could
also have a significant environmental effect.
The cost of installation and maintenance of living wall projects might put them beyond the scope
of our current efforts to promote the university’s green roofs. When saturated, these walls generate a lot
of weight, which could pose a structural risk to the buildings they are mounted on. This would drive up the
cost of the cost of design and installation, which would require additional funding through the University
and fundraising efforts. They would also require the assistance of an architect to find the optimum location
and design for these walls. Due to the enormous cost of installing living walls, they may not be a viable
option given the current scale of the university’s green building projects. However given the proper
funding, they could be a profitable and sustainable investment for the university in the future.
All of these options have the potential to generate interest in the green roof program and help
produce more sustainable buildings on campus. However, we determined that these potential solutions
carried more risk than other more practical ideas. Some of these such as the advertising and open access
ideas have a higher probability to fail, while others such as the living walls idea present a large upfront
cost. While these ideas are not a part of our final proposal, it is important that the university consider
these options for future sustainable development.
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T ABLE 1: DECISION MATRIX ON GREEN ROOF AWARENESS TOOLS
AttributesEase to Update
InformationAwareness
SpreadInterest Created
Ease of Damage Control
Cost of Installation
Cost of Maintenance Score
Importance of Each Attribute (Percentages) 10% 25% 25% 10% 15% 15% 100%
OptionsInteractive, Digital Monitors 90 100 100 60 0 75 76Website/Email Updates 90 60 20 100 95 95 68Green Roof Grad Classes 80 30 40 85 70 65 54Green Roof Open Access 80 80 35 10 80 30 54No Information Display 100 0 0 100 100 100 50
Notes:The group developed five varying options on implementing an awareness tool for Benedum Hall's utilization in spreading awareness of its sustainable green roof. Each alternative was then scaled from 0 to 100, a value based on engineering judgment. If the tool supported the attribute in a more positive manner, it was scaled closer to 100. The opposite is true for a negative impact by scaling closer to 0. The attributes were selected based on the criteria the University of Pittsburgh provided for its vision of the sustainable project they wish to implement. These attributes were derived from important characteristics the University and our engineering judgment deems important. See the following page for more details on the decision making process shown above.
Interactive, Digital Mon-itors
Website/Email Updates Green Roof Grad Classes Green Roof Open Access No Information Display0
102030405060708090
100
Comparison of Alternatives' Attributes
Ease to Update Information
Awareness Spread
Interest Created
Ease of Damage Control
Cost of Installation
Cost of Maintenance
Alternatives
Assi
gned
Crit
eria
Per
cent
age
(%)
Figure 2: Above is a graph depicting the criteria values of each alternative in order to provide a visual guide to choosing the best alternative.
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2.3 Selection Process of Interactive Project
The University of Pittsburgh has devoted this year to sustainable innovation and wants to
implement a green technology around campus. It is the University’s mission as a campus to protect the
environment and spread awareness to the student body and faculty in order to do our part in the world.
The task is to develop a sustainable technology, spread knowledge of the University’s mission, and
influence students and faculty to take part in sustainable practices. In order to accomplish the tasks of the
client, the University of Pittsburgh, a decision matrix was developed to select a viable alternative based
off the determined attributes deemed important by the engineering team.
To begin the matrix, the team developed five working alternatives to present to the client. These
options included:
Interactive, digital monitors
Website/email updates
Green Roof graduate classes
Green Roof open access hours
Do nothing approach
The engineering team then developed criteria for important characteristics they believed the University
would desire in the final product. The product, in their judgment, should be easily updated, create interest,
spread awareness, be easily secured against damage, and cost little in installation and maintenance. The
qualities were weighted in importance based on a percentage out of 100%. The engineers then assigned
values for each alternative and characteristic based on judgment. The closer the value to 100 meant the
alternative showed positive in the attribute, vice versa for approaching zero. The assigned value, also out
of 100%, was then multiplied by the weighted score in order to determine a final score of each product.
The final scores were then scored against each other, with the best project being the one with the highest
score throughout the attributes.
The decision matrix allowed our team to develop a number scale to base our selection around.
The benefits of the chart allows the assessment to be reviewed and revised if the client feels differently
towards the assigned values. The alternative with the highest benefits for the University was the
interactive, digital monitors, see Table 1. Even though the cost will be initially high with maintenance, the
awareness and interest raised will greatly outweigh the negative attributes it carries. The digital aspect will
grab the attention of younger student bodies and even visiting students. The interactive aspect will
develop interest with users connecting the benefits of the current green roof to relatable quantities the
user would understand. Instead of the benefits being incomprehensible, the interactive display could
adjust to terms the user will be most influenced optimizing their involvement. Additionally, it could be
integrated into Benedum Hall’s visitors’ tour and increase high school seniors’ interest to the school. They
would be able to physically participate in an interactive monitor to provide an example of the research
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being done and the effort the school is making to become more sustainable. Our engineering team
envisions the greatest amount of possibilities with the interactive digital monitors and believes a few of the
alternative options could be integrated at a later time.
3.1 Describe and Depict Your Living Laboratory Concept
The idea of this project is to create a Living Laboratory within the University of Pittsburgh main
campus that promotes and increases awareness of sustainability. To do this, the project proposes a
renovation and retrofitting of the universities existing green roofs and the addition of an interactive system
that will allow students, faculty, and the general public to expand their knowledge of sustainability and
contribute to bettering the environment. There are currently green roofs in place atop several buildings in
the area. These are the Faulk School, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum, Posvar Hall, and
Benedum Hall. Located nearby, the Falk School
employs a simple extensive green roof in order to
reduce storm water runoff [Falk]. Soldiers and
Sailors has installed low weight vegetation to reduce
runoff as well. The rain is collected and runs into
drains that go throughout the building. Due to aging
infrastructure this water caused leaks and creates
water damage. The vegetation has been successful
in reducing the amount of rainwater drained from the building [Soldiers]. Atop Posvar Hall, a
waterproofing membrane has been installed that ‘eats’ pollution. The material will work to offset vehicle
emissions and improve air quality [New Roofing]. Benedum Hall, like Faulk and Soldiers and Sailors, has
vegetation to reduce the storm water runoff heading into the city’s sewers. None of these roofs are being
monitored for research or educational purposes, nor do they have public access. The focus of this project
will be on the overhaul of Benedum’s green roof. Expansion of the project to the other green roofs and
other buildings in the area would take place after the initial installation on Benedum and would allow for
research on the effect of many green roofs in one area.
The reduction of runoff on Benedum Hall is currently accomplished via an extensive green roof.
An extensive green roof is a green roof system that is “characterized of its vegetation, ranging from
sedums to small grasses, herbs and flowering herbaceous plants which need little maintenance and no
permanent irrigation system” [Extensive]. Extensive green roofs are passive systems that are meant for
storm water management. An example can be seen atop the Falk School in Figure 3 above. In order to
increase awareness of sustainability through the green roof on Benedum this project proposes an
intensive green roof with motorized solar panels. Intensive roofs require more maintenance and are more
expensive than extensive roofs but they have more vegetation, are more aesthetically pleasing, provide
more runoff reduction, and also promote biodiversity [Intensive]. An example can be seen in Figure 4
below. The roof will have permitted access and will employ a monitoring system. Like in the example the
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Figure 3. Falk School Green Roof [Falk]
roof will have increased vegetation from what is currently in place. More vegetation (such as small trees,
shrubs, and other plants) will allow for increased environmental benefits such as increased runoff control,
reduced heat radiation, energy savings, and a habitat for various species. The roof will also have
walkways to allow the access of students and
faculty. The monitoring system will be used to
measure various sustainable aspects which will
then be quantified and displayed on the interactive
system for viewing. The system will also allow
students, faculty, and visitors to adjust the
positioning of the solar panels. The various
monitoring techniques will provide people with real
time data about the effects of the green roof and
allow them to broaden their knowledge of
sustainability.
This green roof system also provides
many research opportunities. Success of the
interactive monitoring system and renovated green roof of Benedum will hopefully open new doors to the
development of graduate classes that can use the green roofs and collected data from the various
locations previously mentioned to perform their research and help to increase the sustainability of the
University while decreasing its impact on the environment. To help increase awareness and develop this
project it is also proposed that a partnership with Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens be formed.
Phipps is a leader in sustainability in the area and has the resources necessary to help promote it across
Pitt’s campus. With the implementation of this living laboratory and partnership with Phipps this project
will give students and faculty alike a hands on experience, increasing the education of sustainability
throughout campus and bettering the environment.
3.2 Quantitative Defense
The implementation of the green roof will undoubtedly reduce the environmental impacts when
compared to the typical roof. These facts have been proven through numerous studies and by projects
funded at other universities, however, the advantage of our proposal is the amount of interest that will be
created through the interactive digital system. The awareness of sustainability projects on campus will be
projected through the use of the monitors and increase the student body’s demand for more advanced
sustainable projects. If the campus becomes aware of the environmental issues around the world, they
will push to improve technology in order to save the world from further damage that will damage future
generation’s lifestyles.
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Figure 5: Above shows the average roof temperature maintained on an average rooftop versus a green rooftop based on air temperature [MAG-5].
In 2008, green roof studies showed a trend of the United States increasing the amount of green
roofs square footage across the country to approximately 8.5 million square feet [Green Roofs| US EPA].
The trend is still increasing today and projected to keep increasing. Green roof benefits include reducing
energy use, reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases, enhancing storm water management and
quality, and improving the overall quality of life. In Portland State’s 2008 study on green roofs, it was
estimated that adding green roofs to 50% of the rooftops would save $18 million per year in storm water
runoff treatment [Sailor]. When examining a green roof of 10,000 square feet, the net present value is
$2.70 per square foot per year and a payback
time frame of 6.2 years [Cost Benefit Analysis].
The average rooftop’s life is between 15-20
years, however the green roof’s lifespan is
estimated to last 25-40 years [Bass, Baskaran].
Shown in the figure to the right, the average roof
temperature also benefits from a green roof by
drastically reducing the fluctuation in
temperature based on the air temperature
outside [U.S. National Park Service]. These
quantitative numbers are proven facts over
numerous projects from the past decade.
Green roof benefits for the environment have already proven beneficial compared to an average roof, the
new facts to be proven would be how the digital monitoring system will benefit the awareness of
sustainability on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus.
The digital monitor system is the key component to spreading sustainable awareness to the
student body, faculty, and visitors by providing an interactive experience that is unforgettable. The most
proven way to teach others is to provide an interactive system in order to create a memory to the facts
being taught. Unfortunately for our University, a few of our buildings already have a green roof in place or
are adding a green roof within the next few years and the majority of the student body is unaware of the
advances. For example, beginning in January, Posvar Hall is going to have a green roof installed in order
to reduce storm water runoff [Levine]. Other than an article in the University Times, there has been little
advertisement of the advancement in sustainability on campus.
Kiosks are one example of an interactive digital system that provides a 24 hour educational
system that can be programmed to relay information to people passing through the building. Kiosks have
already been set up around the campus to allow students to access the web quickly and efficiently in
order to print, check their email, or research information online. If the University added more Kiosks set up
specifically to transmit the quantitative advantages of the green roof buildings in relatable quantities to the
student body it would create interest in sustainability.
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Instead of trying to prevent technology integrating into learning, the university should embrace the
new interactive digital monitoring system because the incoming classes have grown up in a digital age.
Realizing that the future generations looking to come to school have been surrounded with technology
their entire life could benefit the school by being one of the first to connect their sustainable environment
to technology to generate interest in an important topic among engineers today. It has been proven that
students today learn topics quicker, make decisions faster, and come to multiple correct answers rather
than one way of thinking when using digital systems [Klopher, Osterweil, Groff, Hass]. A study’s statistics
show that 60% of surveyed students answered they use educational sites to talk about school topics and
50% us it to discuss specific schoolwork of their classes [Klopher, Osterweil, Groff, Hass]. With the kiosks
put into place, visiting students and the current student body would be able to interact with a sustainable
project impacting the University of Pittsburgh and generate discussion among the campus. The word will
spread of the sustainable topics and encourage students to be involved with green roof program. The
green roof will then reduce the environmental impacts and the interactive digital system will generate
discussion that would spread the word of these topics and boast the University’s image. The more
awareness the project spreads, the more positive feedback, money donations for research, and a larger
student participation in sustainable programs will stem just from installing kiosks. The University taking
the one extra step to install interactive digital systems in green roof buildings will boast its interest in many
fields and create a more marketable image for our campus.
The University of Pittsburgh will be one of the leaders in linking technology with sustainable
projects. The statistics show the benefits of installing green roofs and the interest created by
implementing digital technology with the incoming generations. Linking the two projects could only create
positive outcomes for the campus, student body, and the environment for future generations. The
proposal for the project can be implemented across the campus and requires one extra step for linking
digital systems to the sustainable advancements already being made in buildings.
3.3 Implementation & Issues
This proposal, if accepted, will be a substantial, long-term undertaking for the University of
Pittsburgh. Therefore, dividing the project into a series of manageable steps will help ease costs and
decrease interruptions to daily university operations. The first step towards a living laboratory would be
discussion between Pitt and the Phipps Conservatory’s Center for Sustainable Landscapes to form a
partnership that gives students first-hand experience with sustainable technologies. This action would
provide the most immediate results for the students and require very little investment. Also, the University
and Phipps can further build from the current agreement in which Pitt students get free admission to the
conservatory. This new, expanded arrangement would be mutually beneficial for both entities; Pitt would
see an improved student learning experience and Phipps would further their mission of educating the
public in the ways of sustainability and the environment.
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The second step the University should take is retrofitting Benedum Hall’s green roof. First and
foremost to this project is student accessibility to green roofs to allow for more hands-on learning about
this technology being used on campus. This step requires the addition of walkways, hand rails, and other
security measures. Moreover, a structural study should be performed on Benedum’s roof to ensure that
the increased pedestrian activity as well
as further projects could be supported.
Once roof accessibility is achieved, the
University should consider application of
monitoring devices and interfaces to
measure various green roof statistics,
including thermal efficiency, water
retained versus discharged, water
quality and air quality. Once the
monitoring systems and interfaces are
in place, the University’s next step could be purchasing motor driven solar panels to mount to the bare
roof of the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation. These panels could be linked to the existing
interface in order to track electrical output and manipulate the position of each panel. This portion of the
project will likely be the most expensive due to the infrastructure costs from the unique nature of this
project.
The third step of the living laboratory project involves retrofitting other currently green-roofed
buildings on campus such as the Falk School, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, and Posvar Hall. Of these
buildings, only Posvar Hall’s roof would be accessible to students due to the scale of the area and the
unique pollution-eating waterproofing system that was recently installed. For a building of this size, the
required infrastructure would require a considerable expenditure concerning potential security risks. Only
guided tours and professor-led classes be allowed on Posvar to decrease security costs and potential for
damage to the roof and its pollution-eating coatings. Once retrofitted to measure the statistics of interest,
these individual monitors will be linked to a centralized system to track the effects that these technologies
have on the neighborhood climate. With time, more campus buildings could be converted to green roofs
and monitored, providing a more complete and higher resolution picture of campus-wide effects.
Despite the many benefits, no investment is without risks and issues. First and foremost,
implementation of this project will likely cost the University millions of dollars. For every new roof and
retrofit, a structural study must be performed to ensure that each roof can withstand the newly applied
loads. Furthermore, the roof itself will cost significantly more than a conventional bituminous built-up roof.
According to the United States General Services Administration, “the installed cost premium for semi-
intensive green roofs ranges from $16.20 to $19.70 per square foot more compared to a conventional,
black roof” [GSA]. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the cost of a semi-intensive
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Benedum Hall's green roof. [http://www.tour.pitt.edu/tour/benedum-hall-0]
green roof between $10 and $25 per square foot [Green Roofs]. These costs change based on the exact
roof configuration chosen, scale of the project, and the type of building being retrofitted. Given time,
however, these costs could be offset by thermal and energy savings along with increased revenue from
students attracted to Pitt by the sustainability initiatives and living laboratory environment. Moreover,
green roofs potentially have greater longevity than conventional roofs, given the proper maintenance by
Pitt students. This further drives down the life-cycle cost compared to a conventional roof due to less
frequent roof replacements.
The second major issue with this living laboratory concept is safety for both the students and the
facility; making high rooftops accessible, increases the risk of falls and injuries. If the University does not
take proper security measures, Pitt could be held liable for any injury that occurs due to the roof access.
Measures that could be taken include guide rails, walkways, fences, and signs to prevent those on the
roof from getting injured. Pitt must also take action to prevent vandalism of these oft-unseen spaces. In
many locations, a simple camera could suffice to watch and record all activity on the roof. Furthermore,
access to all rooftops should be restricted to only Pitt students and faculty during certain times of the day,
achieved by either prior scheduling of all roof visits or through the use of identification cards to unlock the
roof access door. Preferably, a faculty member or responsible supervisor would accompany all students.
4.0 Future Work and Final Recommendations
Creating a living laboratory to raise awareness and involvement in the University’s green roof
program is only one step in creating a more sustainable campus. To further this goal the University must
use the additional student and faculty support to develop and expand the green roof projects. This would
provide more opportunities for more students to research green building design through graduate school
and research positions. The university could also explore available grant work to fund these additional
research positions. These grants could also help offset the initial cost of expanding the University’s green
roofs and would be repaid through the reduced operating costs of the campus buildings due to green roof
installation.
A living laboratory could also lead to more funding to install green roofs on other university
buildings. Currently only Falk Hall and Benedum Hall have operating green roofs, and there plans for
another green roof at Hillman Plaza. Some buildings such as Posvar Hall already feature sustainable
infrastructure, so not all buildings will benefit from the changes. For this reason research money should
be allocated to performing a cost benefit analysis to adding a green roof on each university building. If
certain buildings lack roof space for a sustainable green roof, living walls could also be implemented.
These walls would have a higher initial cost, but would bring the same benefits as green roofs. Living
walls would also generate more public interest and involvement in the program.
Overall it is important for the University of Pittsburgh to continue to expand its green roof program
so that it can maximize its energy savings. The living laboratory project should generate more public
17
interest and involvement in the program, but it is crucial for the university to use these new resources
efficiently. These resources should help generate more green roofs and green building projects to further
the university’s “year of sustainability.” If the university chooses to expand these green roof projects the
environmental and economic benefits could last for many years to come.
18
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