LIVING ROOF PROJECT2014-2015 ENGINEERING CLUB

A living roof or green roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems.

What is a living roof?

Living roof structure: 1. Vegetation: Plants (flowers, grass, vegetables or crops).

2. Growing medium: Soil.

3. Drainage/aeration layer: One of the most important layers, helps to regulate the amount of water staying in the living roof system and draining access water off the roof.

4. Insulation/geo foam: Optional layer, prevents stored water from cooling the roof surface in winter and heating the roof surface in the summer.

5. Waterproof layer: Prevents water from leaking through the roof. surface

6. Roof structure: The existing rooftop.

Alternative Energy SourcesOur ultimate goal is to create a living roof system that is 100% self sufficient. Therefore, we will need alternative energy sources such as:

Solar panels

Energy producing tiles

Wind turbines

Vertical axis Wind Turbines

Vertical wind turbines offer a wide variety of Advantages.

Less danger to wildlife

Smaller design for more residential use

Less expensive than standard wind turbines

Visually appealing

Can harvest wing coming from any direction

Low maintenance costs

Rainwater collection bins and irrigation systems

1 inch or rainfall yields more than half a gallon of water per square foot.

*If you collect rainwater over a surface of 2000 square feet, you can collect over 1,250 gallons of water with just 1 inch of rain.

Filtering system

Pump system

Irrigation system

Permeable flooring

More and better drainage

Less visible components (e.g. piping and pump systems)

Permeable flooring allows accumulated water on the ground travel below the flooring tiles and be re-directed into a rainwater collection bin.

Plant life

Various types of flowers

Crape myrtles

Drought resistant plants

Grass

Fly Ash

Adds strength to concrete

Reduces cost

Adds more water, heat and chemical resistance.

Can be used in bricks

Reduces weight

Fly ash (also called flue ash) is the by-product of coal burning power plants.

Glass railings

Glass on glass railings must be at a minimum of 1/4 inch thick

Railing must be at a minimum of 48 inches tall

Glass must be either single fully tempered glass, laminated fully tempered glass or heat strengthened glass

SafetySafety is our top priority. We will hire many different types of engineers and other professionals to ensure our preferred location or other suitable locations are, and will remain a safe place to build. Once we are able to start building, we will only allow professionals in, and around the work site. we will also block off potentially dangerous areas for the rest of the students in the school. When we have a foundation set, have a railing that meets all codes and regulations, and means of egress it will be safe for students to take part in the next step of the building process. We will make sure students have proper supervision at all times when working in the building site.

Building codes and regulations

Handicap accessibility (elevators and ramps)

Emergency evacuation routes (2 or more)

Safe/accessible means of egress

added structural support and weight limit

Electrical installations

Fire protection and support

Protective signaling alarms

Because we are building on the roof, we will need to follow specific guidelines and codes in order safely make the area accessible and useable.

Wall height

Minimum size for classroom setting

Build-able distance from gas lines and AC units

Occupant load

Living and dead loads

Railing and wall heights

Elevator access

Visual and tactile directive signs

Benches

Glass in handrails

Occupant load

Hazard detection devices

Emergency alarm systems

Emergency control station

Manual fire alarm box

Power sources

Emergency and standby power systems (this will not be necessary with alternative power sources)

Classroom usageWe plan to make the space useable for up to 50 students at a time. Section 1004 of the building code states that, for educational purposes an area of at minimum 20 net feet. This would require at least 1000 net feet of surface area to build on.

By allowing 50 students at at time, any teacher, class or club can use the space without having to improvise in any way.

We also plan to add benches and other open seating to create a better and more comfortable learning environment.

One more plan, is to create MacBook charging stations for future classes.

Having an outdoor, open classroom setting is also a great opportunity for hands on learners to learn many new skill sets useful in their lives.

This will also give art students an opertunity to use tools and techniques they would otherwise be unable to use inside

What will this project teach us, and possibly others?

The knowledge that we as both individuals, and as a group, will gain, will be applicable far beyond the classroom setting.

We will learn problem solving skills, like how to overcome the numerous obstacles standing in our pathway to success. We will learn to work with each other, finding solutions to conflicting ideas and combining similar ones. And most Importantly, we will learn to communicate with professionals, to get our ideas out into the world, and to make a difference.

Additionally, others can see our process and final product and be inspired to do their own project like ours.

A living roof will contribute to numerous classes, make students eager to learn, and substantially boost average grades throughout the whole school.

Sources

www.Google.com

www.HowStuffWorks.com

http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm

http://saveenergy.about.com/od/alternativeenergysources/a/altenergysource.htm

https://www.mckinneytexas.org/index.aspx?NID=331

https://www.mckinneytexas.org/index.aspx?NID=256

https://www.mckinneytexas.org/index.aspx?NID=336

https://www.mckinneytexas.org/index.aspx?NID=341

http://www.lessismore.org

http://indecorativeconcrete.com

http://www.windspireenergy.com

http://www.green-mechanic.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_ash

http://greenroofsolutions.com

https://law.resource.org/pub/us/code/ibr/icc.ibc.200

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