Green Infrastructure Green Roof Austin City Hall Austin, Texas Installed in 2005, the Austin City Hall green roof feature imparts a sense of nature while helping to mitigate heat island effects. It consists of two green roof systems that are fully accessible to the public. The first is a 11,145 square foot plaza on top of an underground parking garage. The second is a 2,480 square foot terrace located over occupied space. Construction for each is cast-in-place concrete. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6 In 2008, this project received the Green Roof Award of Excellence from Green Roofs for Health Cities. It has also received a Certificate of Exceptional Merit from the National Wildlife Federation. This green roof project is both "intensive" and "monolithic" in design with 3 feet of soil depth. It includes a variety of native trees, shrubs, and groundcover. The overall cost for the project was approximately $30 per square foot. Maintenance plans have been modified to incorporate green roof considerations, and contract maintenance is scheduled for once per week. Efficient irrigation technologies such as stream bubblers and drip irrigation have been employed to minimize water use by applying water directly at plant roots. No potable water is used for irrigation due to the availability of ground water. The project provides benefits for sustainability, education, wildlife habitat and aesthetics. It also features the creation of a public amenity: a zoysia grass area in front of a stage designed for concerts. Project Point of Contact: Matt Hollon, Watershed Protection Department 505 Barton Springs Road Austin, TX 78704 (512) 974-2212 rnatt.hollon@austintexas.gov more information at: www.austintexas.gov/greenroofs EPA Region 6 seeks to provide information and recognition for green infrastructure projects within our Region. If you would like your project featured, please contact Environmental Protection Suzanna Perea at 214-665-7217 or perea.suzanna@epa.gov. Agency ------- |