Bronx, Part 2

Green roof installations take a lot of planning- just like with any construction project.  The efficiencies that I saw from proper project management also led to profitable outcomes.  However, one of the biggest challenges that any contractor (and manufacturer, quite honestly) faces is AFTER then installation.  

When green roofs are installed in early summer, the plant material has to be maintained with more attention than if they were planted in late fall.  The possibility of high temperatures with limited natural rain events makes me anxious to get up there and irrigate.  There is a fine balance here, because I want the plants to acclimate so they are not reliant on anything supplemental, but they do need to live.  

In the case of the Bronx project, we had a problem getting water from inside the building to the roof.  And once we did get water, there was not enough pressure to water across the entire roof area.  So, we rigged up a fire hose from a bathroom and through a door.  We also brought up a pump booster.  I hauled Netafim drip tube from Baltimore- that would have been easier than trying to find it locally.  But it WORKED!  We had water for the summer time.

As I mentioned, the Courthouse was across from Yankee Stadium.  As with many rooftops in NYC, the views are amazing and you can pick out signature landmarks no matter where you were.  Perhaps the scurry to get the irrigation working on the roof drew attention to the fact that this roof was somewhat accessible.  Late one afternoon, a group of firemen came out and climbed a ladder to a penthouse roof and took some amazing photos with the green roof and all of NYC in the background.  But I was mostly focused on the iconic firemen.  Haha