Earth Our Only Home, Inc.
Press
Press
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
From: Earth Our Only Home, Inc.
4 Archdale Rd., Boston 02131
earthouronlyhome@yahoo.com
Tel/Fax: 617-522-5447
Councilor Rob Consalvo recently introduced several ground-breaking environmental
ordinances before the City Council, including a first of its kind in Boston with Councilor
John Tobin regarding "green roofs." Boston City Hall boasts a partial green roof which
Mayor Menino displayed during the 5th Annual Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
conference held this past May here in Boston at the Hynes Convention Center.
A green roof (or an "eco-roof") is a roof with vegetation on it, whether that vegetation
be simple grasses or exotic gardens. The ordinance was the brainchild of Earth Our
Only Home, Inc., founded earlier this year by Consalvo's constituents Karen Weber
and Marie Richa, and Tobin’s constituent Clydia Davenport.
Weber, Richa, and Davenport see green roofs as a major tool in not only slowing but
reversing the effects of global warming. Most energy efficiency measures reduce the
energy consumption of one building alone, having a minimal effect on the over all
power grid and an even less significant effect on our rapidly changing climate. Green
roofs, however, not only reduce the energy consumption of the particular building on
which they have been installed, but they have a measurable effect on the ambient air
temperature and on all surrounding buildings, thereby greatly reducing the urban heat
island effect.
Studies in Canada suggest that, with a minimum of 6% of the roof surfaces of Toronto
green roofed, the summer air temperature could be reduced up to 3.6ºF. The
consequently lowered demand on the power grid for energy for cooling would lower
the temperature by yet another degree. It is estimated that for every 1.8ºF
temperature reduction there will be a corresponding 5% reduction in the cooling
demands of all buildings.
Chicago has been championing green roofs since the summer of 1995 when 739
Chicagoans died during one 5 day heat wave. Following this tragedy, Mayor Richard
M. Daley traveled to Germany, which has been perfecting green roof installation for
over 30 years now, for guidance. With a $100 million settlement in 1998 from
Commonwealth Edison for power outages, Mayor Daley began green roofing Chicago.
Chicago City Hall is now famous for its green roof. That city's ongoing temperature
monitoring indicates that the green roof is having an effect on the microclimate around
City Hall. Roof surface temperatures are consistently lower on the green roof than on
the black tar roof of the adjacent Cook County Administration Building. On a 90ºF day,
when the temperatures on the black tar roof reaches 170ºF, temperatures on the
green roof are 70º to 80ºF cooler.
Working with Councilor Consalvo, Earth Our Only Home, Inc.'s founders are confident
that Boston will not have to suffer the tragic loss of life Chicago did in order to take
action to green its roofs.
Green roofs have many other benefits. They reduce greenhouse gases through the
plants’ absorption of CO2 and release life-giving oxygen. They also absorb other
harmful pollutants, lower noise pollution, and retain stormwater, relieving the sewer
system during heavy precipitation events. Green roofs help to diminish asthma and
seasonal allergies. As an added bonus, green roofs are a beautiful addition to any
building and will bring aesthetic appeal to our city’s visual layout, adding an emerald
crown to our emerald necklace!
Councilors Consalvo and Tobin’s order has been referred to the Committee on
Environment and Historic Preservation, chaired by Councilor James M. Kelly.
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
From: Earth Our Only Home, Inc.
4 Archdale Rd., Boston 02131
earthouronlyhome@yahoo.com
Tel/Fax: 617-522-5447
Councilor Rob Consalvo recently introduced several ground-breaking environmental
ordinances before the City Council, including a first of its kind in Boston with Councilor
John Tobin regarding "green roofs." Boston City Hall boasts a partial green roof which
Mayor Menino displayed during the 5th Annual Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
conference held this past May here in Boston at the Hynes Convention Center.
A green roof (or an "eco-roof") is a roof with vegetation on it, whether that vegetation
be simple grasses or exotic gardens. The ordinance was the brainchild of Earth Our
Only Home, Inc., founded earlier this year by Consalvo's constituents Karen Weber
and Marie Richa, and Tobin’s constituent Clydia Davenport.
Weber, Richa, and Davenport see green roofs as a major tool in not only slowing but
reversing the effects of global warming. Most energy efficiency measures reduce the
energy consumption of one building alone, having a minimal effect on the over all
power grid and an even less significant effect on our rapidly changing climate. Green
roofs, however, not only reduce the energy consumption of the particular building on
which they have been installed, but they have a measurable effect on the ambient air
temperature and on all surrounding buildings, thereby greatly reducing the urban heat
island effect.
Studies in Canada suggest that, with a minimum of 6% of the roof surfaces of Toronto
green roofed, the summer air temperature could be reduced up to 3.6ºF. The
consequently lowered demand on the power grid for energy for cooling would lower
the temperature by yet another degree. It is estimated that for every 1.8ºF
temperature reduction there will be a corresponding 5% reduction in the cooling
demands of all buildings.
Chicago has been championing green roofs since the summer of 1995 when 739
Chicagoans died during one 5 day heat wave. Following this tragedy, Mayor Richard
M. Daley traveled to Germany, which has been perfecting green roof installation for
over 30 years now, for guidance. With a $100 million settlement in 1998 from
Commonwealth Edison for power outages, Mayor Daley began green roofing Chicago.
Chicago City Hall is now famous for its green roof. That city's ongoing temperature
monitoring indicates that the green roof is having an effect on the microclimate around
City Hall. Roof surface temperatures are consistently lower on the green roof than on
the black tar roof of the adjacent Cook County Administration Building. On a 90ºF day,
when the temperatures on the black tar roof reaches 170ºF, temperatures on the
green roof are 70º to 80ºF cooler.
Working with Councilor Consalvo, Earth Our Only Home, Inc.'s founders are confident
that Boston will not have to suffer the tragic loss of life Chicago did in order to take
action to green its roofs.
Green roofs have many other benefits. They reduce greenhouse gases through the
plants’ absorption of CO2 and release life-giving oxygen. They also absorb other
harmful pollutants, lower noise pollution, and retain stormwater, relieving the sewer
system during heavy precipitation events. Green roofs help to diminish asthma and
seasonal allergies. As an added bonus, green roofs are a beautiful addition to any
building and will bring aesthetic appeal to our city’s visual layout, adding an emerald
crown to our emerald necklace!
Councilors Consalvo and Tobin’s order has been referred to the Committee on
Environment and Historic Preservation, chaired by Councilor James M. Kelly.
Photo courtesy
of Roofscapes,
Inc.
of Roofscapes,
Inc.
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