Présentation de l'éditeur :
The benefits of green roofs are many: longer roof lifespan, greater
sound insulation, reduced heating and cooling system needs, and a
cutback in storm water runoff.
Green roofs decrease carbon dioxide and
increase oxygen in cities, making them cooler in the process and
reversing the so-called "urban heat island effect." In short, green
roofs are the great green hope of many environmentalists, politicians,
and architects interested in more efficient and environmentally aware
buildings. From a design standpoint, however, there is less consensus.
While some see the roof garden as a visual statement using plants,
geometric lines, and sculptural elements, others believe concerns for
sustainability should outweigh visual appeal. A green roof that
combines aesthetics and mechanics has become the goal of many a
landscape architect.
To
address this quandary, the American Society of Landscape Architects
(ASLA) commissioned renowned landscape architects, Michael Van
Valkenburgh Associates in collaboration with the Conservation Design
Forum to design a 3,300-square-foot green roof garden for its
Washington, D.C. headquarters. In Green Roofss, author
Christian Werthmann uses this detailed case study to explain the
history, methodology, and design process of green roof garden
construction, providing a rich source of inspiration and technical
knowledge for anybody interested in this simple solution to many of the
environmental challenges we face today.
Christian
Werthmann is an assistant professor of landscape architecture at
Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. Before joining the GSD
faculty, he was an associate at Peter Walker and Partners, working as
project landscape architect on a series of major design projects
including Clark Center at Stanford University with Foster and Partners,
the new University of California State Campus of Merced with SOM and
the San Jose Airport master plan with Gensler.
nos livres 
