Manchester's First Green Roof

A Green Roof Grows in Manchester

Green Roof Unveiled
The green roof planted on Manchester City Hall's roof was officially recognized last Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by city officials, contributors and partnering organizations.

UNH Cooperative Extension conceived the idea for the demonstration project and began recruiting partners from the Manchester community in 2002. The essential project components, an appropriate site, city approval, and funding, finally came together last May, enabling us to us to move forward and get the roof in place.

I participated in the event, noting our longtime involvement with the people of Manchester. In the past 12 years alone, our staff has become increasingly active here in the urban heart of New Hampshire. Much of our work has centered around organizing grassroots coalitions that have brought together local residents, Extension staff and volunteers, various city departments, nonprofit organizations, and the business community to improve the beauty, livability, safety, natural resources and social integration of Manchester's low-income neighborhoods. The new green roof is but one such example of these collaborative efforts.

Stepping in for Mayor Frank Guinta to open the ceremony was City Clerk Leo Bernier, who talked about the large coalition of public, private and non-profit agencies and volunteers that came together to develop the green roof without spending any tax dollars. Phil Bryce, State Forester, NH Division of Forests and Lands, talked about the important role of natural resources and our urban forests and how green roofs contribute to both. Mayor Guinta was later on hand to view the new sign in front of Manchester's City Hall that provides information about the new green roof and to comment on its importance to the city.

UNH Cooperative Extension's Community Forestry Educator, Mary Tebo, was the driving force behind this effort. She thanked the funders and partnering organizations as well, and noted that there will be another green roof growing in Manchester next summer. Congratulations, Mary!

Photos taken on 10/30/07

A balloonist floating over Manchester City Hall's Connector Building might look down on an expanse of perennial flowering plants growing in rooftop containers and think, "How lovely!"

But "green roofs" like this GreenGrid System deliver many benefits, both to the building below and to the overall urban environment.

UNH Cooperative Extension conceived the idea for the demonstration project and began recruiting partners from the Manchester community in 2002. The essential project components--an appropriate site, city approval, and funding--finally came together last May, enabling us to us to move forward and get the roof in place.

Benefits of a green roof
Most of the rain that hits a conventional city building's roof flows off over pavement and into storm drains, carrying pollutants such as gasoline, oil, antifreeze, sand and trash.

The GreenGrid roof will absorb up to 95 percent of an average rainfall. By slowly percolating through the plants and soil of the green roof, roof runoff occurs several hours after peak flows, giving sewer systems time to handle other runoff.

The plants and soils in a green roof serve many other functions, which include:

• Reducing the energy needed to heat and cool the building below.
• Saving money by extending the life of the original roof.
• Filtering air pollutants.
• Improving air quality.
• Absorbing noise.
• Reducing the risk of flooding and overflowing sewers.
• Providing habitat for butterflies and other pollinators.

The green roof components

• Four-inch deep containers manufactured from recycled plastic.
• Lightweight growing mix.
• Perennial plants in this system--sedums and chives--which withstand extremes of temperature and precipitation, and require almost no maintenance.

The installation process

• The GreenGrid System didn't require any roof construction or redesign.
• Workers placed a slip sheet on top of original roof.
• Then they lifted the pre-planted containers into place.
• Installation took two hours.

Project funding
The project used no Manchester tax dollars. All funding came from grants and private sponsors [see list below].

Check out our project sign, soon to go up in City Hall Plaza

Watch a slide show of the entire process, from filling planters to final installation on roof. Show includes both text captions and audio.

The Manchester City Web site will provide updates on the green roof, including updates on temperature monitoring and pollutant absorption.

Learn more
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Roof page
Green Roofs/Healthy Cities Network
Penn State's Center for Green Roof Research
Michigan State's Green Roof Research Program
ecogeek Cool photos!

By Mary Tebo, UNH Cooperative Extension community forestry educator and Green Roof Demonstration Project coordinator

Manchester Green Roof Project Funders

UNH Cooperative Extension in partnership with N.H. Division of Forests and Lands and USDA Forest Service
TFMoran Inc.
McLane Law Firm
Manchester Development Corporation
Lavallee Brensinger Architects Fund of the N.H. Charitable Foundation, Manchester Region
Weston Solutions, Inc.
N.H. Dept. of Environmental Services
Anonymous Fund of the N.H. Charitable Foundation
Breathe New Hampshire
SEPP - Enterprise Fund, administered by the City of Manchester Environmental Protection Division

In-kind Supporters

City of Manchester
Intown Manchester
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
UNH Manchester