GREEN ROOFS –LATEST TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS, INNOVATIVE DESIGNS, COST ANALYSIS, IMPACT ON BUILDINGS & COMMUNITIES

Speakers: Greg Loosvelt, COO, Earth Pledge

                Richard Heller, President, Greener by Design

                Signe Nielsen, Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects.

Lecture topics:

▪ Green roofs around the world, policies and research

▪ ROI lifetime cost impacts, health benefits to building occupants and surrounding communities

▪ Latest innovations in green roof materials and technology

▪ An expert look at the roof designs for Silvercup Studios, The Solaire, Bronx Mt. Hope Community Center and many others

▪ Roof systems: modular vs. layered. Plantings: functional vs. ornamental, native vs. imports

▪ Cooling load reduction for buildings, heat island mitigation, stormwater management, roof durability, and various other benefits of different rooftop treatments

Speaker bios:

Greg Loosvelt serves as chief operating officer of Earth Pledge. Mr. Loosvelt has founded five companies in the past 12 years in information technology and in strategic and public/private equity.  Mr. Loosvelt has served as CEO and held senior management positions in operations, finance and sales for companies ranging from security software to healthcare and included such clients as JP Morgan, Itochu International, Vanguard Ventures, Honda Motors, BMW, American Express, Johnson & Johnson and Apple.  www.earthpledge.org

Richard Heller is president of Greener By Design, an urban landscape company dedicated to permaculture and sustainable practices. Greener By Design has constructed and cared for more green roof square footage in New York than any other company to date. Recent accomplishments are the construction of the greenroofs at Silvercup studios, the Smithson floating island project, and the re-planting and care of the greenroofs at the Solaire.

Mr. Heller has worked in the industry for more than twenty five years, writes for landscaper publications, the Pelham Weekly and the New York Real Estate Journal. He is chairman of the NY State landscaper certification program, and has presented on behalf of the Battery Park City Authority. He is a father of five and lives in Pelham NY. www.greenerdesigns.com

Signe Nielsen has practiced as a landscape architect and urban designer since 1978. During that time she has overseen the planning, design and construction of more than $185 million worth of projects. Ms. Nielsen is a Fellow of the ASLA and a Commissioner for the Art Commission for the City of New York. She is also the recipient of over a dozen national and local design awards for public open space projects.

Ms. Nielsen holds degrees in Urban Planning from Smith College, Landscape Architecture from City College, and Construction Management from Pratt Institute. She is currently a full Professor in both the graduate and undergraduate Schools of Architecture at Pratt Institute.www.mnlandscape.com