Detailed Agenda

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 April 23

Location: Recover Green Roofs - 9 Olive Sq, Somerville, MA
Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Instructor: Steven Peck, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and Brendan Shea, Roofterra
Price: $495 USD

The Green Roof Installation and Maintenance Professional (GRIMP) Training is designed to provide participants with a grounding in this information, covering a variety of different green roof systems, and a wide range of planting types to provide green roof installers and maintenance professionals with the information, techniques, and training necessary to successfully install and maintain green roofs.

Registration is limited to 16 participants, and includes:

• Unlimited access to online course recordings

• Hands-on training with a selection of green roof modules

• Digital resource manual

• One attempt at the online GRIMP Exam

• One year of GRHC Individual Membership

• Tour of the CALA Powderhouse Green Roof

*To apply for the student rate, submit your information at https://forms.gle/GLwrT7KEUE33WAMK6

Tour 1 - Boston Medical Center Rooftop Farm

Time: 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM & 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Address: 750 Albany St, Boston

This is a stunning example of sustainable design and urban ecology. Located on the rooftop of BMC's power plant building, this green roof spans over 7,000 square feet, home to over 2600 square feet of growing space for a wide variety of vegetable crops. The farm provides fresh, local produce to BMC's patients, cafeterias, Demonstration Kitchen, and Preventive Food Pantry. Beehives on the farm help pollinate the plants and provide gallons of local honey. It is also provides a range of environmental benefits, such as reducing stormwater runoff, improving air quality, and creating habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. In addition, the roof is used as a space for community events and education, providing a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about the importance of green infrastructure and sustainable design in urban settings. The farm began as the brainchild of Dave Maffeo, senior director of support services and Robert Biggio, senior vice president of facilities and support services. It was designed and installed by Somerville-based, Recover Green Roofs, and is managed by Higher Ground Farm.

Tour 2 - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - Healing Gardens

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Address: 111 Francis St, Boston, MA

An expansive sixth-floor roof garden, raised 75’ above Pilgrim Road between the existing Rosenberg Building and the inpatient floors of the bed tower looks out to Frederick Law Olmsted’s famed Emerald Necklace of parks and greenways. The 11,000 SF dedicated space for patients and staff to escape the stressful hospital environment and gain respite and relaxation to help the healing process.

Tour 3 - CALA Powderhouse

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Address: 1060 Broadway, Somerville, MA

Once the vibrant Powderhouse Elementary School, this previously vacant building was granted a new lease on life when designer and developer Sebastián Mariscal secured development rights on the property from the City of Somerville. CALA’s sunken central courtyard and upper landing were each marked as green roofs in the renovation design, totaling 28,939 sq/ft of publicly accessible green space. Recover installed both sections of green roof as well as the hardscaping for the courtyard and its connected pathways. Careful planning and creativity were required to continue a seamless paver pattern throughout. A transition from pedestal pavers to setting bed pavers became necessary at various points in the courtyard in order to maintain a uniform elevation over the undulating roof membrane. 

Tour 4 - Harvard Science and Engineering Complex Tour

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Address: 150 Western Ave, Boston, MA

The new Science and Engineering Complex (SEC), located on Harvard University’s emerging Allston campus, integrates one of the country’s most diverse and exciting engineering programs into a single 535,000 square feet structure that will accommodate teaching and research laboratories, classroom space, faculty and staff offices, and a host of amenity spaces. Built on top of the existing foundation of a previously-designed life sciences complex that was suspended in 2008, the new facility represents Harvard’s first major academic building project in Allston and as such establishes a strong precedent for the development of outdoor space, street activation, and integration with larger public space networks that are described by the University’s Master Plan. As the home of the John A. Paulson School of  Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), it defines a new series of environments that support SEAS’ profound commitment to interdisciplinary and collaboration both in teaching and research, and exploits these qualities to create vibrant public spaces at a variety of scales throughout the building.

April 24