[Greenbuilding] Growing Media Embodied Energy

Erin Rasmussen erin at trmiles.com
Sun Oct 13 09:20:59 CDT 2013


Jeff Licht, University of Massachusetts at Boston, has been researching improved media for Green Roofs for the past few years. If I'm remembering the talk that I saw by him lately, a key problem with convetional green roofs is that they use soils optimized for sedums, which don't always grow well in the NE. And I think you're in NY - which isn't too far away. As I recall he uses biochar as part of his soil medium because roofs are high and dry a lot of the time. That allows him to use native mountaintop species as a part of the roof system, and have happier plants. Look him up and take a look at his research. He has a lot of experience coping with the types of problems you're probably facing. 

Kind regards,
Erin Rasmussen
erin at trmiles.com




-----Original Message-----
From: "Gennaro Brooks-Church - Eco Brooklyn" [info at ecobrooklyn.com]
Date: 10/12/2013 11:00 AM
To: "Green Building" <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Growing Media Embodied Energy

Ive used Gaia soil a lot with success. But I have have concerns over styrene leaching and its connection to cancer. 

On Saturday, October 12, 2013, John Salmen  wrote:
Polystyrene chips and beads – they also support microbial life like in a slow sand filter for water or septic – definitely a lot of those in the urban land
 
From: Greenbuilding [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Gennaro Brooks-Church - Eco Brooklyn
Sent: October-12-13 10:36 AM
To: Douglas E Lamb
Cc: Green Building
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Growing Media Embodied Energy

 
Thanks Douglass. Along the same lines, any suggestions on which low embodied agregate would last the longest? Coconut shell? Corn cob? THAT would be a list Id love to see. I know how long it takes for a diaper to break down but not these things. 

On Saturday, October 12, 2013, Douglas E Lamb wrote:
Gennaro,
 
EERE puts out a program called "BEES" (Building Environment & Economic Sustainability)
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/tools_directory/
Takes a while to rummage through but Im sure youll find what you need.
 
Regards,
Doug Lamb
614.323.2005
douglaslamb at columbus.rr.com
 
 

 

From: Greenbuilding [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Gennaro Brooks-Church - Eco Brooklyn
Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 1:30 PM
To: listserv Green Building new
Subject: [Greenbuilding] Growing Media Embodied Energy
Hi, 
Does anyone know where I could get a list of the different growing media aggregate embodied energy? Perlite, expanded shale, etc? Trying to see what green roof composition is least embodied energy compared to weight.


Gennaro Brooks-Church
Director, Eco Brooklyn Inc.
Cell: 1 347 244 3016 USA
www.EcoBrooklyn.com
22 2nd St; Brooklyn, NY 11231






-- 
Gennaro Brooks-Church, Director
Eco Brooklyn
347-244-3016
22 2nd St, BK NY 11231
Sent from Mobile




-- 
Gennaro Brooks-Church, Director
Eco Brooklyn
347-244-3016
22 2nd St, BK NY 11231
Sent from Mobile





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