Students embark on second trial to green Gund Hall roof
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| Xue Zhou, Diane Lipovsky | Milee Shrestha | |
Images by Laurence Kelly |
On May 15, students rolled up their sleeves, busily “greening” five panels on Gund Hall roof with plant mixture to help cool the space in The Trays below. Forming bucket brigades, they passed planting mix from one student to another, climbing a series of ladders to reach the roof panels. Headed by Christian Werthmann, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, this was the second trial in The Green Roof Initiative, which began in 2006 with experimental plantings on the studio roof. Three different substrate compositions were tested in the first trial, then planted with a sedum mix. Two weeks ago students undertook the second round of tests, installing the best performing substrate of the first trial (a gravel-mulch mix) and planting it with five different plant mixes. The plant mixes, which include many tough urban survivors, were developed with the help of Peter Del Tredici, Lecturer in Landscape Architecture. Take a look at the results of the second trial, which should be visible by commencement.