Growing green walls and roofs, growing Milwaukee

City of Milwaukee to co-host one-day catalytic workshop

The City of Milwaukee and Green Roofs for Healthy Cities are hosting a Milwaukee Green Roof Symposium on Wednesday, March 11th. This one-day workshop, with opening remarks offered by Mayor Tom Barrett, is expected to help educate and inspire the city’s elected officials, planners, businesses, and building and design professionals to harness the technology of green roofs and walls. The symposium was funded in part by the City of Milwaukee and Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, and supported by a number of industry experts and environmental advocacy groups.

“Our economy and our environment are interdependent—my green vision for Milwaukee calls for greater use of energy-saving, job-creating technologies like green roofs and green walls,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. “Our innovative approach to water quality and energy has the potential to grow our economy.”
 

Mounting scientific research continues to demonstrate the many benefits of green roofs and walls including their capacity to cool buildings and cities, increase energy efficiency, dampen noise pollution, reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality and promote biodiversity through the creation and restoration of plant and animal habitats. The one-day symposium on March 11th is part of a larger series of events co-hosted by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the North American green roof industry association, and various municipal governments across North America. Participants learn about the design and implementation of green roofs and walls from experts, and then work with city officials to identify local research needs and obstacles with the goal of developing green roof action plans.

Highland Gardens green roof

The event will be held on the campus of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (1025 North Broadway) on March 11, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuition for this workshop is $199 per person. Register online at www.greenroofs.org.

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities – North America, Inc. was founded in 1999 as a small network of public and private organizations and is now a rapidly growing 501(c)(6), not-for-profit industry association. Their mission is to increase the awareness of the economic, social and environmental benefits of green roofs and green walls, and other forms of living architecture through education, advocacy, professional development and celebrations of excellence.

Additional contact: Jennifer Sprout, Director of Local Market Development, GRHC, jsprout@greenroofs.org or (416) 971-4494 ext. 229. Media are asked to register online at www.greenroofs.org (see Milwaukee symposium on main page) prior to event.