Jun 28 2006
Tecta America Corp., the nation's largest commercial roofing contractor, recently completed a three-day installation of a 10,000 square foot extensive green roof on the Bronx County Building. According to the office of Bronx Borough President, Adolfo Carrion, Jr., which was instrumental in the installation, this TectaGreen semi- extensive green roof is the largest green roof in the Bronx, the first in New York City on a city-owned building, and among the largest in NYC.
The roof was designed by Green Roof Service, LLC, and installed by Tecta America's J.P. Patti and Magco, Inc., divisions, who are located in nearby Saddle Brook, NJ, and Jessup, MD, respectively. Magco, Inc., will continue to monitor the green roof to maintain a healthy system.
"It's a tremendous honor, and opportunity, to be involved in such a forward-thinking initiative as this, and we are delighted to be a part of this exciting green roof installation," said Magco, Inc., President, Mark Gaulin, who is also President of the National Roofing Contractor's
Association.
Now considered to be the greenest of NYC's five boroughs, the Bronx has received an enormous boost from Borough President Carrion, and his Bronx Initiative for Energy and the Environment (BIEE). The green roof project was funded by the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), a program created by Carrion and the New York Power Authority (NYPA), to encourage the use of environmental technologies that mitigate air pollution and result in energy savings. BOEDC supports green roof implementation throughout the city of New York.
"I am very excited that my office is able to provide this green roof as a gift to New York City. I hope that this demonstration green roof project will inspire the City to install green roofs on other city-owned buildings," said Carrion.
In addition to possibly doubling the life of the roof, green roofs provide environmental benefits which include: stormwater retention, air filtering, and helping to decrease the urban heat island effect. Green roofs also provide at least 10 decibels of noise abatement, and an energy savings of between 10-15%.
Due to courthouse security measures, the Bronx County Building green roof will not generally be open to the public, but because of its proximity to Yankee Stadium, may sometimes be seen during television coverage of the games. A grand opening of the green roof is anticipated for sometime later this year.