Design Ecology



"In hot climates, the cooling affect of green roofs can improve solar panel performance by up to 35%."
"Vegetative architectural systems can reduce membrane temperatures by 90ºF, reducing energy for cooling by 30%."
"Green roofs capture and slow the flow of rainwater, significantly reducing impact to stormwater conveyance systems."
"Sea levels are predicted to rise twice as fast as was forecast by the United Nations only two years ago."
"Water scarcity occurs even in areas where there is plenty of rainfall or freshwater."
"Cities are facing increasing challenges dealing with infill from rural areas, outdated infrastructure and budget shortfalls."
"82% of the U.S. population live in a city, that number continues to grow."
"An investment of $11.3 billion per year is needed to meet the drinking water and sanitation target of the Millenium Development Goals."
"Natural systems cannot keep up with the speed and intensity of the impacts of development and urbanization."
"735 species of plants and 496 species of animals are listed as threatened or endangered."
"Utilizing technologically enhanced products and strategies, designers can elevate ecosystem function to a rate that enables system processing to meet the needs of the new industrial ecology."
"A fully integrated design approach can result in the building itself becoming an engineered but highly functioning ecosystem component."
"This concept of restorative architecture promotes air handling, water processing, habitat creation, sequestration of carbon, food production, the treatment of toxins and heavy metals, and the production of energy to all occur seamlessly within an integrated building."

living roofs

living roofs

The popularity of green roofs has exploded in the USA over the past ten years, and our team has been directly involved in more than a dozen successful projects, ranging in scale from small residential work to a 9 acre facility owned and operated by the City of New York. Our Living Roof solutions improve building performance, membrane durability, habitat, stormwater control, and acoustic comfort while providing unique and beautiful outdoor spaces. Contact us to discuss lightweight solutions, target-species habitats, food production, and other custom applications.

Featured Living Roof Projects
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H2H Hotel

The H2H Hotel is a LEED registered sustainable inn located in Sonoma County. Design Ecology provided technical consultation for this living roof designed by David Baker + Associates and installed by Bertotti Landscaping Inc. for MidState Construction. Working closely with the architect, manufacturer and construction team, we were able to resolve several critical details including soil retention, access boxes, soil restraint, and irrigation.

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Marin Residence

A green roof installed in 1969 had been decommissioned due to leaks and poor plant health. In the process, copper skylights had deteriorated and other details were in a state of decay. The roof system was redesigned, and a meadow landscape of plants native to nearby Mt. Tamalpais was specified. The end result is a beautifully restored living roof system framing spectacular views of San Francisco Bay.

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West Elm

Viewed by 250,000 cars per day from the adjacent freeway, this roof is comprised of meadow grasses and wildflowers native to this site near the Bay Bridge in Oakland. Other site features include a green vine wall, california native landscape, and rain gardens to capture and infiltrate stormwater.

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Freight & Salvage

This popular Berkeley folk music venue relied on a living roof and flow-through stormwater planter to satisfy city code regulations. More than 50% of the roof is covered in native meadow and wildflowers, and the conventional roof area drains to a planter box filter at street level; together these features reduce the amount of stormwater flowing into city infrastructure, and prefilter what water does drain to storm pipe. The living roof also reduces energy required for cooling and provides habitat for native birds and butterflies.

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Van Cortlandt Park

This unique project combines community recreation access with high security infrastructure operations in an integrated site plan. The project scope includes a 9-acre green roof system, use of wetland systems to filter water and control building temperature, application of surplus water to provide security, and management of local ecology consultants.

Excess ground water is redirected into habitat enrichment and security features. Surplus water is routed to the adjacent golf course and infiltration systems. Water features supply water for ground source heat in building systems and non-potable project water demand.

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Malibu Condominium

This luxury residential building is proposed along the Pacific Coast Highway and features native plant landscapes, graywater re-use, rainwater harvesting, and a living roof. Project completion date is estimated for 2011.

“images courtesy of Caesar Pelli Associates”

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Bolsa Chica

Design Ecology was excited to be asked to integrate this public facility and associated interpretive functions with the surrounding ecosystem. A project goal of net zero water resulted in site water being utilized for all purposes allowed by code. A 15,000-square foot living roof extends to meet the ground plane via berms that surround the building. Rainwater storage tanks embedded within these berms store enough water to supply the center’s exhibit gardens and native plant nursery. Additional storage in underground tanks beneath an outdoor amphitheater allow storage of remaining site demand. Potable uses required by code will be offset by on-site rainwater exported to irrigate an existing adjacent playground.

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Design Ecology | 5758 Geary Blvd. #241 San Francisco, CA 94121 | info[at]designecology.com | (415) 233-9186
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