Utah State University Green Roof Initiative

Low-impact landscape design is an area of study that presents vast opportunities for mitigating the negative effects of our stormwater management systems. Several relatively simple and cost-effective strategies for retrofitting the Utah State University campus with low-impact landscaping are available with current technology. Extensive, low maintenance green roofs are among the options at hand. Our research details the demonstrable benefits of implementing a green roof master plan for the USU main campus and provides a clear path for the realization of such a plan. Analysis of the USU main campus and the resulting pervious surfaces inventory allowed us to calculate how much impact roofs have on the total area of campus receiving rainfall. We proceeded by undertaking a suitability analysis of all the roofs on campus to determine the relative appropriateness of each for supporting an extensive green roof. We then translated this data into a temporal phasing plan that outlines which buildings would be easiest to retrofit and would experience the most benefits from a green roof. One of the most suitable roofs, a section of the Taggart Student Center, was chosen to act as a demonstration green roof. A planting plan for this area was developed. After a presentation of the general benefits of green roofs, our team determined some of the specific benefits our demonstration green roof would produce. This data was extrapolated to predict the specific benefits that implementation of each phase of our master plan would produce. Finally, future areas and opportunities for research are outlined