Using New York’s Native Plant Communities as the Basis of Design for SUNY ESF’s Gateway Building
Green Roof
Douglas J. Daley
Abstract:
Green roofs are considered an accepted practice to reduce stormwater discharge and improve a
building’s energy performance. Rooftop environments present numerous challenges for designers due
to extreme conditions of heat, insolation, wind, drought, freezing and nutrient stress. Sedums, a group
of species commonly used for vegetating green roofs, is not native to the United States and is of limited
ecological value. The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (Syracuse, NY) recently
installed an intensive green roof on its new Gateway Building. The green roof design and plant selection
was based on two plant communities native to New York State, the eastern Lake Ontario dunes and
alvar pavement barrens communities. These communities are adapted to environments analogous to
rooftop settings. Besides meeting functional requirements, design based on native plant communities
enhances the ecological and natural heritage values by incorporating rare or protected species. We are
presently monitoring various hydrologic and ecological indicators to determine long-term success of this
approach.
Bio:
Douglas J. Daley
Douglas J. Daley, is a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Resources Engineering,
providing teaching and research focused on ecological engineering practices for stormwater
management, waste management and environmental restoration. Mr. Daley is a registered Professional
Engineer with over 25 years of environmental engineering experience including municipal, consulting
and academic environments. He is Director of the SUNY Center for Brownfield Studies, and an active
member of the New York Water Environment Association and the Central New York Air & Waste
Management Association. His research projects encompass a number of innovative engineering
applications of ecological engineering, including the use of bioretention basin for roof drainage, willow
biomass production for landfill leachate management, and beneficial use of recovered food waste.