Cleveland Hopkins Unveils New Green Roof

CLEVELAND HOPKINS – On June 23, 2017, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport unveiled a combined total of 8,000 square feet of green roof space on the roofs of the airport, which will capture 72,000 gallons of water per year. Using estimates from the Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center, approximately 2.2 lbs. of nitrogen, 0.3 lbs. of phosphorus, and 108 lbs. (0.054 tons) of sediment will be kept out of the Cuyahoga River each year. In addition, due to natural carbon sequestration by plants, 880 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent would be removed from the air each year, helping to mitigate climate change.

Back in 2012, under provisions of Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport was awarded a Nonpoint Source grant by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to install two demonstration vegetative roofs.

Hopkins is the first City of Cleveland owned building with a green roof. This project contributes significantly to implementing the Cleveland Climate Action Plan and the Sustainable Cleveland Municipal Action Plan, both launched in 2013 by Mayor Frank G. Jackson, as well as CLE’s storm water management and sustainability goals for its own operations.

This U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA Clean Water Act grant funded project was initiated in 2015, the “Year of Clean Water” and completed in 2017 the “Year of Vibrant Green Space” for the Sustainable Cleveland initiative. This will serve as a demonstration project, serving as an inspiration for individuals, private companies, and other cities in Northeast Ohio to help clean our waterways, air, and living spaces.

Currently, all airport storm water runoff flows into Abram Creek and the Rocky River which are impaired with nutrients, pathogens, and sediment. The Rocky River then flows into Lake Erie. A decrease in NPS pollution from a green roof will reduce pollutants to Lake Erie. Furthermore, the Rocky River Watershed Action Plan, endorsed by the state of Ohio in 2006, labels storm water runoff in the Main Stem subwatershed a Priority Concern. The Action Plan has a goal to reduce the effective impervious surface area from 39.45% to 15%.

The two green roofs, manufactured and installed by Rooftop Green, a Cleveland-based manufacturer, will be visible from the terminal as well as by airline passengers taking off or landing, creating a unique airport experience for passengers. Educational signs will be installed in the terminal next to the green roof sites describing the significance and beneficial aspects of the green roofs, such as decreasing storm water runoff and cleaning the water, decreasing air pollution, lowering the heat island effect, decreasing heating and cooling costs within the respective buildings.

Rooftop Green used approximately 117,000 recycled plastic bottles remanufactured in Cleveland by Fiberworx and seeded and assembled the trays in Cleveland. The entire Rooftop Green tray is a filter, enabling water to seep through the tray while maintaining the plant media, decreasing the weight of the green roof and reducing amount of underlayment needed for the trays.

via – CLE Hopkins Green Roof Press Conference and CLE first city building to install “Green Roofs” (Please note: These sources contain differing environmental impact statistics.)