March 12, 2014 | Blog 

Here at InterCoast we are getting very excited about the Big Ideas in Living Architecture Seminars that are taking place in April and one of the foremost authorities in building storm water management systems will be there to share his thoughts and ideas with you. We thought this is would be a great week to profile Richard and Hydrotech’s Green Roof Systems and Garden Roof Assemblies! 

Richard Hayden is passionate about innovation and the work he is doing with American Hydrotech. Hydrotech developed the Garden Roof Assembly more than 17 years ago and for the past three years Richard has been working with designers, architects, landscape architects and engineers in using Garden Roofs as a storm water management tool. He manages the Garden Roof Department at American Hydrotech and is involved in the development of new Garden Roof products and techniques. 

As a licensed Landscape Architect, Richard possesses more than 30 years of consulting experience which he uses to relate to architects and builders from a variety of backgrounds. Most of Richard’s consulting had been with public sector clients where sustainability was a high priority. Richard is a hands-on manager and enjoys collaborating with civil engineers, architects, planners and city officials to bring challenging and inspiring designs and concepts to life. 

We had the chance to chat with Richard from Hydrotech’s home office in Chicago and learned that he is truly excited about being part of this movement and he is currently working on the world’s largest garden roof as well as the world’s tallest garden roofs. 

Educating people and working with them to find solutions in building vegetated roofs is something I am very passionate about.” 

Richard has worked on projects throughout North America including the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The work of American Hydrotech is prominently shown in the steeply sloped roof at our very own Vancouver Convention Centre. For those of you that live in the lower mainland you can see this beautiful site along the west side of the convention center adjacent to the floatplane base. 

Vancouver Convention Center Garden Roof is not only beautiful it also protects the membrane of the new building! 

Enjoying the Hydrotech Garden Roof at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY 

Why Have a Garden on Your Roof?  It's So Much More Than Just Pretty:

• Protect the membrane: The use of Garden Roofs can protect the membrane from the damaging effects of UV sun exposure as well as mechanical damage from maintenance workers on the roof. 
  
• Mitigate Urban Heat Island Effect: Vegetated roofs can be up to 50 degrees cooler than traditional roofs and can help to lower ambient temperatures in urban areas 
  
• Re-Create Habitat: Vegetated roofs can provide much needed green spaces to encourage the return of insects and wildlife to urban areas 
  
• Oxygen Production and Carbon Sink: Natural transpiration and respiration of plants on a vegetated roof generates oxygen and creates places for carbon sequestration 
  
• Noise Mitigation: Vegetated roofs can help reduce noise transmission into the interior spaces of the building 
  
• Reduction of dust and smoke levels: Plants and growing media can trap particulates and pollutants 
  

Richard is honored to be a part of the Big Ideas in Living Architecture Seminar, and looks forward to sharing more about vegetated roofs in detail. 

Green Tip of the Week: Here is a green tip that you might find unusual we certainly did. If you own a conventional desk top computer, consider changing it for a laptop computer. A laptop computer operates on 50% of the energy required to run a desk top computer when plugged into the mains, and only 1% when operating on the battery supply. 

Weekly Update: Look out for our upcoming posts with “InterCoast on the road.” We are travelling around Canada in the coming weeks, educating and meeting new people along the way.

Upcoming Events: Big Ideas In Living Architecture April 14th Calgary, April 15th Vancouver - get your tickets now.

Click here for additional information on our News & Learning Events or contact InterCoast Building Solutions - the Building Envelope solutions experts for BC, AB and Western Canada 

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