Resource Center

Location: Washington , DC

Completion Date: 2006

Size: 3,800 sqft.

Market Sector: Office

Renovation:Yes

Owner: American Society of Landscape Architects

Architect: DMJM Design

Landscape Designer: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.

Contractor: Forrester Construction Company

Garden Roof Type: Mixed

Garden Roof Size: 3,800 sqft.

Products: Slope, GardNet

Awards Won: 2010 Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Award of Excellence - Intensive Institutional Category

When the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) wanted a high profile location to best demonstrate how landscape architects play a central role in green roof design and construction, it needed to look no further than a top its own headquarters building. And, when ASLA wanted an engineered assembly that would allow it to show how environmental and aesthetic benefits of a green roof can best be maximized, it needed to look no further than the Garden Roof® Assembly from American Hydrotech.

The previous black tar surfaced roof of the ASLA headquarters building in Washington, DC, is now a landmark demonstration project, containing six distinct Garden Roof conditions, representing extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive systems ranging in growing media depths of 3 - 18 inches. Two “waves” dominate the design and allow for the greatest green coverage possible for the 3,800 square-foot roof surface. Surrounding these is a third green roof system, covered by metal grating that allows visitors to walk over the planted material. The Garden Roof Assembly plays an integral and essential role in the roof’s design.

"We chose this assembly because of its stormwater management capabilities as well as its ability to improve the building’s energy efficiency,” Nancy Somerville, executive vice president and CEO of ASLA, said of ASLA’s decision to go with the Garden Roof Assembly. “American Hydrotech lends a great deal of technical expertise to its projects and provides an outstanding warranty.”

MM6125®EV-FR, a seamless waterproofing/roofing membrane is protecting the integrity of the overstructure. And, to effectively confine and stabilize the growing media on the sloped “waves” GardNet™ was installed. This unique component of the Garden Roof Assembly allows design professionals to expand beyond traditional flat roof applications, up to a 7:12 roof pitch.