Javits Green Roof in Full Bloom!

We recently had some additional aerial photographs taken of the green roof at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. When we original photographed Javits the growth on the southern end of the building had not really taken hold and we really wanted to capture the enormity of this green structure along with some of the awe-inspiring beauty of New Yorks skyline. Here are some of the stunning images taken by David Sundberg.

In addition, here are some interesting factoids on the Javits roof:

This 370,000 sf green roof, the 2^nd largest on a single, freestanding structure in the US, will help Javits reduce energy usage by 26%. This is accomplished through the prevention of 6.8 million gallons of storm water runoff annually, as well as conserving energy by moderating temperature inside the building, and reducing the temperature of air drawn into the rooftop HVAC units for air conditioning.

The Javits green roof features a light-weight, pre-vegetated mat system that consists of sedum plants, a layer of growing medium, and a bottom carrier layer that holds the vegetation and growing medium together so that the mats can be rolled up like sod. This vegetation was grown locally in farm in upstate New York in order to acclimate the plants to the climate and make them ready for the rigors of rooftop City living.

In addition, these mats are designed to be incredibly durable and easy to maintain. The plants and the textile medium are woven together and dont decompose. This durability makes the process temporary removal more efficient and cost effective. For instance, if a Javits staff member needs to access a particular portion of the roof mats can be rolled up and then rolled back into place after the maintenance work is complete. This means the roof doesnt have to dug-out, discarded and replaced.