Mercyhurst College Erie, Pennsylvania Green Roof, Building Design

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1 Mercyhurst College Erie, Pennsylvania Green Roof, Building Design SCHOOL Mercyhurst College, Private, 4-year, 3500 students, Erie, Pennsylvania ABSTRACT A Green Roof has currently been installed above the Ceramics Lab in Zurn Hall, completed August The planning for this project began in 2007, by Zachary Pekor, a member of the college Green Team. The project was partially funded by the Senior Class of 2010 (as their Senior Gift), and the Student Green Energy Fund, making it the first completely student driven sustainability project on campus. The modular green roof is a 900 square foot tray system and cost around $37,000. It addresses storm water issues, reducing runoff and purifying the water that does percolate groundwater, but will also cut down on landfill costs by extending the life of the roof by 30-40% and it provides modest additional heating and cooling insulation for that wing of the building. GOALS AND OUTCOMES Goals The Mercyhurst College Senior Class of 2010 donated the Green Roof as their senior gift. They were looking for a gift that would not only enhance the college, but enhance the world as well. The green roof provides both economic and environmental benefits, but also education opportunities for future students. The Senior Class set a goal of raising between $20,000 and $25,000 for the green roof installation and submitted an application to the Student Green Energy Fund to help cover the additional costs. As a member of the American Colleges and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment, Mercyhurst College is committed to sustainability and carbon neutrality. The installation of a green roof will help to cut carbon emission through a reduction in energy use for heating and cooling of the Ceramics Lab, the room below the green roof. Within the next two years, we hope to have both signage for the green roof and access for classes to the roof. By fall 2011 we expect to have an information kiosk installed on the ground below the green roof educating the college community and the public about its benefits, as well as depicting a map that shows locations of other environmental initiatives on the Erie Campus. Stairs leading to the roof and

2 railings surrounding the roof edges will be installed by the following fall to allow classes to use and learn about the green roof, as well as creating easy access for maintenance of the green roof. Accomplishments and Outcomes The 2010 Senior Class was able to raise their money and the Student Green Energy Fund covered the difference, so this project become the first completely student driven sustainability project on the Erie Campus. The installation of the green roof was completed in the fall of Although green roofs will reduce energy consumption, our green roof is only over a single art lab, so we do not anticipate seeing a drastic drop in the college s annual energy cost, but the layers of soil and vegetation will help prolong the life of the roof by about 30-40%. In additional to a cost savings, by extending the life of the roof, we will be able to divert waste usually send to the landfill. The roof also captures and holds precipitation in the plant foliage, absorbs water in the roots, and slows runoff as it infiltrates through the layers of vegetated cover. A communications student and faculty advisor, Jodi Staniunas-Hopper, helped design an informational kiosk to be installed in fall 2011 on the ground below the green roof. The kiosk will have two sides, one displaying educational information for the green roof and the other will have a map of the Erie Campus showing other environmental projects and initiatives around campus. On the ground below and roof of the kiosk will be several green roof trays to show the plants and soil found in the green roof. The installation of stairs to allow access to the green roof and railings for safety is still planned for installation by fall Once these are installed, students will be able to visit the green roof through courses offered in sustainability or in the natural sciences department. Challenges and Responses This project was initiated by Zach Pekor, a student representative of the Student Green Team, in 2007 and took until 2010 to finally be completed. Lack of support and funding were major obstacles for this project. The roof that covers the Ceramics Lab in Zurn Hall needed to be replaced, so installing a green roof before it could be replaced would not be financially responsible; the green roof would then have to be removed in order to replace the roof itself. Also, the roof, in 2007, would not support the additional weight load of a green roof, which is typically about 35 pounds/square foot. Between the spring and fall of 2010, the roof over the Ceramics Lab was replaced with a new roof that would be able to support the extra weight anticipated from the plant tray when they are saturated with water. The cost of this preliminary need before the green roof could be installed was cover by the Mercyhurst College Physical Plant. When the Senior Class of 2010 decided on the green roof as their gift to the college, it helped to alleviate some of the problems with funding. The senior class was able to raise between $20,000- $25,000, allowing the Student Green Energy Fund to cover the difference. In 2007, Mercyhurst College students created the Student Green Energy Fund, which is a tuition fee for all students of $5 per term ($15 per student per year) that will go toward campus green energy projects. This fund collects about $30,000 each year; any student may submit a project proposal which is reviewed by the Green Energy

3 Fund Review Board, made up of students, faculty, and staff. Projects must help with energy conservation or energy efficiency on campus. Campus Climate Action: Your School s Carbon Footprint As a signatory of the American College and University President s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and in support of the national campus greening movement, Mercyhurst College approved a Climate Action Plan in October 2010 for the Erie Campus setting the year 2030 as a target for campus carbon neutrality. Directly related to global climate change, our green roof will help reduce the college s energy costs, even minimally. More importantly, the green roof will help mitigate water pollution and erosion from storm runoff, an indirect factor of environmental degradation. Commentary and Reflection Two key factors for the completion of this project is the involvement of as many people as possible, and persistence. Even though the project took several years, with support of the administration and the senior class of 2010, we were able to raise the necessary funds. I would highly recommend pursuing a green roof installation on your campus. It is a perfect project to show the potential environmental benefits you can bring to your campus; the green roof can be incorporated into many classes as well as being open to the public. ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT Leaders and Supporters Without the initiation shown by Zach Pekor through his enthusiasm and in-depth research for this project the 2010 senior class would not have had the base of knowledge to pursue the installation of a green roof. The 2010 senior class was exemplary in their fundraising for the project, and with the support of the Mercyhurst College Physical Plant department to allow the installation of the green roof on campus, and making sure that the new roof met all structural requirements for a green roof, this installation was a success. In addition, Dr. Marlene Cross, botany professor for the Biology department, was able to involve several of her students to create a list of plants for the Mercyhurst College Green Roof. Funding and Resources The entire project cost about $115,000; the conventional roof replacement cost about $78,000, while the green roof installation cost about $37,000 for a 900 square foot green roof. The college s physical plant department covered the cost of the conventional roof, and students covered the cost of the green roof. The students funds were raised through donations from the 2010 senior class, and funding provided by the Student Green Energy Fund. Zach Pekor, 2009 Mercyhurst College graduate, provided the analysis of a green roof including the benefits and material details, while the 2010 senior gift committee helped to organize the fundraising and execution of the project. A local landscaping company was hired to complete the installation.

4 Education and Community Outreach The installation of a kiosk will be used to educate both the campus community and visitors about the economic and environmental benefits of the green roof, as well as provide information regarding other environmental benefits on the Erie Campus via a campus map. CONTACT INFORMATION Contacts Dr. Chris Magoc, Advisor to the Campus Green Team at Mercyhurst College, (814) , cmagoc@mercyhurst.edu Brittany Prischak, Sustainability Officer at Mercyhurst College, (814) , bprischak@mercyhurst.edu Case study submitted by: Brittany Prischak MORE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL Campus Sustainability History Environmental and social responsibility is an integral part of Mercyhurst College's mission. The college is committed to educating their students and community about living green lifestyles to ensure a sustainable future for everyone. They encourage ongoing participation in recycling and the idea of energy conservation both on and off campus. As part of an undergraduate degree, the college offers a Sustainability Studies major and minor, or a Sustainability Studies concentration in either the Biology or Chemistry departments, as well as a Sustainability Studies Post-Baccalaureate certificate for students interested in enhancing their overall educational experience with an environmental focus. Also, the biology department provides the Mercyhurst College community with several ways to get involved in sustainability projects, activities, and volunteering efforts. Website Link to Mercyhurst College s Sustainability Program: Image credit: Brittany Prischak, Sustainability Officer for Mercyhurst College

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