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48 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5 Green Roofs & Walls P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y G I N KGO SUS TA I N A B I L I T Y; L I V ERO O F O N TA R I O I N C . COLL ABOR ATION & ECOSYSTEM PRESERVATION Since its founding in 2010, Ginkgo Sustainability has remained at the forefront of green roof and living wall innovations. This year, their work will con- tinue to make an impact, with projects like the TRCA Green Roof, where a frog rescue during installa- tion highlighted their commitment to preserving local ecosystems. "We know that occupants in spaces big and small, engage and benefit from intentional design that features natural elements," says Milena Smodis, director of marketing. Ginkgo's involvement in sustainable building practices is further strengthened through their recent partnership with Partners in Project Green, an initiative by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). This collaboration aligns with their ongoing efforts to integrate nature into urban envi- ronments, focusing on green roofs and living walls that contribute to both environmental resilience and urban sustainability. As Ginkgo works alongside the TRCA, they continue to design, build, and maintain green roofs and living walls in commercial, residen- tial, institutional, and industrial environments. SOL AR-INTEGR ATION As green roofs and walls continue to gain main- stream recognition for their environmental benefits, Soprema has been honoured with the GRHC Corporate Member Legacy Award, celebrating its longstanding contributions to the industry. This prestigious award recognizes companies that have consistently advanced the green roof and wall sectors, and Soprema's innovative approach to sustainable building practices has made it a standout in the field. With nearly three decades of experience in green roof solutions, Soprema has been a key player in driving industry innovation. Their Sopranature division, which installed its first green roof in North America in 1995, continues to lead with products like Skywater for water management and Soprasolar, a solution for integrating solar panels on flat roofs. LiveRoof, renowned for its green roof inno- vations, has launched its latest game-changing technology in this realm: SolaGreen, a bio-solar sys- tem that integrates photovoltaic (PV) solar energy with a fully vegetated green roof. "The challenge in the past has been that traditional solar installa- tions maximize panel density, which blocks light and water, making it hard for plants to survive underneath. About eight years ago, we started researching how to create a true hybrid system that balances stormwater management and the energy benefits of solar panels," says Kees Govers, technical sales manager, LiveRoof Ontario Inc. Developed over years of meticulous testing, SolaGreen represents a leap forward in sustainable roofing solutions. "This system ensures the green roof stays alive while generating electricity," Govers adds. Unlike traditional setups, SolaGreen's modules and RoofStone pavers ballast the system without any rooftop penetrations, offering a durable and main- tenance-friendly design. "It's modular and easy to work with – there's only one size bolt, so installation is incredibly straightforward," Govers explains. SolaGreen has already been installed on a dem- onstration project in Michigan – 10,000 square feet of solar on a 17,000-square-foot roof. The installed roof and the system will be part of a research project at a major Canadian University to measure energy generation differences between conventional solar and solar-green systems, as well as the effects on stormwater management by the green roof. This launch caps off a banner 2024 for LiveRoof, marked by a diverse range of projects, including projects in municipalities with up to now, low green roof uptake such as a 11,000-square-foot residen- tial tower green roof in Guelph and a large-scale installation pending in downtown London, Ontario. "These projects highlight the growing demand for sustainable roofing systems," Govers notes, under- scoring the increasing adoption of green roofing technologies across all sectors. GROWING PAINS While green roofs are growing in prominence, chal- lenges persist. According to Letitia Weatherill-Silk, national director of business development at Architek, misconceptions and unfamiliarity with the scope of work still exist. "The cost association with green roofs is very foreign to many people," she explains. When compared with other countries around the world, North America is still lagging, accord- ing to Ron Schwenger, founder of Architek. "Take European cities like Zurich, Vienna, and Stuttgart which have green roof coverage closing on 50 per- cent of all commercial rooftops. North America, in comparison, doesn't have any cities that even reached one percent of total coverage. How can we be serious about sustainability and have mean- ingful and measurable results with those kinds of statistics and lack of genuine commitment?" However, progress is being made – albeit slowly. Architek was part of the advisory committee for the RCABC RoofStar Vegetated Roof Guarantee qual- ity assurance program previously mentioned. Still, Frog rescue during installation of the TRCA green roof. LiveRoof Standard with a plant mix of two cultivars of Allium. Total Design + Build Solutions . s t c e j o r P f o o R n e e r G r u o Y r o F Architek_AWARD_0321.indd 1 2/9/21 9:35 AM

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