Client: Donation from ABC Roofing Supply Company, Inc.

Location: Burpee Museum of Natural History, Rockford, IL

GreenGrid^® Size: 720 ft²

Installation Contractor: WESTON

Landscape Design: The Burpee Museum, Dr. Paul Sørensen and WESTON

Rooftop System: Extensive

Status: Completed Summer 2004

Project Narrative: The Burpee Museum of Natural History has transformed its carport roof into a green roof! Rockford's first green roof, which contains over 2,000 plants, was installed in August 2004. This small 720 ft² roof extends the Burpee Museum’s ongoing effort to improve its community. The museum has taken steps to conserve resources, naturalize the museum grounds, and educate its visitors about the environment around us. From recycling to worm bins, composting to green roofs, the museum has created an eco-friendly facility in the heart of Rockford.

The green roof is composed of 80 Extensive (2’ x 4’ x 4”) and 20 Extensive (2’ x 2’ x 4”) GreenGrid^® modules and was installed using donated lifting equipment in four hours. Eighteen of the 2’ x 2’ x 4” modules will be used as a stepping stone pathway for maintenance purposes (see empty modules in above picture) and native rocks were carefully placed intermittently on the modules to simulate meadows in the area. The GreenGrid^® Extensive modules were planted with several perennial species, including Allium cernuum, Dianthus grantianopolitanus ‘Oakington,’ Sedum album, Sedum acre, Sedum ‘Bailey’s Gold,’ Sedum cauticola ‘Lidakense’, Sedum reflexum, Sedum rupestre ‘Forsteranum’, and Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood,’ Sedum ternatum, and Sedum x ‘Vera Jameson.’ Dr. Sørensen donated several species from his personal greenhouse and has plans to add additional species. The photos were taken shortly after installation was completed.