Green Roofs: A Long History
Green roof technology is not new. As far back as the 4th century, ancient writings mention the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in the Middle East. Sod and thatch roofs have also been used in Europe for centuries. An improvement to the sod houses of old, the Mercer Museum's green roof completed in 2011, incorporates the best of the old with the latest in green roof design.
What is a Green Roof?
Today's green roofs are specially constructed waterproof structures reinforced to hold planting medium and plants. These structures not only help to maintain inside temperatures but also help to reduce water pollution. Rain that would normally run into storm drains gets absorbed by the plants, and returned to the atmosphere keeping the water cycle in balance.
The Mercer Goes Green
When the Mercer Museum built its new addition in 2011, the roof of the building was specially designed to hold a variety of sedums, a plant family which can tolerate harsh roof conditions.
Under the Roof
What lies inside this unique building?
The Mercer Museum houses a vast collection of artifacts related to everyday life in pre-industrial America as well as Bucks County history. Henry Mercer's unique display methods force visitors to look at familiar, everyday objects in
new ways.
[Image captions, from left to right, read]
· Mercer Museum Central Court
· Cross Section of a Green Roof
· Close-up of Sedums in Bloom on a Green Roof in Philadelphia
Comments 0 comments