Following considerable interest shown at the 2014 BC Land Summit, Randy Sharp will be presenting a paper at CitiesAlive in Nashville, Tennessee from November 12 – 15th.
This will be the 12th CitiesAlive Green Roof and Wall Conference in Nashville. Delegates will explore the many ways in which green roofs and walls can help manage our water resources more wisely. Participants will dig into the science of performance, exploring the many interrelationships between energy and water, and investigate the most forward thinking designs and policies that fuel essential innovation in green building and infrastructure.
Water is both a liability and an opportunity on the ‘wet coast’ of Canada. Vancouver is experiencing climate change characterized by more frequent storms and intense rainfall events, as well as longer periods of drought in both summer and winter. Water management and conservation are key components of living architecture and ecological design.
These landscapes celebrate our rainforest context and climate by making sustainable methods visible. Recent projects by Sharp & Diamond capture rainwater on rooftops for reuse, remove pollutants through biofiltration, and recharge groundwater. Architectural rainwater leaders connect to rain channels that cascade into verdant rain gardens. Vertical reservoirs, structural soil systems, and permeable paving support high canopy trees in parking lots and green streets.
MEC (Mountain Equiment Co-op), Broadway Tech Centre, and Vancouver Island University will be presented as case studies as well as designs for landscapes that have a focus on water in Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Victoria.