Raleigh, N.C. — A north Raleigh fire station has a new roof that doubles as an above-ground garden.
Engineers
started Wednesday on the new roof at Station 9, at 4465 Six Forks Road.
It is designed to be environmentally friendly as it will substantially
reduce storm water runoff. About half of the rain will stay out of the
gutter and be absorbed into the plant system.
Because the system absorbs rain so well, designers said the owners will not have to water the roof.
“We’ve been wanting to do a green roof for a couple years,” said project engineer Amy Hathaway, of Raleigh Public Works.
Assistant Fire Chief Bryant Woodall said this is the first of several green projects the department has planned.
The city is paying for the roof, which is estimated at $123,000.
“In the long run, it will save quite a bit,” project designer Stan Caton said.
Caton
said the roof not only improves water quality by reducing runoff, it
also cuts down on energy costs by adding insulation to the building.
The project is expected to be completed next week.
“It’s definitely something unusual and I think it’s going to add a lot of character to the station,” Hathaway said.