Cleveland Hosts and MKSK Participates in First Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Symposium, 2019

MKSK Principal, Rick Espe, FASLA, LEED AP, presented ‘Lessons Learned in Green Infrastructure & Green Roof Design in the Northeast and Central Ohio’ at the Re-Imagining Living Architecture: Water Management & Beyond Syposium, provided by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) and the Greater Ohio Living Architecture Center.  The city of Cleveland was a prime host for the first of eight seminars to be held around the country this year hosted by the GRHC. Cleveland is a prominent emerging green infrastructure market in North America with highly developed stormwater policies in place. Cleveland is now looking at advanced implementations of green roof and wall technologies to meet its sustainability goals. The one-day event featured industry experts and local policy and research leaders presenting design best practices, the latest research findings, exceptional projects, and policies on green roofs and walls. 

Rick was also invited to sit on the panel of experts for the final session of the day discussing “Policy and Research Requirements and Opportunities in Ohio”.  The panel included Steven Peck, GRP, Honorary ASLA, Founder and President of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities; Dr. Reid Coffman, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of the Novel Ecology Design Lab at Kent State University (NEDLab), Executive Director of the Greater Ohio Living Architecture (GOLA) Center, Editor of Journal of Living Architecture, and Executive Board Member/Chair of the International Research Committee on Living Architecture; and Clayton Rugh, Ph.D., Manager and Scientific Director of Xeroflor North America.