Glen Schmidt of Schmidt Design Group of San Diego designed the linear green roof for Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego. The lumber framework installed by GreenScaped Buildings represents a musical staff with a treble and bass clef. The fiberglass pots with agave and yucca plants on the staff represent the notes of the first measures of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" from the 9th Symphony.
Photos: GreenScaped Buildings

Green roof designs provide a wide variety of benefits from environmental to pleasing aesthetics. Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, California incorporated a detailed green roof section to accomplish both these aspects. The concept for this project was created by the Schmidt Design Group, and installed and maintained by GreenScaped Buildings, a division of Good Earth Plants.

The Sharp Memorial Hospital green roof is a combination of engineered growing media ("rooflite extensive mc') and drain media (waterproofing membrane by Carlisle SynTec) to accommodate a variety of vegetation and decorative accents. "Rooflite' is a blend of lightweight mineral aggregates like pumice and organic components like certified compost, along with nutrients (phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and nitrate + ammonium).

This 5,000 square foot green roof installation is atop the emergency room entrance, which features a lower roof section of the hospital surrounded on three sides with a useable space of approximately 180 feet long and 40 feet wide. The tight narrow section of roof offered an opportunity for a linear design.

Green roof installations are a material handling and logistics challenge, and this rooftop installation was no exception. The rooflite green roof media was blended at West Coast Forest & Cinder Products in Arvin, Calif., and shipped on flatbed trucks in two-yard totes for easy unloading by the crane. The challenge for the supplier was to assure the blending, bagging and shipping of the media on schedule.

Rows of sedum tiles provided by Etera were installed to resemble a musical staff, with both a treble and bass clef. Planters filled with agave and yucca plants were placed on the staff to represent the notes for the iconic "Ode to Joy" melody of Beethoven's 9th symphony.

The hospital green roof, visible to four floors of patients, is approximately 180 feet long by 40 feet wide, with a one-degree slope. It was necessary to crane in 15 dump truck loads of soil onto the roof. Rows of sedum "tiles' (Etera) were installed between the staff lines and the bordering area. The trellis has trailing roses and geranium underplantings, and the square planters have mesquite trees with rosemary underneath.

One project challenge to the design was that San Diego, like much of Southern California, lies within multiple fault zones. It was necessary to work closely with the structural engineers at Aark Engineering to assure the added weight of this green roof would not exceed safety standards, and be lasting and sustainable.

Many people know the environmental effects of green roof systems: reducing storm water runoff, lowering energy use and energy costs, combating urban heat-island effect, mitigating noise and adding oxygen to the air.

However, this creative green roof design is also meant to give patients and staff a pleasing, tranquil view. The concept of garden environments to promote healing is nothing new, but it shows the hospital's progressive attitude toward healing. The spirits of people recovering from illness or operations is critical to their recovery. Looking out on a barren concrete or asphalt roof would certainly boost no one's spirits, while viewing nature in such a creative design is life affirming and uplifting. Four floors of patient rooms overlook this peaceful, engaging greenery.

The Sharp Memorial Hospital has demonstrated initiative in providing the best environment for their patients and the surrounding ecology. From commercial complexes to schools, the benefits of incorporating green roof elements in urban settings will continue to grow, bringing with it a little more happiness and harmony for people regrettably cut off more and more from nature, and in some settings, even from human interaction.