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Project general details

WORLD GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AWARD

Jackson National Headquarters

Nominator

Investor

Supplier

Architect

Studio Sustena

Jackson

Gresham Smith

Studio Sustena

Location (City)

GPS

Country

Region

Year of nomination

Lansing

data

United States of America

Americas

2024

Project specifications

The green roofs at Jackson National Headquarters provide world-class achievements in slope stabilization, fall protection, and resilient design. The corporate campus contains two highly visible green roofs—2,100 and 416 square-yards—aimed at reducing environmental impact through rainwater management. SLOPE STABILIZATION: The larger green roof conforms to the building’s undulating roof deck, which slopes from 2-20%. An innovative system of parapet anchors, Kevlar slings, fiberglass rods, geogrid, and Banana Cleats holds the green roof in place without penetrating the roof deck. FALL PROTECTION: This project contains North America’s first ballasted, dynamic, fall-arrest system. The green roof ballasts the system, thereby further avoiding penetrations. RESILIENCE: The meadows contain 19,000+ native or adaptive perennials, grasses, and bulbs planted in zones based on each species’ ecosystem function. The resulting meadows provide rainwater, wildlife, and biophilic benefits.

Object type

Roof accessibility

Roof slope

Year of completion

Project in operation?

Administrative and civil construction buildings

Private

10-20 degree

2014

YES

Green roof area (m2)

2516

Green roof specification

Method of establishment of vegetation

The grasses and perennials were established as container plants, plugs, and bulbs, depending on the species. The Sedum was established as cuttings and pre-vegetated mats, depending on the location within the planting composition.

Vegetation

See above.

Vegetation layer

The tall meadow zones of each green roof contain three species of native grasses and perennials, with Sedum cuttings established as live mulch. The medium-height meadow zones contain a total of 13 species of native or adaptive grasses and perennials, with Sedum cuttings established as live mulch. The low Sedum margin contains native blubs planted into pre-vegetated Sedum mats. The biodiverse mats consist of 14 -species of Sedum and Phedimus.

Retention layer

There is no traditional retention layer in this green roof, but it's surface growth media (which is installed above the filter fabric) holds water that is horticulturally available to plants. The surface growth media consists of expanded clay or shale, sand, and compost.

Filtration layer

4 Oz/sy non-woven geotextile. This material is root-penetrable, meaning that the plants can easily access the underlaying foundation growth media and moisture contained therein.

Drainage layer

Foundation growth media. This is a lightweight, granular material that provides drainage with a low transmissivity, which is beneficial for stormwater performance by decreasing the green roof's peak flow. Unlike most synthetic drainage layers, foundation growth media is additionally beneficial in that it provides rooting volume for plants.

Separate layer

N/A

Protective layer

16 Oz/sy capillary fabric that wicks water through a high capillary action. When irrigation drip lines are placed directly on the capillary fabric, as in this project, the lines can be placed significantly farther apart that in a traditional system. This approach conserves water and construction cost.

Root layer

N/A

Category:

GREEN ROOFS

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