GREEN ROOF STUDY

Exploration of Potential for Rooftop Developments on Urban Industrial Buildings / Chicago, Illinois

Underutilized rooftops in American cities such as Chicago's Ravenswood Industrial Corridor offer opportunities to redevelop existing buildings in ways that benefit owners, occupants and neighbors. FDA studied ways to increase the economic output and reduce the urban footprint of this vintage factory building (already on its second or third use as home to enterprising local businesses). Our vision for the uses of this massive quantity of found space in a dense neighborhood involves solar photovoltaic (or solar hot water) panels, vegetated green roof space with an event pavilion, vertical wind turbines and a greenhouse to generate locally grown and distributed produce. The roof would function to harvest rainwater for irrigation and graywater plumbing needs of the building, produce electricity for sale to utilities, and reduce mechanical cooling loads overall.