Conservation Consultants, Inc. (CCI), located in the Southside of Pittsburgh, celebrated the installation of their Green Roof Demonstration Project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at the CCI Center. CCI was awarded a $54,128 Energy Harvest grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for the green roof project, which will conserve and recyclea minimum 5000 gallons of stormwater runoff annually and reduce energy bills by 10 percent. To demonstrate the benefits of green roofs and to educate the public about their many benefits, the project includes a green roof demonstration room will include a computer kiosk and materials about the design, installation, and monitoring of the extensive-type green roof, as well as educational materials about the benefits of green roofs to both natural and built environments.
The event was sponsored by Columbia Gas in commemoration of both the green roof and CCI's 30thanniversary. Attendance included City Councilman, Bruce Krause; Deputy Mayor of Pittsburgh, Kristen Baginski; City of Pittsburgh Energy and Utilities Manager, Jim Sloss; as well as representatives from the offices of Congressman Jason Altmireand State Senator Jay Costa. Keynote speakers at the event were Rick Rothaar, President of the Board members of CCI; Patty Terpin, the presenting sponsor of Columbia Gas; Sherry Campbell, Director of the Pittsburgh Field Office of HUD; City Councilman Bruce Krauss; and Melanie Tuck, Green Roof Consultant. The two-hour event featured the Melanie's planning and design to establish the extensive green roof as not only beneficial in conserving water and increasing energy efficiency, but also as a educational tool that utilizes nature within a built environment. Melanie Tuck has worked with Dave Defide, Chief of Financial Operations and Ann Gerace, Executive Director of CCI as their green roof consultant and has functioned as the project manager from grant proposal to installation of the green roof and monitoring.
