As cities continue to grow and add building and parking lots, storm water runoff is becoming a big issue. Many urban areas have combined sewer and storm water systems, and when it rains, they easily can be overwhelmed and cause raw sewage to enter local rivers and streams.
In Indianapolis, for example, it only takes 1/4 inch of rain to cause the sewer system to over flow, and thus, more and more cities are looking for ways to reduce the amount of storm water that enters the sewage system. Cities like Chicago are creating ‘green roofs,’ rain gardens, and they are using porous pavement to allow water to seep back into the ground.
Curious to show the benefits of these techniques, I took a tour of the new Nature Conservancy office in Indiana. The facility was built last year, and using the USGBC LEED rating system, the architect added a ‘green roof’ and a two phase rain garden (see pictures below). These systems helped the building achieve points in the areas of Sustainable Sites and Water Efficiency (SS5.1, SS6.1, SS7.2, WE1), which were used toward achieving their overall LEED certification.
The first picture shows the roof of the facility, and how the conservancy used local and native plants to create a green space on their roof. My tour guide said that this roof has helped to lower the cost to cool the facility in the summer, reduce storm water runoff, provided added protection to the roof’s membrane, and created a new habitat for birds and insects.
Similarly, the conservancy also added a rain garden and native landscape to the entrance of their building. The picture below shows the facility’s rain garden, native plants, and how they used paving stones in their parking lot. All of these features help to reduce the amount of water that enters the sewer system.
![rain garden]( "Rain Garden")
- IN Nature Conservancy
For churches, or any facilities, these simple ideas can provide benefits for collecting and disbursing water away from building walls, foundations, and parking lots. These systems can also provide areas and water for plants and trees, which can also add beauty and attach attention of visitors (my tour guide said that these systems help with building operations as well, because the staff does not have to water, mow, or maintain the plants as they normally would for a large lawn).
For more information on these types of projects, search for the terms: rain garden, green roof, and permeable pavement.
Blog Notes: Special thanks to the Indiana chapter of the Nature Conservancy for letting me take a tour, and before you decide to create any of these projects, especially a green roof, please consult with a professional architect, engineer, and/or landscape architect.
