Green Roof Ford Rouge Plant

Ford s new rouge plant gets living roof.

Green roof ford rouge plant.

Ford rouge plant in 2019 green roof in 2019 in 1999 architect william mcdonough entered into an agreement with ford motor company to redesign its 85 year old 1 212 acre 490 ha rouge river facility. Kevin described it in treehugger in 2004. The roof is covered with 10 4 acres of sedum a genus of perennial plants that tops a 3 in thick four layer system incorporating a root resistant membrane a drainage layer a fleece mat and a vegetation blanket see schematic. The soils and grasses that comprise functional living roofs absorb water just like the soil and plants in a healthy landscape.

A green roof was the most compelling solution to the stormwater problem at the rouge. Ford s 1 100 acre river rouge plant opened in 1918 and began to turn iron and other raw materials into completed cars. It s ten years since the start of construction of the green roof on top of the big river rouge plant. The idea made intuitive sense.

All courtesy of ford motor company and xero flor america except for the illustration from william. The 10 4 acre sedum roof insulates the building. July 01 2003. Visit the ford living roof and benefits page and plan your visit during the ford rouge factory tour call center.

Visit the ford motor company media website. Working together the living roof porous pavement underground storage basins natural treatment wetlands and vegetated swales significantly reduce the amount of storm water flowing into the rouge river while also improving water quality. In fact it s hardly green at all more like gray and brown though it still insulates the building below just as well. Within five days of the roof going down local killdeere had nested and laid their eggs in the sedum.

Gordon wright executive editor. A green roof is not at its most photogenic in a michigan winter.