CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The green roof atop the Latin School’s new middle school building is drawing rave reviews from students, parents, educators and environmentalists. The independent, coeducational day school located on the Near North Side of Chicago, opened the doors of its new 80,000-square-foot middle school building this fall. It is among a growing number of schools nationally that have incorporated green roofs into their building designs. The 5,500-square-foot green roof combines a high-performance waterproof membrane with lightweight green roof technology. The green roof is accessible to students and faculty as a learning environment, providing a rooftop classroom with a spectacular view of the nearby park and lakefront. “The plantings will be fully established in about a year and I’m excited to see what the classes can fully do with it,” Deb Sampey, middle school director, says. “Its first connection with the curriculum will probably be with our 8th grade and high school astronomy classes. But classes might also come up here for creative writing projects and just sit in this space and be inspired on a beautiful day.” The multiple components of the Latin School green roof include a waterproofing membrane, insulation, and drainage/moisture retention elements, which are all part of a Garden Roof® Assembly supplied by American Hydrotech, Inc. Hydrotech, founded in 1977 and based in Chicago, is a leader in the development, production and distribution of premium waterproofing and related construction products. Last year, the company’s green roof for the Ballard Library in Seattle, Washington, was included in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Top 10 Green Projects of 2006. The Latin School’s new green roof, in addition to its aesthetic qualities, offers multiple environmental benefits. Plants on the roof work to keep the structure's temperature down, save on heating and cooling costs, reduce stormwater runoff, extend the useful life of the roof and reduce the urban heat island effect.
