JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md., –
The William A. Jones III building and the Air National Guard Readiness Center located on Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, have approximately 83,000 square feet of rooftop space dedicated to environmentally friendly green roofs.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified buildings are partially or completely covered with vegetation and soil over a waterproof membrane and acts as a natural filtration system for rainwater.
“This allows all the rainwater to be filtered or used as much as possible by the plants,” said Bailey Jenkins, 11th Mission Support Group facility operations specialist. “And what isn’t used is filtered out through the soil before it goes back to the ground water in the state of Maryland.”
Jenkins is also the building manager for the Jones Building, which was awarded a platinum rating under the LEED certification; the highest rating a building can receive.
The LEED buildings green roofs can reduce storm water runoff by up to 65 percent and can make roof surfaces 30-40 percent cooler. To accomplish this, a variety of low maintenance plants including blue spruce, chives and various succulents are used. The result is an overall reduction on energy costs.
According to the U.S. General Service Administration website, green roofs can reduce building energy use by cooling and providing shade, thermal mass and insulation. They also create an urban habitat for plants and animals, like birds and insects, increasing biodiversity.
Senior Master Sgt. Troy Marquis, Air National Guard Readiness Center building manager and production controller, said that because we are stewards of energy reduction that this initiative is an important priority to implement.
In 2011, the Air Force reinforced its commitment to incorporate sustainable concepts in the planning, programming, design, construction, and operation of facilities and infrastructure. With this commitment, all new buildings are required to receive a silver status in LEED certification.
For more information on LEED requirements and certifications, visit www.usgbc.org.