Hospital goes green with living roof

GREEN BAY - With the help of a crane, workers are installing dozens of perennials on the roof of a new addition at St. Mary's Hospital in Green Bay.

This so-called "living roof" is said to be the city's largest "green" initiative.

"It's new to the area, and that's why we're very excited about it," said St. Mary's Hospital plant operations director Dean Kroll.

Sixteen thousand square feet will be "green," while 6,000 square feet will be used for walking paths and seating.

"The reason it's so meaningful to us is that what we're building with this addition is a cancer center," said St. Mary's environmental services director Corrine Vercauteren.

And dealing with cancer, hospital officials say, is very difficult.

"The concept of a living roof, with a place for them to go with their family members to ponder or accept a diagnosis or to think about their future has a true connection to their healing process," said Vercauteren.

St. Mary's says the living roof boasts not only aesthetic benefits, it has environmental advantages too.

The living roof has a stormwater drainage system. When it rains, water not absorbed by the plants will run down the various drains located on the roof. The water is collected and then used for irrigating gardens on the ground level.

According to the hospital, there are also sound business reasons to have a green roof.

"This roof will last approximately 50 years. A standard roof would last about 20 years," said Vercauteren.

Many people came to check out the "living roof" - including University of Wisconsin-Green Bay buildings and grounds supervisor Mike Van Lanen.

"We have a roof project coming up at the university, and we're very interested in seeing how this operation works and what it consists of, and what some of the costs are, because we'd be very interested in possibly trying some of this," said Van Lanen.

The living roof should be complete in about a week, and the hospital plans to hold several open houses to show it off to the public.

St. Mary's cancer center will open to patients Jan. 18.

The $450,000 living roof will welcome visitors in March.

In case you are wondering, the plants are expected to grow to about six inches tall, and the roof will need mowing about once a year. Hospital officials say it won't need shoveling. They expect the living roof to be "in bloom" from late March to November each year.