'Green Roof' Symposium Held In Downtown OKC

Oklahoma City's office of sustainability and planning departments took folks around town Thursday focusing on green roofs like the one at 1015 N. Broadway.

Thursday, July 12th 2012, 7:03 pm

By: News 9


Oklahoma City's office of sustainability and planning departments took folks around town Thursday focusing on green roofs like the one at 1015 N. Broadway.

"It's great I've seen it from the street but to actually come up here and be a part of is gorgeous," Brian Patrick said.

"We're in an urban garden, urban park on top of the building.," Building owner, Stephen Mason said.

Mason saw the rooftops when he traveled around with his wife and wanted to bring the cool look to OKC. As it turns out, it also helps keep cooling costs down.

Read more about the Green Roof Symposium

"It cuts down on the A/C cost [for the] building below because of insulation. [It] also cuts down on rain water that drips off because 30 percent of this roof is green and the rain soaks in," Mason said.

"Ideas we see as progressive are really old fashioned ideas," Sustainability Director, Jennifer Gooden said.

Gooden says that's what the office of sustainability is about and she hopes to use these ideas to save money and be cool doing it.

"It reduces what we call the ‘urban heat island effect'. [That is a] phenomenon where cities just like OKC are several degrees hotter because of the hot surfaces and holds onto it," Gooden said.

The Green Roof symposium tour also took people to the Winnie May House and Chesapeake's "Central Park Turf" parking structure.

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