Davenport, IA May 30th, 2017 - Nelson and Nagel have risen above expectations over the past 10 years, environmental, economically and politically, making them regional experts in the green roof industry!
Roof Top Sedums, owned and managed by Teresa Nelson and Roxanne Nagel, is a nationally certified Woman Business Enterprise (WBE). The company is also certified by the States of Iowa and Illinois as a woman-owned small business. Nagel and Nelson are both accredited green roof professionals with hands-on experience growing over 100 green roof projects.
In 2007, Roof Top Sedums became the first company dedicated to supplying green roof systems in the state of Iowa, and one of the first licensed growers of LiveRoof brand systems. Nagel, a horticulturist, previously managed a family greenhouse operation, and Nelson (ASLA, LEED AP BD+C) worked as a landscape architect and green building design professional.
Roof Top Sedums is proud to have collaborated with clients throughout the Midwest to bring more green roofs from concept to reality. Some of the proudly displayed showcases include the following Quad cities and beyond community projects:
· Western Illinois University Riverfront Campus Phase II in Moline, IL, a 9720 sq. ft. project, installed in 2014 featuring the LiveRoof® Standard System.
· Black Hawk College Sustainable Technologies Building in Moline, Illinois, a 666 sq. ft. project, installed in the spring of 2012, with the LiveRoof® Standard System, multiple plant mixes in design, and organic shaped design features.
· Pearl View Condos in Muscatine, Iowa, a 2028 sq. ft. residential project, installed in the summer of 2012, with both the LiveRoof® Standard and Deep System, and featuring numerous varieties of native wildflowers and grasses.
· Genesis Medical Center – East Rusholme Street in Davenport, Iowa, a 4668 sq. ft. project, installed fall of 2010, with LiveRoof® Standard System, multiple plant mixes in design, and organic shaped design features.
· Water Tower Place in Cedar Rapids, IA, a 7366 sq. ft. project, installed in 2010, with the LiveRoof® Standard and Deep Systems, multiple sedum plant mixes, and numerous grasses and wildflowers.
· University of Iowa – Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building in Iowa City, Iowa, a 6440 sq. ft. project, installed in the spring of 2014 with LiveRoof® Deep System, multiple plant mixes in design, organic shaped design, and LEED Gold features.
· University of Iowa Voxman Music Building in Iowa City, Iowa, a 2890 sq. ft. project, installed in 2016, with the LiveRoof® Deep System.
· Green and Main in Des Moines, IA, a 1406 sq. ft. project installed in the fall of 2011, with the LiveRoof® Standard System and multiple plant mixes in the design.
· West Des Moines Historic City Hall at Valley Junction, a 324 sq. ft. project, installed in the spring of 2011 with Live Roof® Standard System.
· UNI Schindler Education Center Renovation in Cedar Falls, IA, a 1248 sq. ft. project, installed in 2016, and featuring the LiveRoof® Deep System, with multiple plant mixes including native wildflowers and grasses.
The most personal green roof project so far for Nelson and Nagel was the first LiveRoof® brand green roof in Davenport on an occupied building at the Genesis Medical Center East Campus in Davenport, installed in the fall of 2010. Genesis dedicated 4,600 sq. ft. of their complex to this green roof system. The Genesis East roof was installed with LiveRoof® Standard System, multiple plant mixes in design, and organic shaped design features. Roof Top Sedums co-founder Teresa Nelson says, “Before my mother passed away fighting cancer, she stayed at Genesis [hospital], but had nothing but a barren rooftop to look at out her window. We are proud to have the chance to change this view for the patients and staff of this hospital”. This green roof garden is seen by three floors of patients at the hospital year-round. The green roof changes color throughout the year and because there are evergreen sedums in this mix, these green roof plants are visible during the winter.
“I was first involved with LiveRoof® as a landscape architect. I found it very easy and stimulating to design with the system, so much so that I jumped on the opportunity to be a part of the organization,” recounts Nelson. “In the past ten years, we have grown through focusing on continual improvement to stay at the forefront of this rapidly developing industry. We are excited to use this opportunity to interface with and share our experiences with more designers, contractors and building owners.”
The name “Roof Top Sedums” reflects a majority of the green roofs the company supplies, which are lightweight systems, planted with a blend of cold-hardy succulents primarily of the genus Sedum. These shallow-rooting alpine plants are a favorite of green roof designers for their ability to withstand winter’s cold and to store water inside their fleshy foliage during periods of drought. A growing portion of the business is for an expanded palette of plants, including adapted and native perennial forbs and grasses.
“We do so much more than our name implies,” says Nagel. “We are supplying green roofs in a range of soil depths with hundreds of plant options. We grow natives such as black-eyed susans, coneflowers and prairie dropseed, as well as adaptive favorites like alliums, liatris, and feather reed grasses.
Green roofs help cities control untreated storm water runoff and sewage discharge. Many Midwestern cities have combined sewage overflows, which means that during the wet season, untreated storm water can mix with raw sewage and overflow into local waterways. Green roofs help absorb and slow down rainfall, which eases the burden on municipal storm water systems. This means healthier waterways and lower costs of treatment and cleanup.
Communities which incorporate green infrastructure can also expect to mitigate the urban heat island effect, while reaping energy conservation value, and gaining habitable space when patios, walkways and seating are included in the rooftop garden design.
A planted roof also provides financial benefits, including extension of roof life, reduction in energy use, and by storm water management on the roof. Employers can experience significant gains in productivity and up to a 10% reduction in absences by adding natural views such as those provided by green roof systems. (1) Green builders and remodelers can expect between 10–19 percent higher return on investment, as much as 10 percent increased building value, while enjoying a marked reduction (up to 14 percent) in building operating costs. (2)
(1) Terrapin Bright Green LLC. “The Economics of Biophilia – Why designing with nature in mind makes financial sense” TerrapinBrightGreen.com. http://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/report/economics-of-biophilia/ (retrieved February 2016)
(2) Bernstein, Harvey M. “Green Outlook 2001: Green Trends Driving Growth through 2015” EcoCosm.com. http://www.ecocosminc.com/img/2011_McGraw_Hill_Green_Outlook.pdf (retrieved February 2016)
About Roof Top Sedums
Roof Top Sedums was established in 2007 and is a Regional LiveRoof® Licensed Grower servicing Iowa, Western Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. The business is 100% women-owned and certified nationally as a Women’s Business Enterprise as well as an Iowa Targeted Small Business.
About LiveRoof® Global, LLC LiveRoof Global, LLC (http://www.liveroof.com) is the horticultural science company that developed the LiveRoof® Hybrid System, whose natural function and natural beauty offer the highest level of green roof performance at the lowest level acquisition-installation-maturation-maintenance costs. Combining the best elements of proven green roof technologies, LiveRoof® establishes a seamless vegetative surface rooted in a continuous layer of soil. This design maximizes environmental benefits, energy savings and rooftop aesthetics. Regional growers in its global network adapt LiveRoof® plants for local conditions and customize plant selection for every project. The proof is on the roof showcased in LiveRoof® projects that stand out as signature elements on commercial, public, university and school buildings throughout the globe.
Roof Top Sedum’s Project Showcase Links:
Five Lincoln; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=144
One Place at River Crossing; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=147
Unity Point – St. Luke’s Hospital West Entrance; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=133
University of Iowa Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=136
University of Iowa Seaman’s Center; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=138
Blackhawk College; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=120
Pearl View Condos; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=122
Genesis Medical Center; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=82
West Des Moines Historic City Hall; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=98
Green and Main; http://www.rooftopsedums.com/showcase/showcase.php?gallery=116
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