The event is Canada’s largest international, horticultural, lawn and garden trade show with 600 exhibitors.
The company received the award for its patented XF 301® green roof system.
Communications director Cristina Senjug says the system consists of a pre-grown vegetation mat with 13 varieties of sedum and moss that can survive in very little soil and in harsh conditions.
The sedum are very hardy, alpine, drought tolerant plants that flower in the summer and grow up to six inches, making the roof low maintenance.
“As we grow it outdoors in three locations in Canada, (they are looking into a Nova Scotia location), the fully matured sedum thrive beautifully in the Canadian climate,” she said.
“They go dormant in the winter and are a lovely reddish purple, if you can see them from the snow and ice.”
Although sedums are the main types of plants used in this model, other roof styles use coral bells, rock cress, gold dust alyssum, allium, sea thrift and various types of ornamental grasses.
Senjug says the company had a “very successful” green roof technology workshop in Halifax last November.
“The feedback was great and we realized that there is great interest and need,” she said.
As a result, president Joy Schmidt, who was also the project manager on the Ford Green Roof installation (Guinness world record for the world’s largest green roof) is traveling to Halifax this month to meet with a couple of architects and a potential grower.
The benefits of a green roof are many, including reducing storm water pollution, decreasing a building’s energy use, cleaning the air and beautifying the urban landscape – from the rooftops. Specially designed Xero Flor® green roofs can be found on the Vancouver 2010 athletic village rooftops.
There are a few crucial fundamentals to the installation of a green roof. The opinion of a structural engineer should be sought for the estimated saturated weight, an experienced supplier should be chosen and the roofing should be confirmed leak free by a specialist.
