2016, Fairfax, VA, USA
Fairfax, VA, where Lanier Middle School is located, is the site of many new housing developments. After learning about the adverse effects of stormwater runoff on the Potomac River, students became concerned with the increase in impervious surfaces in their community, which inevitably will lead to more urban runoff. Through their research, the students came across the redevelopment of Kamp Washington, which proposes putting gardens or lawns atop high-rise buildings in Fairfax.
The group wanted to incorporate this kind of green infrastructure at their school and received approval to build a model green roof on a shed in their school garden. The green roof will serve as a teaching tool for students and a model for community members. Developers of the Kamp Washington redevelopment project were invited to view the roof upon completion, in hopes that they will implement some of the designs in their project. The students also created a model of the Kamp Washington redevelopment and included suggestions around how it could be more ‘green,’ including solar panels, green roofs, and pervious surfaces. They will present the model to City Council on June 6 and talk through the project and how what they learned can be applied to Kamp Washington. The project will receive about $700 in funding from Nutrien to purchase reinforcement materials for the roof and plants.