What once was a hot surface parking lot in downtown Athens, Georgia, is now the environmentally responsive Georgia Heights collegiate housing community. EdR, one of the largest developers, owners and managers of high quality collegiate housing, has thoughtfully designed and engineered the recently opened Georgia Heights to be an eco-responsible housing development. The design includes underground water quality treatment chambers and a 1,200 square feet LiveRoof rooftop garden. These systems all work in concert to help trap, treat storm water, and filter out impurities, in addition to cooling surface temperatures.

“The planted roof-top lounge serves as a visual hallmark to EdR’s sustainability as well as our livability efforts,” said Tom Trubiana, president of EdR. “Green lounge or activity spaces are valued amenities at our communities because they provide our residents a place to relax and renew away from the demands of college life.”

“The Georgia Heights planted roof provides a unique stormwater management system and serves as a model for responsive, environmentally conscious planning and construction,” according to Ken James, President of James Greenroofs, the licensed grower for LiveRoof systems servicing Florida, Georgia and surrounding states. “We are proud of the contribution this living roof will make to the quality of life for its residents and neighbors.”

Smith Planning Group, a civil engineering, land planning, and landscape architecture firm, worked with LiveRoof and James Greenhouses to incorporate green infrastructure on the project.

“Smith Planning Group always strives to implement unique and creative design to set its projects apart, with the ultimate goal of creating spaces that people will love,” says Ed Lane, PE, Senior Project Engineer. “Urban design in particular provides a huge opportunity to create places of lasting value to the local community, and the Georgia Heights project in Downtown Athens is one such project.”

“Athens deserves projects that go beyond what's expected. From the street, you may not be able to see all the engineering at play or enjoy the beauty of LiveRoof that lies behind the stunning facades, but you should have comfort in knowing it's there,” adds Lane.

The general contractor for the project is the award-winning Juneau Construction, and the vegetated roof was installed by Valleycrest Landscape Companies.

Green roofs provide nature, function and beauty. A patented, subterranean modular system unites the soil and plants creating a naturally beautiful meadow-like aesthetic. The roofs provide aesthetic, environmental and social benefits.

Financial benefits can also be achieved from a vegetative roof including: extension of roof life, energy conservation, enhanced public relations, and conservation of municipal septic systems.