The Boston City Hall has gone green and is one of many buildings on the “green trail” which have gone green. When you step out onto the roof of the ninth floor, you see various plants scattered around in boxes. The plants may look dead, but they really are alive and well and have an impact on sustainability. The roof has up to 26 species of low cost plants which are fire resistant and grow quickly, which helps them last through the tough Boston weather.
The plants are important for this building because they help in the summer and winter with heat gain and loss. Surprisingly, the plants also protect the building from ultraviolet radiation, heat stress, and wear and tear. The plants absorb a lot of water, more than I thought. They absorb storm water runoff and also remove smog-forming particles in the air.
Also there is a small, residential wind turbine. This wind turbine is not really effective for this particular building, but it can be if you have enough of them and of the right size. The wind turbine generates energy for the building in a clean, natural way by using the wind.
After seeing this exhibit, I think the best part were the various plants and I think that because they are low cost and so effective, that if more buildings have them, it really would make a difference. Little things like plants can really make a big difference.
