As Pittsburgh struggles to find solutions to its ever-growing energy needs and its continued sewageoverflow into the region's rivers, local businesses can play a role inhelping to save energy, clean the rivers and beautify downtown by building green roofs.

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, the region's largest health insurer,joined other local businesses as a catalyst for Pittsburgh's environmentalchange this week as it unveiled a 22,000-square-foot green roof on its FifthAvenue Place facility in downtown Pittsburgh.

The green roof, located threestories above the street on a terrace at the corner of Liberty Avenue andFifth Avenue, will reduce the company's energy usage by an estimated 12percent and will use most of the 37 inches of average annual Pittsburghrain in the roof instead of sending it to the local storm water system.

"Highmark should be commended for its leadership in demonstrating howwe can solve multiple regional issues including storm water runoff, energyperformance of existing buildings and reduce the overall warming effect of'heat islands' on the surrounding environment by the installation of greenroofs," said Rebecca Flora, Green Building Alliance Executive Director."Green roofs provide all of these benefits, plus, they last longer andprovide aesthetic appeal. This green roof installation provides addedevidence of Greater Pittsburgh's commitment to green solutions and a greeneconomy."

According to John Schombert, executive director of 3 Rivers WetWeather, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the qualityof Southwestern Pennsylvania's water resources, sewage overflow into theregion's rivers can be triggered by as little as one-tenth of an inch ofrain. An average Pittsburgh rainfall is one-quarter of an inch.

"At least half of the recreational season from May through September,the waterways are contaminated with polluted overflows," said Schombert. Schombert also noted that sewage overflows expose Pittsburghers todisease-causing organisms, which is a public health risk.

"At Highmark, we're committed to environmental initiatives because weknow that creating a healthier environment also helps to create healthiercommunities and healthier people," said Phyllis Barber, Highmarksustainability coordinator. "By installing this green roof, we are able tocut down on the company's energy usage and use rainfall instead of sendingit into our local systems. We encourage other local businesses to considergreen roofs in their building planning so that together we can make a measurable impact on the health of our rivers and our residents."

Highmark's extensive green roof system is made from a waterproof roofmembrane, some 180 tons of growth medium and 25,000 plants. The growthmedium and plants were added at varying depths over the roof -- fromsix-inch fields to 18-inch mounds -- to represent a flowering meadow withcolorful hearty plants, such as sedum, aster, day lilies and grasses.

The green roof replaces a previous 20-year-old roof and is expected to last aminimum of 40 years. The roof is not accessible to the general public or toHighmark employees, but it can be viewed from a variety of downtown officeand residential buildings adding green and color to the downtown Pittsburghskyline.

Highmark worked with a design-build team to develop the green roofincluding CentiMark Corporation, a Pittsburgh commercial roofing companyacting as the prime contractor; Graves Architects, Inc., a Pittsburgharchitectural firm acting as project consultant; Lichtenfels Nursery, Inc.,a Johnstown-based company providing consultation and plantings; and OxfordDevelopment Company, acting as construction manager.

Highmark's commitment to environmental leadership includes a variety ofsustainable, eco-friendly, green business projects that are aimed atcreating a healthier environment and healthier people. These include theoperation of a Silver LEED certified Data Center near Hershey, Pa., paperand utilities conservation initiatives and the use of certified green sealcleaning supplies in Highmark's facilities.

NewsClip: Highmark Unveils Environmentally Friendly Green Roof In Pittsburgh

10/17/2008