Green+Roof+Experiment+Meeting+Notes

__Notes for 1/28__:
 * before next week __#|complete__ __#|training__ so we can go on roof
 * research potential options for cameras on roof
 * figure out what we need inorder to calibrate tipping buckets, which we will do next week
 * we need to talk more about designing chilling chamber
 * webcam for roof - research possibilities

__Notes for 1/30:__ Stuff to start working on: Brad - webcam research Lily - water chilling units research Amy - met data analysis, getting familiar with it Claudia - start chilling unit design
 * there are leaks in tipping buckets
 * monday start tipping bucket calibrations
 * email roof training so we can be certified to go up on roof
 * we need data sheet to keep track of calibrations
 * need buckets to have a water supply to pour into them
 * we need to label which tipping buckets go to which water sheds
 * need aesthetically pleasing signs labeling tipping buckets in the future
 * begin organizing and graphing meta data
 * research chilling units
 * calculate what inside volume chilling unit will be - beaker size, width, length and water depth

On Monday calibrate tipping buckets



__Notes for 3/11:__
 * __#|get started__ on data analysis
 * __#|get started__ on video: getting footage, write script, etc.
 * start going through other videos, pictures, etc. to use in video and take info from
 * analyze tipping bucket data: find average volume, standard error (do this for separate sides to lower the error value)
 * plan to go up on roof, test __#|thermocouples__

3/25: - Brad include more information about research aspects of green roof - print out copies of movie script ideas so we can peer edit on wednesday, double space! - for tipping bucket __#|labels and__ green roof information display use 6-8 bullet points about green room, describe how each tipping bucket relates to gf experiment, list out plants and watershed treatments - dont forget about data! look at last data that was sent out and take a crack at summarizing it. ask yourself question if i want to determined if diff water sheds make a diff in terms of temp how would you summarize that there are differences. it needs to be coded to treatment.


 * Green Roof Video Outline: **


 * ** a) Shot of green roof - voice over explaining that this is the Aiken green roof - Claudia **
 * ** b) Shot of someone explaining what green __#|roofs__ do and why they are important - Claudia **
 * ** c) Shot of someone explaining why Aiken installed green roof - Brad **
 * ** d) Shot of each different watershed - voice over talking about the experiment with the different watersheds - Lily **
 * ** e) Shot of tipping buckets with someone explaining what their purpose is and how they fit with the experiment - Amy **
 * ** f) Shot of green roof - voice over with someone talking about the future plans for the green roof experiment - Group **

a) This is the Aiken Center's green roof. A green roof is a roof which is partially or completely covered with vegetation on a growing medium. Green __#|roofs__ have been used for thousands of years and are now becoming more popular in response to increased population of cities and the __#|energy__ crisis.

b) There are many reasons to __#|install__ a green roof, but the main benefits are stormwater management and lower energy costs. . Green __#|roofs__ slow down the flow of water coming off the roof and minimize the peak flow of water entering the storm drains here at Aiken, for example. Another benefit green roofs provide is lower energy costs (mostly in the summer) because plant reflectivity and evaporation rates __#|help__ to cool down the building. In the winter, green roofs may help to insulate the building. Green roofs also help to filter pollutants out of the air and rainwater, create natural habitat for wildlife,protect existing roofing, and mitigate the heat island effect by helping to lower urban air temperatures.

d) There are 4 different types of roof treatments on the Aiken Center: a standard green roof, a standard green roof with alternative soil media, one with alternative plants and a control treatment. The first standard green roof is planted with 7 different species of leafy succulents known as Sedum and has standard green roof soil media. The second is a standard green roof with sedum species the same as the first treatment but with biochar mixed into the standard soil media.The third is an alternative green roof with grasses and 6 different selected native plant species and standard soil media. And the fourth treatment is a control with no plants and just conventional roof material. Each treatment type is replicated so in total there are 8 separately monitored watersheds. This experiment has 4 goals: 1) Quantify green roof treatment differences in storm water discharge flow rate, peak and total flow 2) Compare nutrient and contaminant concentrations in storm water discharge among green roof treatments. 3) Quantify treatment difference in plant biomass and carbon sequestration 4) Quantify treatment differences in the temperature of air, plants, soil, roof membrane and inside of roof for all treatments. The purpose of creating different watersheds is to experiment with different treatments to learn which combination of soils and plants perform the best and provide the wide range of benefits attributed to green roofs. This green roof experiment allows us to collect data and do statistical analysis, which will tel us if and what treatments yield different results.

Purpose of Green Roof - There are two main purposes for the Aiken Center green roof. The first is to provide valuable data to help the green roof industry improve their practices. It is the hope of the Rubenstein School to use the knowledge we gain from our green roof to help green roofs be more effective in the future. The second is to provide a unique research opportunity for both students and faculty to participate in. Students have already had major roles in the design, installation, and research components that are planned to continue in the future.

__#|Thermocouples__ - Installed as part of the green roof research are sets of thermocouple wires in each watershed. These wires measure temperature and are placed at different levels in the soil and above the plants. The hope is to measure the difference that plants make in reducing the heat island effect and how effective they are as insulators for the building. In addition to these thermocouples are moisture sensors in the soil to see how well the different treatments absorb water.