• Login
    View Item 
    •   DSpace Home
    • Student Scholarship
    • Environmental Science Program
    • Senior Theses
    • View Item
    •   DSpace Home
    • Student Scholarship
    • Environmental Science Program
    • Senior Theses
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Growing Innovation: Can Locally Sourced and Recycled Materials be utilized in Engineering an Industry Alternative Extensive Green Roof Substrate?

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Main article (2.052Mb)
    Date
    2016-05
    Author
    Fales, Garrett
    Metadata
     Show full item record
    Subjects
    recycled; engineering; industry alternative extensive green roof substrate
    Abstract
    The objective of this study was to develop a more sustainable and lower cost green roof substrate using locally-sourced and recycled materials. The hope is that these substrates can supplement or replace the mined and energy intensive heat expanded slate, shale, and clay- based substrates that are the current industry standard. The main inorganic, locally derived, and recycled components chosen for this study include: ceramic pottery shards, T-shirt and bike intertubes. During the experiment, measurements of survival and growth were recorded along with the soil properties of each substrate in comparison to the FLL guidelines for a green roof. An Economic Input Output Life Cycle Analysis (EIOLCA) was run to compare a recycled and locally sourced substrate with the industry standard in term of energy use and cost of production. Finally, a good educational model was produced in order to both show the layers of a green roof to public audiences in a educational setting and to accurately represent a testable green roof without the availability of a full-scale installation. Although it was reported that none of the substrates met every parameter for compliance to the FLL guidelines, all three substrates reported the growth on average of 1.4- 3.9 new stems during the six- week growing period. According to the LCA model, the sand, gravel, clay and refractory mining process sector represents 59.4% of the total cost of manufacturing inorganic industry substrate components and truck transportation represents 34.2% of the total cost respectively. Therefore, this study has established the principle that locally sourced recycled materials can provide economically affordable and sustainable alternatives to traditionally mined substrates and can support Sedum growth. Reformulation of these substrates in light of FLL guidelines and the observation seen in this study is needed to further implement these substrates.
    Collections
    • Senior Theses

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Thumbnail

      The Effects of China’s National Sword Policy on the United States Recycling System and What the United States can do with the Buildup of Recycling in the Recycling Centers 

      Luczak, Emma (2020-05)
      Recycling has become popularized over the past 30 years, thanks to a barge full of waste that tried to find a place to deposit it. With the increasing amount of plastics that are being found in the oceans as well as China´s ...
    • Thumbnail

      An Overview of Recycling Programs With a Focus on Recycling Possibilities for Carthage College 

      Krager, Aaron (2012-05-12)
    • Thumbnail

      Cruising Out of Control? International Regulation and Monitoring of the Cruise Travel Industry in Regard to Environmental Pollution 

      Strauss, Jonathon (2012-05-12)

    Browse

    All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Carthage College © 2015-2022
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    DSpace Express is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV