((PKG)) ROOFTOP GARDEN
((Banner: Rooftop Farming))
((Reporter: Julie Taboh))
((Camera: Steve Baragona))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
((NATS))
((David Bell, Bell Architects))
This roof has a greenhouse. It has stairs and elevators to access the roof. We put in a weather station. We put in cisterns to irrigate. So, all of those things are critical components to its success.
((NATS))
((Sandi Farber Bandier, “Master Gardener” Coordinator))
This is the future for food. What we have established here at this college is the food hub concept of, you grow it here, you prepare it, you prepare it in a commercial kitchen, you distribute it through farmers markets, food trucks, and then you recycle.
((NATS))
((David Bell, Bell Architects))
We're really excited about this project because it started to do something more than just dealing with storm water management. It took advantage of a resource above the city that you see all over.
((NATS))
((Caitlin Arlotta, University of The District of Columbia))
In an urban environment, you don't have, maybe, all that many spaces to choose from, and so, rooftops are just unutilized space. So, it's a really good way to not have to restructure your city necessarily and be able to incorporate green roofs. So, bringing fresh food into cities where you wouldn't necessarily have that access. These are the tomatoes that we're growing. We have the same experiment running with tomatoes as we do with strawberries. So, we're doing variety trials and we're trying just to see which variety grows the best in a green roof setting.
((NATS))
((Caitlin Arlotta, University of The District of Columbia))
In the U.S., it may not seem very common to use hibiscus leaves and sweet potato leaves as food, but in many places around the world it is.
((Sandi Farber Bandier, “Master Gardener” Coordinator))
My biggest surprise was that we produced 4,250 pounds (2000 kg) of produce the first year and was able to disseminate that to people in need.
((NATS))
((David Bell, Bell Architects))
I’d like to see this as becoming more a part of the standard where people design and build buildings with farming on the roof, with the ability to actually go up there and enjoy it and have a better connection to nature, but also to provide better fresh foods to people.
((NATS))