City of Kalamazoo

The existing rubber membrane roof at Kalamazoo’s City hall was over 25 years old and in need of replacement. After years of leaks and multiple repairs, the City turned to TowerPinkster to design and install a permanent “green” roofing system.

TowerPinkster first evaluated the existing roof structure which contains three separate levels: a third floor, a fourth floor, and a penthouse roof. Based on the findings, the design team provided five options to the city. It was collectively determined that the best option would involve the installation of a new four-foot deep vegetative roof on top of the third floor. The newly installed roofing system is based on LiveRoof green roof modules which contain pre-vegetation sedums and other engineered soils that lay directly onto a root barrier. The roof is entirely vegetative and has not only alleviated the leaking problem but is more environmentally friendly and provides a pleasant view for fourth-floor offices.