Modular green roof system, apparatus and methods, including pre-seeded modular panels

• US 6,862,842 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Weston Solutions Incorporated (Weston Solutions Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Builders & Contractors Supply Company Incorporated (ABC Supply Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Mischo, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Jeffrey L.
• Application Number:
  US09/908,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 47/659, 47/665, 47/86, 47/581.R, 47/401, 47/701, 47/84
• US Class Current: 47/65.9
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/033 Flat containers for turf, lawn or the like, e.g. for covering roofs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/254 Roof garden systems; Roof coverings with high solar reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/32 Roof garden systems

Abstract

A modular green roof system includes modular panels (10) providing a surrounded space suitable for supporting live plant growth and adapted for installing onto a roof deck in side-by-side positioning while allowing water flow on the roof thereunder. The panels are filled with growing medium and pre-seeded prior to delivery to the roof site, and delivered in either a preserved condition or a germinated condition. The panels are adapted for interconnecting to adjacent panels, and for connection to an edge finishing/edge termination system (46) and support structure to enable provision of non-panel areas of the green roof, and above-panel structures.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a modular green roof system comprising the steps of:

(A) providing a plurality of panels each having a bottom and sides extending upwardly therefrom to define a surrounded space with an open top for receiving green roof materials, the bottom of the panels being formed with drain holes and being shaped to permit water to flow thereunder when resting on a roof,

(B) planting growable green roof materials in the panels,

(C) establishing an air-tight seal over the open top of the panels to seal the green roof materials in the panels,

(D) delivering the filled panels to a roof site, and

(E) positioning the panels onto the roof in side-by-side relation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of (F) connecting the panels on the roof to one of (i) adjacent panels, (ii) intermediate members, and (iii) edge termination members.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the steps of (F) stacking said planted, sealed panels, and (G) securing said stacked panels to prevent sliding therebetween, prior to said delivering step.

4. A method of constructing a modular green roof system comprising the steps of:

(A) providing (i) a plurality of panels each having a bottom and sides extending upwardly therefrom to define a surrounded space for receiving green roof materials, the bottom of the panels being formed with drain holes and being shaped to permit water to flow thereunder, and (ii) a plurality of covers to fit over the panels, (iii) means for connecting the panels and covers together to prevent sliding therebetween,

(B) planting growable green roof materials in the panels,

(C) positioning said covers onto said panels,

(D) stacking and connecting first ones of said panels onto the covers positioned on second ones of said panels in with said connecting means,

(E) delivering the planted, stacked, panels to a roof site, and

(F) positioning the panels onto the roof.

5. The method of claim 4 in which said covers comprise inverted panels.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of connecting the panels on the roof to one of (i) adjacent panels, (ii) intermediate members, and (iii) edge termination members.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of (G) germinating the green roof materials in the panels, and (H) positioning said covers onto said panels over the germinated green roof materials.