Emeryville: West Elm Green Roof

5602 Bay Street, Emeryville, CA. Map
Plants by ecological design firm Rana Creek, Monterey, CA
All photos courtesy of City of Emeryville.

Green roof covers about 1/3 of West Elm furniture store.
City of Emeryville photo.
At the West Elm furniture store in Emeryville, a green roof covers and filters runoff from about a third of the roof area.

Cells hold soil in place on West Elm green roof, Emeryville

City of Emeryville photo.
Green roofs are layered. Above impermeable membranes, plastic cells hold special soil in place.
Skylight provides access to interior in case of fireCrane delivers bags of growing medium (soil) to roof
City of Emeryville photos.
Above left, skylight lets firemen reach interior in emergencies. Above right, a crane delivered bags of growing medium — special soil.

Plants for green roof in biodegradable trays
City of Emeryville photo.
Above, tough, drought-tolerant, low-growing plants were grown and delivered in biodegradable trays.