The annual CID Awards program offers designers, architects, builders, installers, contractors and other industry professionals a prime opportunity to showcase and be celebrated for their masterful design work and superior installation skills. The 2025 award recipients were honored at the CID Awards Reception and Ceremony, held April 30 in the Galvanize Lounge at Coverings 2025 in Orlando, Florida.

This year’s winners were recognized for their exemplary achievements in the design and installation of tile and stone across residential, institutional and commercial projects. Projects were judged by a panel of editors and industry leaders who evaluated the project submissions based on 10 categorical designations: Artistic Design, Artistic Installation, Commercial Ceramic Tile Design, Commercial Ceramic Tile Installation, Commercial Stone Design, Commercial Stone Installation, Residential Ceramic Tile Design, Residential Ceramic Tile Installation, Residential Stone Design and Residential Stone Installation.

2025 project entries receiving special recognition were selected across the following eight award categories: Commercial Ceramic Tile Design, Commercial Ceramic Tile Pool Design, Commercial Stone Installation, International, Residential Ceramic Tile Design, Residential Ceramic Tile Installation, Residential Stone Design and Residential Tile Pool Design.

2025 CID Award Winners – Design and Installation:

Artistic Design
Watsonville Brillante
Community Arts & Empowerment with support from LATICRETE
Watsonville, CA

Artistic Installation
Wavetronix Glass Murals
Unique Mosaics LLC
Springville, UT

Commercial Ceramic Tile Design
Johnson Lexus ArtWork and Craftsmanship
MVE+ Partners Inc.
Durham, NC

Commercial Ceramic Tile Installation
Johnson Lexus ArtWork and Craftsmanship
Art Tile of NC
Durham, NC

Commercial Ceramic Tile Installation
Wind Creek Casino Chicago Southland
Bourbon Tile & Marble
Chicago, IL

Commercial Stone Design
Charleston Place Hotel
Sunray Flooring Company
Charleston, S.C.

Commercial Stone Installation
Tre Dita Restaurant
Bourbon Tile & Marble
Chicago, IL

Residential Ceramic Tile Design
Clarkston Primary Bathroom
Armina Interiors
Clarkston, MI

Residential Ceramic Tile Installation
A Sophisticated Spa
DW Sanders Tile & Stone Contracting
Atlanta, GA

Residential Stone Design
Ebony Acres
Rob Bowen Design
Safety Harbor, FL

Residential Stone Installation
Private Residence – Central Florida
Stone Tile Group
Orlando, FL

2025 CID Award Winners – Special Recognitions: 

Special Recognition: Commercial Ceramic Tile Design
Tikka Charcoal Grill
Olbos Studio
Hicksville, NY

Special Recognition: Commercial Ceramic Tile Pool Design
Thompson Hotel Custom Pool
Nuovocorso SpA
Houston, TX

Special Recognition: Commercial Stone Installation
St John’s Catholic Chapel Champaign, Illinois
Daprato Rigali Studios
Champaign, IL

Special Recognition: Commercial Stone Installation
Taylorsville, Utah Temple
KEPCO+
Taylorsville, UT

Special Recognition: International
Flow House
Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Special Recognition: International
National Children’s Museum of South Korea
Office Ou and Junglim Architecture
Sejong, Republic of Korea

Special Recognition: International
Resonance Pattern Series
SCG Decor Public Company Limited
Phuket, Thailand

Special Recognition: Residential Ceramic Tile Design
TUR APARTMENTS
OOIIO ARQUITECTURA
Carabanchel, Madrid, Spain

Special Recognition: Residential Ceramic Tile Installation
Hill Country Glamour
GB IV Designs
Dripping Springs, TX

Special Recognition: Residential Ceramic Tile Installation
Hofer Relaxation Area
Tile Creations LLC
Huron, SD

Special Recognition: Residential Stone Design
CRYSTAL COVE
CANTERA INC.
Newport Coast, CA

Special Recognition: Residential Tile Pool Design
Frank Lloyd done Wright
Mosaicist, Inc
Arlington, TX

The judging panel for the 2025 CID Awards included: Andrea Lillo, Designers Today; Bart Bettiga, National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA); Catherine Hoy, Frank Advertising, representing Tile of Spain; Chris Abbate, Novità Communications, representing Ceramics of Italy; Eric Astrachan, Tile Council of North America (TCNA); Jennifer Richinelli, Stone World and Stone & Tile Insider; Kathy Meyer, Tile Council of North America (TCNA); Laura Rote, Green Building & Design; Nyle Wadford, Neuse Tile; Rocamador Rubio, Trade Commission of Spain, representing Tile of Spain; Sara White, Novità Communications, representing Ceramics of Italy; and Scott Carothers, Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF).

The 2025 CID Awards are sponsored by Stone World, Stone & Tile Insider and TileLetter.

To learn more about the Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Awards, please visit Coverings CID Awards. For more information and to register for Coverings 2025, visit: Coverings.

The post 2025 Coverings Installation & Design Awards recognize masterful tile and stone projects appeared first on FMLink.

Jordi Muñoz, director of Design at Urbidermis, stated:

Louis reflects our deep commitment to designing lighting solutions that seamlessly integrate into the urban landscape while providing both aesthetic and functional value. With Louis, we sought to create an unobtrusive yet expressive luminaire — one that enhances public spaces while remaining true to our design ethos of adaptability, sustainability and respect for the built environment.

Louis is distinguished by its gently arched aluminum housing, a design choice that softens its rectilinear form while subtly concealing the catenary attachment points. This thoughtful detail reinforces Louis’s connection to the elemental geometries that define modernist design. Suspended over pathways, plazas, and pedestrian corridors, Louis provides precise illumination while contributing to the visual identity and emotional atmosphere of urban space.

Jordan Agustin, president of Lighting at Landscape Forms, explained:

With Louis, we saw an opportunity to elevate urban lighting — both in form and function. The luminaire’s linear design and catenary suspension allow it to define space without intrusion, offering a guiding presence while preserving the openness of the environment.

Designed to enhance “slow-velocity spaces” such as plazas, parks, and recreational areas, Louis establishes unobstructed planes of illumination that encourage social interaction and public engagement. Its linear profile is particularly effective when installed in sequence, providing rhythmic wayfinding guidance along pedestrian thoroughfares and city streets.

Muñoz from Urbidermis added:

Louis took shape with a clear purpose in mind—to bring light while gently weaving itself into the fabric of the landscape. Louis’s refined, minimal aesthetic is matched by its performance, delivering high-quality, full-cutoff illumination that enhances public space while respecting the natural rhythms of the urban nightscape.

Louis aligns on two foundational design principles important to Urbidermis, nature and technology. Ensuring technology is integrated to enhance the quality of life, while respecting the environment and making a positive impact, is one part of this principle. Collaborating in the design of outdoor space that preserves core green infrastructure, while adapting urban elements to this new environment, is another. The design of Louis prioritizes both efficiency and environmental responsibility, reflecting the dedication of Landscape Forms and Urbidermis in the creation of sustainable, high-performance lighting solutions.

Additional specifications and images of Louis are available at Landscape Forms.

The post Need lighting for public spaces? Modernist inspiration meets urban versatility in Louis by Landscape Forms appeared first on FMLink.

National Tile Day serves as a valuable platform to highlight the many outstanding qualities of ceramic tile, including its unparalleled sustainability and timeless beauty. The official industry holiday also underscores the diverse benefits of ceramic tile across a broad range of applications, from residential and commercial spaces to hospitality, industrial, and both indoor and outdoor environments.

The Top Tile Trends for 2025 provide an inspiring first glimpse of the inventive and captivating tile product displays that will be featured at Coverings 2025, scheduled to take place April 29 to May 2, 2025, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

The 2025 lineup of groundbreaking tile trends, chosen by Coverings’ three leading sponsors and international tile associations — Ceramics of Italy/Confindustria Ceramica, Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association of Spain (ASCER)/Tile of Spain and Tile Council of North America (TCNA) — showcases the most sought-after and stylish designs from the worldwide tile industry.

Coverings spokesperson Alena Capra, owner of Alena Capra Designs and Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer, collaborated with the associations to forecast the trends which are expected to dominate tile design and installation decisions throughout the year and beyond.

Capra stated:

The 2025 tile trends highlight ceramic tile’s limitless potential across residential, commercial and hospitality spaces, emphasizing its unmatched versatility, exceptional durability and superior hygiene advantages. National Tile Day is more than a preview of the latest trends; it is an opportunity to appreciate tile and its countless benefits as a leading, environmentally friendly building material.

Capra will join a panel of industry experts during Coverings 2025 to discuss the year’s top tile trends at the “Global Tile Trends” session, Tuesday, April 29, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EDT. The presentation will feature a deep dive into the latest tile styles, supported by stunning visuals of tile in numerous exterior and interior applications.

Coverings 2025 will offer an array of additional trends-related activations, education sessions, panels, presentations and live demonstrations for distributors, retailers, interior designers, architects, contractors, installers, stone fabricators, and other tile and stone professionals. Attendees can learn more by visiting the full program schedule online.

The following Top 10 Tile Trends of 2025 are summarized in alphabetical order:

1. Colors of Sand: The world is known for rich colors and calming hues of sand on and near beaches, dunes, deserts, ocean floors and other sites and places. With a warm and often calming palette, the colors of sand are earnest and neutral, portraying the essence of a natural, earthy and eco-friendly environment. So too does ceramic tile in the colors of sand give rise to peaceful, relaxing and eye-catching atmospheres. Sand-inspired tile colors stem from the color wheel’s warmer and lighter side of the brown spectrum, extending from off-white and cream to golden beige, tawny, fulvous and tan. The design and installation options with tile in a range of colors inspired by sand are limitless, as evidenced by nearly infinite product selections seen in widely popular indoor and outdoor applications around the globe.
2. Discreet Tech: As AI and smart home technology advance, the domestic automation sector is also rapidly growing, with a focus on enhancing quality of life and energy efficiency. Ceramic tile is essential in this evolution, thanks to its non-conductive properties that protect electrical systems while maintaining connectivity. Modern tiles now incorporate features like pressure-sensitive LED lighting and induction cooking, making it easier to blend cutting-edge technology with elegant design.
3. Holistic Experience: As the integration of technology in residential settings continues to rise, there is a growing desire to incorporate natural elements into built environments. Reflecting on the urgent impacts of climate change on the environment, our connection to nature has become a central focus in architectural and interior design. Ceramics, with their inherent properties and moisture resistance, create an ideal environment for houseplants to thrive without the risk of deterioration. Additionally, advancements in digital technology enable the realistic recreation of organic details, ensuring that both the cladding and greenery in a space provide a rich biophilic experience.

   

4. Lines, Lines, Lines: This season, it’s all about lines. Thanks to impressive innovations in 3D technologies, these decorative details – whether it be striped, ribbed or fluted looks – create dynamic volumes and plays of light and shadow with contrasting materials and colors, adding depth and character into a space, while geometric patterns and bold stripes bring moments of movement and intrigue.
5. Mineral Drenching: Color drenching takes a bold turn with the use of gauged porcelain panels. Enveloping entire spaces in the rich tones and textures seen in marble, onyx or travertine creates a seamless and dramatic effect. From floors and walls to countertops and even furniture, the natural beauty and texture of marble-look tile – be it a bold black, grounding green or luminous white – become the dominant visual elements, transforming the space into an immersive work of art, as luxurious as it is grounding.
6. Mosaic Artistry: From café entrances to cathedral ceilings, mosaic tiles have long combined beauty and functionality, allowing designers to create personalized patterns and artistic statements. Today, mosaics are having a big (or rather, large format) resurgence. Porcelain panels with stone looks artfully cut together, either in geometric layouts or flowing organic designs, merge traditional mosaic artistry with modern durability and low maintenance. Whether handcrafted or large format, mosaic styles continue to transform surfaces large and small into captivating focal points.
7. Re-Human: In an age dominated by AI and algorithms, there is a revived longing for the tactile, human experience. As such, tile surfaces are increasingly drawing inspiration from materials like corrugated paper, torn fabric, textile design and handcrafted wooden textures, while showcasing delicate floral engravings and three-dimensional extruded volumes, working to powerfully bridge the gap between high-tech and hand-made artistry.
8. Sensorial Design: Interior designers are going beyond the visual spectrum to curate spaces that engage all five senses. Thanks to advancements in digital decorative technology, ceramic manufacturers are now able to perfectly replicate natural textures and patterns, creating tiles with enhanced tactile and visual experiences. Furthermore, many designers are paying closer attention to the sense of smell. As ceramic tiles are naturally free of VOCs, they do not retain odors; rather, they assist with establishing an aromatically pleasing and clean environment.

   

9. Veins of Gold: The opulence of marble-look tile is elevated to brilliant new heights with a touch of gold. Creamy stone looks, accentuated by rich golden veining radiate warmth and grandeur, bringing a touch of luxury to any setting. Innovative glaze applications allow for metallic variations that reflect just enough light to strike the balance between dazzling and demure.
10. Waterworld: Water spurred major inspiration across contemporary ceramic design this season, flooding the scene with color palettes of soft aquas and pastels to deep sea, ethereal hues. Patterns, textures and fluid, smooth forms reminiscent of sea-waves are brought to life through three-dimensional reliefs, traditional brushstrokes, masterful glazing techniques, and distinct shading effects, along with prefabricated ceramic furnishings including blue washbasins and sanitaryware.

Attendees will have the opportunity to discover the Top 10 Ceramic Tile Trends and other global tile and stone product offerings at Coverings 2025, North America’s largest international tile and stone exposition and conference. For more information and to register for Coverings 2025, visit Coverings.

The post Coverings reveals the Top 10 Tile Trends for 2025 appeared first on FMLink.

Booth

The Booth line of social seating was designed to create interaction spaces that are fresh yet familiar, taking the warmth, comfort and semi-privacy of a widely enjoyed indoor seating experience and reimagining it for the outdoors. It’s a social design, intended to define spaces that bring people together and encourage closeness and quality conversation.

Landscape Forms Chief Creative Officer Kirt Martin explained:

Booth was inspired by our profound need as humans to anchor ourselves in outdoor spaces. We’ve taken the familiar typology of an indoor booth, and brought it outdoors — giving people an intuitive, welcoming and intimate space to come together to work, dine or socialize.  It creates a room within a room outdoors, and it’s never been done before this way.

Designed by the Landscape Forms design team, Booth was initially created for internal use on the company’s own campus. Following much positive reception and an unmet need for this type of seating solution voiced by its customers, Landscape Forms is introducing Booth as a widely available standard product. The Booth line includes two silhouettes — a tall-back booth and a low-back booth — designed to meet face-to-face in pairs.

Two booths fit tightly together when arranged back-to-back, enabling space-efficient groupings for generous outdoor seating and dining space. Further, an Outdoor Booth can also stand alone as an architectural bench, as an accessible one-sided booth, or against a wall as modern banquette-style seating.  Booths pair ideally with a range of Landscape Forms’ tables, including the new Contour line, to create elegant and cohesive outdoor social settings.

Booth’s rounded corners and softened edges create a comfortable character, while a subtle flare to the form of the seat and metal support structure offers a friendly, inviting gesture. Hooks located on both sides of the booth toward the top of the back provide convenient storage for bags and coats. Both the tall-back and low-back booths feature warm, fillet-edged wood slats for the seat and back, and the design for the tall-back booth includes an additional powdercoated metal portion atop the back to enhance senses of privacy and intimacy.

The booths are offered in a range of Landscape Forms’ sustainable, naturally weathering exterior woods, including a new dassoXTR Fused Bamboo option engineered specifically for use outdoors. Fused bamboo is said to be incredibly stable and durable, elegantly dark in color, and sustainable, with very low environmental impact.

Versatility in arrangement coupled with Booth’s distinct design focus on balancing openness and accessibility with privacy and intimacy creates a new wealth of possibilities in the way people engage with outdoor space. Landscape Forms Director of Design Ryan Heiser remarked:

The obvious use case is outdoor dining, but we see a lot of potential for Outdoor Booth in spaces like corporate and higher education campuses to do much more as well. We’ve had them installed on our campus for a while now, and they’re enjoyed constantly for everything from meetings to small group collaboration to individual work.

Learn more about the Booth line of social seating at Landscape Forms.

Contour

Contour is Landscape Forms’ first collection of high-design, highly durable tables that can comply with existing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design.

Landscape Forms Director of Design Ryan Heiser explained:

With Contour, we challenged ourselves to design a public site-grade table that’s beautiful, flexible, and also fully ADA compliant. Championing inclusivity and enabling more people to enjoy more outdoor experiences are fundamental to who we are at Landscape Forms, so to achieve this in a way that is also aesthetically inspiring is an especially proud moment for us.

To head the design of Contour, Landscape Forms enlisted the expertise of Ignacio Ciocchini, an award-winning New York City-based industrial designer recognized for his excellence in product design for cities, streetscape design and master-planning with a keen focus on accessibility. Heiser continued:

Between his work with multiple New York City Business Improvement Districts, his transformational restoration of Midtown Manhattan’s Bryant Park, and his dozens and dozens of ADA integrations all across the city, Ignacio Ciocchini was the perfect match for Contour. He knows everything there is to know about ADA compliance and creating enduring beauty in public outdoor space, so his expertise runs throughout every aspect of these tables.

Designer Ignacio Ciocchini pointed out:

You’ll find a lot of tables claiming to be wheelchair-accessible in the market today but, if you check the specifications, you’ll quickly understand they don’t fully comply with existing ADA regulations. The user experience those products offer people with disabilities is either null, or at the most, very different from the experience they offer people without a visible disability. So, for Contour, we focused relentlessly on understanding this problem and the existing regulations, designing for elegance and simplicity, and importantly, ensuring that the experience must be the same for all users — no shortcuts allowed. This combination led us to create a product line that I believe is one step above any other tables on the market today.

Touted as a first in the outdoor site furnishing space, Contour is a system of mutually compatible components that can be combined to create different ADA compliant tables that address a range of site needs and can appear all throughout a given setting. Central to the design of Contour is the idea of achieving true inclusivity, adapting the design to create a universal user experience that is the same for both non-disabled users and users with a disability.

Heiser added:

When you approach a setting of tables — whether it’s a bistro, a restaurant or a park — what if, instead of having that one ADA accessible table over there in the corner, every table was accessible to everyone? That’s exactly what you can achieve with Contour.

The Contour system includes round, gently rounded square and gently rounded rectangular tabletops, each constructed from powdercoated steel, and each offered in two different sizes. The tables are then completed with a choice of four powdercoated aluminum legs or a surface-mounted pedestal constructed from either high-performance concrete or cast aluminum.

In the four-legged versions, Contour’s surface gently floats over rectangular, pill-shaped legs that protrude slightly from the edge of the table. The legs are positioned at 45-degree angles that flare out toward the user, creating a welcoming gesture, aiding ingress and egress, and lending Contour its unique appearance. In Contour’s surface-mounted pedestal versions, a pill-shaped center column ends in a robust truncated-cone base that creates an elegant transition between table pedestal and paving surface. Throughout Contour’s iterations, the design specifically eliminates under-table obstructions and provides an optimal height, width and depth of knee clearance to ensure all spaces at the table can be ADA compliant.

Learn more about Contour ADA-compliant tables at Landscape Forms.

The post Create spaces for all to gather, with outdoor booths and ADA-compliant tables from Landscape Forms appeared first on FMLink.

Bruno Pigott, acting EPA assistant administrator for Water, stated:

Stormwater runoff is one of the biggest sources of pollution affecting our waterways, and EPA’s Campus RainWorks program inspires students to assess local challenges and develop creative and comprehensive solutions using green infrastructure. Congratulations to this year’s winners and to all of the participants who developed innovative solutions to protect the environment and support stronger communities.

Green infrastructure practices for stormwater management include green roofs, permeable materials, alternative designs for streets and buildings, trees, habitat conservation, rain gardens and rain harvesting systems. Utilizing these practices protects local waterways by treating rain where it falls and keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems. Communities are increasingly using innovative green infrastructure to supplement or replace “gray” infrastructure such as pipes, tunnels and concrete channels. Green infrastructure reduces water pollution while increasing economic activity and neighborhood revitalization, job creation, energy savings and open space.

This year, 13 teams from across 10 states and 12 academic institutions competed in the Campus RainWorks Challenge with green infrastructure designs that not only treated and managed stormwater but also addressed problems like flood protection and improving pedestrian and bicycle connectivity.

This year’s winners are:

• University of Oregon (1st Place Winner), Eugene, OR— The team’s entry, “Rainy Days, Nature’s Ways: Embracing Stormwater and Play at the Village School,” integrated stormwater management and nature play into at a K-8 school through a co-design process with students and other state and local partners. The design included rain gardens, bioswales, a dry-creek infiltration trench and permeable material in play areas, and a school yard forest. The team effectively employed stormwater modeling tools and a design that adhered to local stormwater codes and policies. Watch the team’s video about their design.
• Hobart and William Smith Colleges (2nd Place Winner), Geneva, NY — The team’s entry, “Creating a Sustainable, Walkable Community for Odell’s Village and the HWS Campus,” emphasized reducing stormwater flow into Odell’s Pond, a campus stormwater retention pond, and preventing localized flooding of the Odell’s Village while improving the pedestrian experience. The team used the campus’s long-term master plan to meet other goals, such as utilizing space on campus more efficiently; restoring native plants; and providing more outdoor recreation and education opportunities.  The master plan also addressed stormwater permitting requirements, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, and maintenance and implementation funding. Watch the team’s video about their design.

EPA also recognized the University of California-Berkeley for honorable mention for “Green Gateways,” offering innovative flood management strategies for Strawberry Creek.

The first-place teams will receive a $30,000 student prize to be split among team members and a $5,000 faculty prize to support green infrastructure research and training. The second-place team will receive a $12,000 student prize and a $3,000 faculty prize.

Background

Stormwater runoff is a significant source of water pollution in America. Managing runoff remains a complex environmental challenge for communities across the country. EPA’s Campus RainWorks Challenge invites students and faculty members at colleges and universities to apply green infrastructure design principles, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and increase the use of green infrastructure on the nation’s college campuses.

Since 2012, nearly 850 teams have participated in the Campus RainWorks Challenge. View previous winners and teams, along with information on how to participate in and the deadline for the 12th RainWorks Challenge.

The post Glean ideas for green infrastructure and stormwater drainage from EPA’s Campus RainWorks Challenge winners appeared first on FMLink.

The DarkSky Approved Lodging Program sets a new standard in the travel industry, encouraging hospitality companies to actively participate in safeguarding the night from the damaging effects of light pollution while providing their guests with an awe-inspiring and educational experience under pristine dark skies.

The program is being launched at a time when astrotourism — tourism centered on traveling to destinations with ideal conditions for stargazing and observing celestial events — is at an all-time high. Currently estimated at half a billion dollars annually worldwide, the astrotourism industry and phenomenon has been recently highlighted in magazines such as Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes, and National Geographic.

Places dark enough to experience the awe and wonder of a star-filled night sky are dwindling, making such places highly sought-after travel destinations. With light pollution growing at an alarming rate, nearly 10 percent each year, 80 percent of the world’s population now lives beneath light-polluted skies (99 percent for those living in Europe and the United States).

Unfortunately, the growing astrotourism industry is being threatened by its own popularity. With more people traveling to these dark sky localities, increased tourism infrastructure is adding to growing light pollution in these often rural areas. The DarkSky Approved Lodging Program provides a trusted solution.

With more than 210 certified places worldwide, encompassing parks, reserves, sanctuaries, urban areas, and communities, DarkSky Approved Lodging is the newest addition to DarkSky’s award-winning International Dark Sky Places conservation program.

Under Canvas, the leader in upscale outdoor hospitality, is the first company to receive this new certification. This independent third-party certification is now available to similar lodging and camping facilities that meet DarkSky’s strict guidelines that evaluate and address the impacts of artificial lighting at night, ensuring the preservation of these dark sky locations and the unique and awe-inspiring experiences they provide to their guests.

DarkSky International is a trusted organization within the astronomy and conservation communities, with a well-known brand identity and a robust public following. Becoming DarkSky Approved is guaranteed to elevate the reputation of any hospitality company that attains this prestigious status, notes the group.

The post The DarkSky Approved Lodging Program now certifies lodging facilities with responsible outdoor lighting at night appeared first on FMLink.

As LiveRoof celebrates its 17th year, we are doing so with a year-long theme: Why do a Green Roof? Specifically, we will focus on the benefits of green roofs, and how they enhance our lives and the environment. Please enjoy this overview addition that focuses on the overarching benefits of green roofs!

Can I afford a green roof?

This is a compelling question. Green roofs typically cost more than traditional roofs to acquire, so why spend the extra money? There are at least 20 reasons to do a green roof, but let’s start with five strictly financial reasons, which will pay for the green roof (over and over).

Financial benefits and return on investment

Traditional roofs have a lifespan of 20 years and fail due to degradation from ultraviolet light, loss of plasticity from drying winds, and micro tearing from repeated heating and cooling cycles. A green roof provides protection from environmental exposure, which extends the life of the roof 6o years or more, thus avoiding at least two expensive re-roofing events. Energy conservation is another financial benefit, as green roofs can save up to 25% on energy costs. These two benefits alone can pay for a green roof within 20 years.

In addition, increased building density is often allowed when buildings have green roofs, as building codes typically acknowledge green roofs as “green space” and as a means to reduce stormwater runoff. What this means is more rentable or sellable space on the building site, and this is financially important especially with the high cost of land in urban settings.

Buildings with green roofs tend to sell or rent for higher prices as well, and this has been proven to pay for the green roof upon initial sale in some instances. Green roofs can also play a partnership role with solar, and because of the cooling effect of the green roof, the solar panels operate more efficiently and can increase solar output 5-15%.

Municipal/societal benefits

Green roofs help lower water infrastructure costs and protect water resources. During heavy rain events the amount of rain can be more than the city’s sewage processing infrastructure can handle, and combined sewage overflows can occur. Green roofs absorb and evaporate water (often 50% or more annually) and therefore lessen the demands on sewage treatment systems. This allows municipalities to operate with smaller and less costly sewage treatment facilities.

Another municipal/societal benefit is reduced noise. Green roofs act as a sound absorber, and when multiple green roofs are installed in a given area within the city, the impact of the noise reduction is experienced by the entire community. Finally, green roofs create installation and maintenance jobs, which in turn supports the community.

Environmental impacts

Green roofs help with carbon sequestration. This is because plants conduct photosynthesis, and in the process pull carbon dioxide from the air and store it in their leaves and roots as components of starches and sugars. Further, green roofs provide thermal insulation benefits which can reduce the need for heating and cooling, further reducing carbon emissions.

A study in Germany showed green roofs also contribute to mitigating urban heat islands — artificially hot zones caused when hard surfaces like asphalt, concrete, brick and metal (and a lack of vegetation), heat up the city. Heat islands cause air currents and stir up dust exacerbating allergies and asthma.

Another environmental benefit of green roofs is cooling and filtering rainwater (before it ends up in waterways). This is important for the preservation of aquatic plants and animals. Finally, all green roofs and particularly biodiverse green roofs provide habitat for invertebrates, birds and endangered plants. The city of Toronto has developed biodiverse guidelines to encourage and support the development of more biodiverse green roofs. The hope is to restore biodiverse ecosystems roof by roof.

Human wellness

In recent years we have a deeper appreciation for “biophilia,” whereby scientists can measure the positive impact nature has upon our physical and psychological wellness. Reductions in stress hormones are easily measured, and stress-reducing benefits are now associated with green roofs as well as constructed landscapes and natural areas. People experience better overall well-being after visiting or even viewing a green space.

Toronto hospitals follow green roof mandates for this reason (as well as the myriad of other benefits of green roofs). Their codes state that all roofs that are viewable from hospital rooms must have green roofs. In doing so, Toronto hospitals are using green roofs to reduce patient healing times and improve overall patient well-being.

Children also learn better when they have a view of nature and chances to interact with green spaces. Schools that install green roofs with amenity decks or walking paths create spaces for students to view nature while learning.

Another human wellness area addressed by green roofs is public art and aesthetics. The beauty and the “views” of green roofs are other solid reasons for implementing green roofs, as beauty and aesthetics are associated with greater positive social interaction. In Massachusetts, they even adopted an ordinance to protect the “views” of the green roofs and green walls for a nearby Museum.

Lastly, green roofs support food justice security (in a “food-just” world people are able to grow, purchase, and store their own food), with rooftop farms generating jobs and providing food for local communities.

In closing

I started this article with the question “Why do a Green Roof?” As it turns out, there are at least 20 reasons why green roofs are a wise choice from the financial, municipal/societal, environmental, and human wellness perspectives. We can change the world for the better one green roof at a time and in doing so, create a better tomorrow. If we want to have an impact on the environment that is positive, look to green roofs. Green roofs make a difference for a better world and future generations. We can do it “up on a roof.”

About this piece

LiveRoof Feature stories publish quarterly with the goal in mind to showcase the values of our purpose-driven network. This year’s theme is “Why do a Green Roof?” This is the first feature story in the series. Contact Doni Burton at doni@liveroof.com with any comments or questions.

About the company

Based in Spring Lake, Michigan, LiveRoof Global, LLC is a top horticultural science company in the green roof industry. The LiveRoof Hybrid Green Roof System is a proven green roof system. LiveRoof establishes a healthy, sustainable ecosystem covering rooftops with seamless vegetation. Licensed regional growers customize plant selection for every LiveRoof project. They deliver the system’s modules abundantly vegetated with locally cultivated, full-grown plants for an instant green roof and trouble-free ownership.

About the author

Doni Burton is the business development manager for LiveRoof Global. Her main responsibility as business development manager is working with LiveRoof Global Growers and their customers. Burton completed her doctor of education in 2019, and most of her career was in educational administration. She also taught for many years as a university professor, but says that working at LiveRoof has taught her about the incredible benefits provided by green roofs. Burton’s hope is that this series of interviews and stories will nurture the environmental and horticultural interests of each reader.

The post Why do a green roof? The surprising benefits of living roofs appeared first on FMLink.

SESCO Lighting

Landscape Forms announced an expansion of its 2020 lighting partnership with SESCO Lighting. SESCO Lighting, which is headquartered in the Greater Orlando area, represents Landscape Forms in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi, and now has added SESCO offices in North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana and Arkansas.

An employee-owned business founded over 50 years ago, SESCO Lighting is the country’s largest lighting manufacturers’ representative company, with nearly 400 employees and 24 branch offices and specialty divisions that cover all aspects of a project, including lighting controls, field service, public sector and energy divisions, and distributor solutions.

SESCO Lighting President and CEO John Palk commented:

We are excited and grateful to expand our representation with Landscape Forms. SESCO is fortunate to represent many of the premier brands in our industry, and we are honored to bring a company like Landscape Forms to the forefront in the Carolinas and now in Arkansas and Louisiana. We are looking to build on our ongoing success together and further bring the great products and specification presence of both SESCO and Landscape Forms to these markets.

Landscape Forms Lighting President Jordan Agustin remarked:

The SESCO team brings a focus on customer service and support that’s second to none, and we’re pleased to be growing our partnership. Landscape Forms has a 50-year history as a solutions provider for human-centric outdoor environments, and our lighting portfolio represents a unique part of the SESCO offering. We look forward to continued success in these new markets and bringing Landscape Forms lighting to a wider audience.

CDm2 LIGHTWORKS

Landscape Forms also announced a partnership with CDm2 LIGHTWORKS, which is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. CDm2 LIGHTWORKS will represent Landscape Forms’ full lighting portfolio in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory.

The company represents manufacturers of lighting products, controls, and smart solutions, and offers expertise in all aspects of a project, including specification, controls, and project services. It serves A+D; office, education, and healthcare; municipalities, public realm, and infrastructure; and retail, attractions, and entertainment sectors. CDm2 LIGHTWORKS is active in supporting the nonprofit community in British Columbia as well as lighting professional and industry organizations.

Darren Luce, president of CDm2 LIGHTWORKS, noted:

We are proud to offer our clients diverse and innovative lighting solutions for architectural outdoor and public realm projects. Landscape Forms’ modern product designs will enhance our outdoor architectural lighting offering for landscape and architectural specifiers.

Agustin stated:

At Landscape Forms, we seek to bring our best-in-class design and placemaking tools to an international audience. We’re thrilled to partner with CDm2 LIGHTWORKS, a company equally committed to enhancing visual experiences in public outdoor spaces. Our shared philosophy of bridging the art, science, and business of lighting form a natural synergy between our two companies.

Find out more about Landscape Forms’ human-centric outdoor lighting here.

The post Landscape Forms partnerships bring human-centric outdoor lighting to a wider audience appeared first on FMLink.

The MEGA MAX Classic is the largest parasol yet to join the Landscape Forms offering, with sizes ranging from 16 to 24 feet. Engineered to withstand wind gusts up to 75 mph, the MEGA MAX defines a new strength and scale for a parasol and offers new possibilities in designing sheltered outdoor space.

Well suited for corporate and education campuses, resort and hospitality settings, multifamily residential settings, and outdoor dining destinations, MEGA MAX’s expansive size and ability to shelter multiple tables or lounge areas offers an experience more akin to an outdoor room, and with a greater degree of flexibility.

Available in square, rectangular and octagonal configurations, and offered in a variety of colors and finishes, Ocean Master MEGA MAX Classic parasols can elegantly deliver a variety of upscale, stylish outdoor experiences throughout the day and night.

MEGA MAX features a new hinged anchor plate that enables the parasol to be secured prior to standing upright, and a telescoping mast that allows it to deploy with just a touch, gently lifting up while opening to reduce interference with furniture.

Options for integrated lighting help ensure comfort and tailor the atmosphere underneath. Designed for unparalleled durability, MEGA MAX parasols will enjoy long, beautiful lives in the elements while reducing their environmental impact.

For more specifications and images of the MEGA MAX Classic and the rest of the Ocean Master Collection, visit Landscape Forms.

The post Create flexible sheltered outdoor spaces with Landscape Forms/Tuuci’s largest wind-resistant parasol appeared first on FMLink.

Landscape Forms Chief Innovation Officer Kirt Martin remarked:

Working with Urbidermis has been one of our longest-running and most successful design partnerships to date. The success not only speaks to the expertise of Urbidermis in their mastery of Mediterranean design, but also to the opportunity this partnership brings U.S. landscape architects through fresh, compelling design and strong value propositions.

The Harpo and Bancal lines, the focus of the new expansions, are prime examples of the purity and sophistication of the Barcelona-based firm’s design philosophy, says Landscape Forms.

Landscape Forms Director of Design Ryan Heiser remarked:

These two lines are refined in their scales, elegant in their simplicity, and intelligent in their combinations of materials. They represent the sort of modest confidence that distinguishes such a seasoned design practice like Urbidermis.

Joining the Harpo line of site furnishings designed by renowned father-and-son team Miguel and Gonzalo Milá, a new double chaise lounge communicates a closeness and togetherness in public outdoor spaces. Compared to the popular Harpo single chaise, the new double chaise is both wider and taller, creating an  inviting destination for partners, close friends, and parents and their children to share moments outdoors together. Found globally throughout high-profile streetscapes, public parks, and campuses, the Harpo line is celebrated for its combination of architectural clarity and robust construction, and the new double chaise adds a fresh dimension.

Designed by another distinguished duo, Julià Espinàs and Olga Tarrasó, the Bancal modular bench system now welcomes a complementary picnic table to help define new spaces for outdoor dining and leisure. Often taking the form of long runs lining sidewalks and paralleling pedestrian promenades, Bancal benches embody minimal formal expression in favor of increased communal function, adaptability and durability.

New Bancal picnic tables build upon this philosophy, utilizing a simple structure of folded steel sheets to anchor naturally-weathering, slatted Ipe tops. Together, Bancal picnic tables and benches simplify the creation of everyday settings that reinforce social well-being with the quality materials and manufacturing to last many beautiful decades outdoors.

Landscape Forms President of Site Furnishings & Structure Robb Smalldon commented:

The expansions to both Harpo and Bancal began at the request of our sales team who was saying, “This is exactly what our customers are asking for.” So it’s always an exciting and encouraging opportunity to evolve and augment our products knowing that we’re addressing the real needs of our customers and the communities they serve.

For more images and specs for the Harpo and Bancal site furniture, visit Landscape Forms.

The post Landscape Forms’ robust, high-design site furniture creates inviting outdoor destinations appeared first on FMLink.