Make a Green Roof Model funded by U.S. Green Building Council

Materials Plastic container Filter Material, cut to fit container Fleece, cut to fit container Potting soil, enough for a thin layer Sedum, 1-2 plants, sometimes sold as “stonecrop” Water Tools Drill Scissors

Filter Material A cut-to-fit furnace filter made of recycled materials is a good representation of the filtration level on the Ford Rouge’s Green Roof. They are inexpensive at big-box home stores, and one filter is enough for several models.

Select a Container This project can be made large or small. A transparent or translucent container allows students to see the completed layers. Select your container and drill a few drainage holes in the bottom. The Green Roof drains water to a collection system to be reused.

Filter Layer Measure your container, and cut filter material to fit.

Options A layer of packing peanuts can be used in place of the filter material. Be sure they are not the kind that dissolves when wet!

Fleece Layer Add a layer of fleece on top of the green filter or packing peanuts. Some fabric stores sell fleece made of recycled plastic called eco- fleece! This layer will hold water for the sedum.

So Far… Your project should look like this:

Soil Layer Next, add a thin layer of potting soil on top. This layer is so the sedum roots can hold on. On the Green Roof, this layer is made of a crushed shale mixture.

Last Step… Add sedum plants and enough water to dampen the soil. Sedum requires almost no upkeep. There is a sprinkler system on the Green Roof, but it has almost never been used!