Manufacturing Heat Grows Urban Gardens

Chicago City Hall Roof Garden from Planetizen

While perusing the Washington Post website today, I found an interesting article about using excess heat from manufacturing processes to grow vegetables in rooftop greenhouses. The article mentions a company that forges car parts and hand tools near Detroit that has already planted and harvested its first crop. Rooftop gardening is different than well-known green roofs, but the benefits are very similar: reduced building energy consumption, reduced stormwater runoff, and pollutant filtration. However, the rooftop gardens add another benefit – fresh vegetables and fruits. I like the idea of going and picking my salad for lunch from the roof of my building – healthy and innovative!

PS Image is not to suggest that there is a lot of hot air at the Chicago City Hall…

Thanks to Terra Lingley from CH2M HILL in Portland