The Osborne Association project features an
alternating blue roof and green roof system on its
building in the borough of the Bronx (New York
City). The rainwater detention system will manage
over 240,000 gallons of stormwater per year and
reduce sewer overflow to the East River.
The Blue Roof:
Stormwater Features and Collapse Risk at Fire Operations
By: RONALD R. SPADAFORA
In a previous Firenuggets article, the green roof
was a sustainable design feature reviewed and
discussed. This article will cover characteristics
of the blue roof and the major concern to
firefighters during firefighting operations.
Stormwater Management Planning
The term green infrastructure, as it pertains to
stormwater management, includes a wide array
of techniques. In rural and agricultural areas the
goal is to reduce soil degradation and preserve
the natural landscape. The collective impact of
country living subdivisions and impervious roads
causes an increase in high flow rates and water
volume that is discharged after a rainstorm.
Flooding, soil erosion and an overwhelmed
sewer system are the end results. Specific
stormwater management techniques used in
rural areas to reduce peak flow and decrease the
power of floods include: rainwater harvesting,
irrigation systems, basins, gully plugs, dams and
infiltration swales and trenches. They store
water for ancillary use or allow more time for
water to percolate in the ground and thereby
recharge the water table.
Urban planners have historically concentrated on
controlling runoff from ground-level