Ford Rouge Plant Green Roof

The roof of the 1 1 million square foot 100 000 m 2 dearborn truck assembly plant was covered with more than 10 acres 4 0 ha of sedum a low growing groundcover the sedum retains and cleanses rainwater and moderates the internal.

Ford rouge plant green roof. The living roof s primary function is to collect and filter rainfall as part of a natural storm water management system. Working together the living roof porous pavement underground storage basins natural treatment wetlands and vegetated swales significantly reduce the amount of storm water flowing into the rouge river while also improving water quality. And as large as it is the 10 4 acre living roof is just one part of an extensive natural storm water management system surrounding the dearborn truck plant. It s ten years since the start of construction of the green roof on top of the big river rouge plant.

World s largest green roof ford s dearborn truck plant has the world s largest living roof according to guinness world records. The 10 4 acre sedum roof insulates the building. A key element in the project s innovative landscaped system for stormwater management the ford dearborn truck plant s green roof is 454 000 square feet. In 1999 architect william mcdonough entered into an agreement with ford motor company to redesign its 85 year old 1 212 acre 490 ha rouge river facility.

At the behest of then chairman of the board bill ford the dearborn assembly plant at the company s historic rouge facility was rebuilt in 2000 as a green showpiece under the. The roof is composed of a drought resistant. The design of the new assembly plant includes people friendly features such as overhead safety walkways day lighting team rooms cooler air in the summer. Installed in 2003 the living roof on top of ford s dearborn truck plant is flourishing as an environmental touchstone amid the iconic rouge center.

By contrast rain and snow at the ford rouge center falls on acres of soft surfaces like the living roof where storm water is captured and cleansed. Kevin described it in treehugger in 2004. The rouge green roof marked its official tenth anniversary in april 2013.