Home to AIBTM, Baltimore and the Baltimore Convention Center, has put sustainable practices at the top of their agenda, attracting an increased number of meetings to the city. Research has shown that meeting planners in the US are more likely to choose cities with sustainable practices and polices.
The Baltimore Convention Center is taking major strides in their sustainable development by working towards a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification (LEED), issued by the Green Building Council. The most visible project is the transformation of the Center’s 27,497 square foot Outdoor Terrace into a “Green Roof”. Almost half of the space 12, 245 square feet will be set aside for vegetative roofing. The remaining space will be hardscape, a portion of which will include a water feature which will use the Center’s two current shallow pools with their self-contained recirculation water system. A portion of the vegetation planned for the project will require no maintenance or watering whatsoever.
Additionally, the roof will be home to a variety of flowers including Maryland’s own Black Eyed Susan, cone flowers, lavender and a host of other variety of flowering and non flowering plants as well as edible herbs. These will be used by the Center’s kitchens.
The benefits of this project include increased insulating efficiency that will result in a lower energy use, and increased roofing life, a reduction of roof maintenance, not to mention, an improved aesthetic appeal that will promote more use by attendees. Baltimore will benefit by a reduction in storm water runoff deposits causing a reduction in pollutants in streams, reservoirs, lakes and other systems.
