Pratt Institute

winning proporsal for North Hall green roof

Pratt Institute has just been awarded $475,000 by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for green infrastructure projects on our Brooklyn campus!

From NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's press release:

PR- 145-12
April 21, 2012

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND AWARD $4.6 MILLION TO PROJECTS THAT WILL PROTECT NEW YORK WATERWAYS

11 Innovative Projects Advance PlaNYC Goals to Improve Stormwater Management

Key Projects Incorporate Green Infrastructure at Bronx Zoo, The New School, Pratt Institute

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland today awarded $4.6 million in grants to community-based green infrastructure projects that will improve the water quality of New York Harbor by reducing combined sewer overflows. The 11 winners of the Green Infrastructure Grant Program represent a key component of the NYC Green Infrastructure Plan – launched by Mayor Bloomberg in 2010 to support PlaNYC’s goals for improved waterways. New York City, like other older urban centers, is largely serviced by a combined sewer system carrying stormwater and wastewater through a single pipe. During heavy storms, the system can exceed its capacity, and must discharge a mix of stormwater and wastewater—called a combined sewer overflow, or CSO—into New York Harbor. The winning projects cover nearly seven acres and will help meet the Green Infrastructure Plan’s core target to capture one inch of rainfall on 10 percent of the City’s impervious surfaces in combined sewer watersheds over 20 years. The winners will provide a total of $3.3 million in matching contributions for their selected projects. Key projects that will receive grants include green roofs at The New School’s Gold University Center building and the flagship campus of Pratt Institute, and a porous pavement parking lot at Bronx Zoo.

“New York City’s waterways are a critical resource that we must preserve, and by investing in these impressive projects, we are committing to improving water quality and meeting our PlaNYC sustainability goals,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Through creative, cost-effective approaches, we can better manage our stormwater overflows and the City is proud to have partnerships that make these solutions a priority.”

...

Pratt Institute
Amount:  $475,167
Location:  200 Willoughby Street, Brooklyn
Pratt has proposed a green roof and porous parking lot on their main Clinton Hill campus, which is within the East River watershed. The North Hall green roof, which houses the campus cafeteria as well as classrooms, will be planted with native species and monitored to measure energy efficiency benefits. The Cannoneer Court Permeable Parking Lot will retrofit the 100 parking space lot with bioswales, trench drains and plantings.  Pratt will monitor the effectiveness of this method as a potential model for citywide parking lot design.  Pratt Institute is providing up to $68,910 in matching funds for the projects.

“Pratt Institute is thrilled and proud to have been awarded funding from the Department of Environmental Protection Green Infrastructure Grant Program,” said Pratt Institute President Thomas F. Schutte. “Students, faculty, and staff throughout the Institute as well as Pratt’s local communities will have the opportunity to participate in all phases of these green infrastructure projects—from design and construction to maintenance and monitoring.”

ARC parking lot bioswale system proposal:

existing ARC parking lot:

existing North Hall roof:

The proposal was a collaborative effort between the Institute's Facilities Management team and the Urban Environmental Systems Management program.  The innovative designs are those of Urban Environmental Systems Management Professor Paul Mankiewicz.  Paul's designs and vision continue to be on the leading edge of green infrastructure within the City.  We are delighted to be granted the funds to have his designs implemented on campus.

I also wanted to recognize the very talented UESM students who served as the design team for this proposal.  The winning proposal could not have been completed without the excellent design and concept contributions of UESM students Leonel Lima Ponce, Rosa Munar and Yair Wolff!  Thank you all and congratulations! 

A unique component of our proposal is the integration of students, faculty and community at all stages of the projects.  This Summer, design and contractor professionals will work collaboratively with the facilities team, students and faculty to refine and complete each project's design.  Professors Elliott Maltby and Gita Nandan will guide this process during our Summer Green Infrastructure Design & Build course.  Once built the projects will be maintained and monitored by a team of student, Green Infrastructure Fellows. 

The projects will also serve as training grounds and classrooms for community based organizations providing green infrastructure training and students from our Center for Continuing and Professional Studies professional certificate in urban green infrastructure. 

We will be documenting the progress of these projects on this website, www.pratt.edu/esm. Follow us during this exciting initiative!