All photos provided by SWT Design.
By Don Corrigan
Roof gardens, designed to increase green space and energy efficiency, got a work out in our red hot summer of 2023. Summer temperatures soared above 100 degrees in St. Louis and beyond. So, how did these roofs do?
“They did well. They did what they are supposed to do,” declared Ted Spaid, the green force behind SWT Design near the northeast corner of the intersection of Big Bend and Laclede Station roads.
Spaid knows what he is talking about. He’s been designing the green, environmental-friendly roofs for several decades. He puts his money where his mouth. The Shrewsbury company has built its own green roof.
Spaid loves it. He hits the roof whenever he can. He and his SWT Design team use it to show off their work to clients. They use it for lunch and coffee breaks. They take pride in how it keeps down energy costs on site.
“This was an exceptionally hot summer around the country, and with climate change, it’s going to get worse,” said Spaid. “This presents a challenge in looking at new materials and new plants for roof designs.
Spaid said he thinks of green roofs as glades. He actually takes time to explore glades in the Missouri Ozarks to see what the sandy soils are doing, and to see what plants are thriving in the desert-style heat.
All Photos Provided By SWT Design.
Succulent prickly pear cactuses are always dependable. People might be surprised at how many grow in Missouri. There are likely to be more of them living here as thermometers register hikes in the heat.
“Exploring glades is fun, and a real plus being located in St. Louis is the Missouri Botanical Garden here,” said Spaid. “MoBot is very helpful suggesting different plants to try out and to help us learn what can live in shallow, dry soils.”
SWT Design concedes that roof gardens require a bit of maintenance and tweaking, but the payoff is multi-faceted. The company’s list of clients is impressive and includes St. Louis Zoo, Washington University, Webster University, Missouri Research Park, and more.
“We’ve really enjoyed our work with Bass Pro Shops,” said Spaid. “We’ve been involved with 50 of their locations. Part of their brand is to get people into the outdoors. We can assist with that mission at their sites.”
Extensive or Intensive
Members of the design team explain that there are two kinds of roof gardens. The “living laboratory” at their SWT campus at 7722 Big Bend Boulevard is classified as an extensive roof garden.
An extensive roof garden has a shallow soil base with very little organic material. The plants have to be able to thrive in sandy, rocky materials that do not hold water. Water drainage is part of the package.
Intensive roof garden systems can be measure in feet of soil, rather than mere inches of soil. These gardens can contain shrubs and larger shade plants.
“Anybody who wants to try this at home, whether an extensive or intensive system, needs to know that there is going to be a need for reinforcement of the roof,” Spaid explained. “We do this reinforcement with our high-end residential work.”
The payoffs with installation of green roofs are numerous. The SWT Design team enjoys counting off the benefits. They include:
• Lower interior temperatures with 30-40% reduction in energy costs.
• As much as 95% storm water management on site.
• Added recreational space that is aesthetically pleasing.
• New habitat for pollinators, invertebrates and vertebrates.
• Reduction in the urban island heat effects and global warming.
“As we look to address our soaring temperatures, a part of the equation has to be better use of energy and energy efficiency,” said Spaid. “Green infrastructure can be just as important as electric, gas, water, or sewer infrastructure.”
Sustainability Studies
Looking back on his own career, Spaid said he was introduced to green sustainability issues while working on the grounds crew at MoBot when he was a student at Southwest High School.
“I met Dr. Peter Raven at MoBot. He was so generous with his time with young people interested in plants,” recalled Spaid. “He actually got kids interested in what plants do, how they interact with their environment.”
Spaid was inspired to major in landscape architecture at Kansas State University. He also was inspired to “pass it on” by having classes of students come to SWT Design to see the rooftop garden phenomena and to talk plants.
In 2012, SWT Design became the first design firm in the world to have its own business campus certified under the Sustainable SITES rating system. The rating is from the global Green Business Certification program.
This certification comes after SWT Design has made many enhancements to its Shrewsbury site. The building was originally part of the Murdoch Farm, owned by John Murdoch, who was an officer in the Civil War.
The last people to live in the house were Emmett and Rose Fitzgerald from 1937 to 1983. After several commercial incarnations, the building went green and was expanded after SWT Design acquired it in the fall of 1998.
SWT Design has grown from five employees in 1998 to 31 today. The company expanded to Kansas City in 2016 and to Louisville, Kentucky, in 2019.
Environmental Echo 