The green roof located on the building has an array of sedums plantings that help absorb rainwater. These plants are able to tolerate the weather on the roof and attract local birds and inspects. They also aid in rainwater absorption since sedums store water in their leaves and roots.

Sedum species include but are not limited to the following:

Sedum album

Sedum aizoon

Sedum ellecombianum

Sedum floriferum

Sedum hybrium

Sedum calycinum

Sedum sieboldii 

The membrane underneath these plantings helps extend the overall life of the building’s roof and the entire system helps insulate the building and create sound barriers.

Green roofs such as these are very important in reducing what is know as the “Heat Island Effect” where urban areas are substantially hotter than surrounding rural areas. This issue creates increase in the overall city’s energy usage and can create poor air quality for Philadelphia.

The stormwater basin which you see outside also is largely responsible for rainwater collection at the Stephen A. Levin Building. The photo shown was taken during construction and illustrates the geo-textile fabric which slows the absorption of water being collected. This system helps prevent “combined sewer overflow events” which occur when parts of the Philadelphia sewer system capacities are exceeded and water is discharged untreated into nearby waterbodies to prevent local flooding. This system is found in most older cities and it creates issues with contamination and degradation of our local waterbodies which is why stormwater management has become so important on campus and throughout our city.