Green Energy Technology (GET) in the City

Since 2008 Michigan Energy Options has partnered with the Lansing Boys and Girls Club and Michigan State University to offer a continuation of the GET in the City program.  The collaboration this year focused on ways to solve the problem of urban heat islands and one of the solutions to the problem, green roofs.

Urban heat islands are a phenomenon that occurs when hot asphalt, dark buildings, and general lack of green spaces creates an “island” of heat in urban areas.  Michigan Energy Options developed and coordinated an educational curriculum that focused on green roofs (vegetated roofs) their background, the technology, the benefits and challenges they pose, as well as public policy and its role in the process.

The group took three field trips in the greater Lansing area to see several green roofs in action at the Plant and Soil Sciences building at MSU, the University United Methodist Church in East Lansing, and the Lansing Garden Project's Garden Resource Center where students were able to observe a green roof up close.

Visiting the green roof of Plant and Soil Sciences Building at Michigan State University

The children played a vital role in documenting their newly gained knowledge about green roofs using video and digital cameras and had the opportunity to interview local green roof leaders in the fields of horticulture, architecture, and small-scale food production. This information has been used to create a website and the GET City Blog to disseminate information about green roofs to the public.

Interested in learning more about green roofs? Check out our workshops and classes for upcoming events regarding sustainable building and green roofs.