2 Days. 2 Disciplines. 2 Ways to Participate.

Next Level’s Dr. Karen Liu and Patrick Li, principal and co-founder of EDA Collaborative Inc., will co-present a session at the joint Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) and the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA)  2GETHER conference in London, Ontario, this fall.

On September 21 and 22, the 2GETHER conference will explore the important role that professional planners and landscape architects play in the natural and built environments, including the ongoing climate crisis, racial and social injustice, the inherent rights and title of Indigenous Peoples, and other relevant topics impacting Ontario communities.

Patrick and Karen’s presentation,  GREEN ROOF FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT: WHEN FORM MEETS FUNCTION, is scheduled on September 22, 2022 at 8.30 AM and will look at how green roofs can help meet the Toronto Green Standard rainfall retention requirements and water balance target through retention and infiltration on-site.

Despite of the important role that a green roof plays in meeting the site’s water balance target, it often comes as an afterthought. The architect and civil engineer would bring in the landscape architect to put in a green roof after the building design is mostly completed, and the team would scramble inefficiently with the green roof size and design to meet the water balance target. A successful green roof requires collaboration of many disciplines. Landscape architects are uniquely trained to lead the design team and collaborate with colleagues in architecture, engineering, agronomy and horticulture.

In the first part of this presentation, Karen Liu will explain how to design green roofs to manage stormwater and meet water balance target. Armed with this knowledge, a landscape architect can come to the table sooner rather than later, become a valued member of the design team, expand his/her scope of work and take on a leadership role in the integrated design process. In the second half of the presentation, landscape architect Patrick Li will focus on a case study that demonstrates how a landscape-architect-led design team created a beautiful green roof not only to meet water balance target on site, but also contributes to the users’ enjoyment as functional and visual amenities.

Visit us at Booth 43 on the Tradeshow Floor

James Weldon, Technical Sales and Design Consultant will be onsite to meet with industry colleagues.  Please stop by the booth to learn about the latest stormwater detention technology and our other offerings.  Attending the 2Gether Conference virtually? Don’t forget to come and visit Next Level Stormwater Management’s offerings and video online.

Speakers Bios

Karen Liu, PhD, NLSM’s Green Roof Specialist, has been conducting green roof research since 2000. Before joining the private sector, Karen was a lead researcher of the green roof programs at the National Research Council and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She led the research teams on various green roofs in Ontario and British Columbia to evaluate their water balance and examine their potential in stormwater management. Karen was a key participant that developed the first national wind testing standard for vegetated roofing CSA A123.24. Additionally, Karen has vast practical experience on hundreds of green roof projects across North America, Europe and Asia.  Over her career, Karen authored and contributed to dozens of academic and technical articles.  In 2015, she received the F. Ross Browne Award.

Patrick Li, OALA, CSLA (FELLOW), ASLA, is a recipient of over 25 national and international design awards. Patrick is a Principal and co-founder of EDA Collaborative Inc and has been directly responsible for Master Planning, Urban Design and Landscape Development of major waterfront, parks, recreational, cultural and institutional projects for EDA since 1978. Patrick has served as a visiting design critic for the University of Toronto, the Beijing Forest University, PRA, the University of Waterloo and Louisiana State University in the United States. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing appointed him to serve as a jury member for the Ontario Renews Award Program. As a Toronto Botanic Gardens Board member, he was also appointed a jury member of the Canada Blooms Awards Program.

NLSM has supplied more than 2.5 M SQFT coast to coast