If you’ve ever wondered how the process all works and how it can help you mitigate risk, save money, and create higher quality projects, read on for a short interview with Greg Raymond, Founder of Ecogardens and experienced Green Roof Project Manager.
Question: There are many benefits to bringing in a Consultant or Project Manager for your sustainability projects—especially green roofs. In your view, what are the top benefits and how do they relate to each particular stakeholder in a given project?
Greg: It depends. Most of the people we work with have a considerable degree of expertise in their field, but when it comes to green roofs, there are a lot of moving parts and it can be helpful to bring in folks like us who have done it effectively and economically, for years.
If you’re a Roofer, you’ll benefit from our deep understanding of products and systems. We’ll be able to tell you which products are best for your specific project or whether a built-in-place or modular system is a better solution for you. We have in-depth knowledge of each system available on the market as well as individual components and will guide you to the best solution for your project.
If you’re a Landscape Architect, there’s a variety of ways we can help. We can serve as your technical support as you create your design by offering knowledge of the best components and systems. We understand that systems aren’t one size fits all and we’ll make sure that what you specify matches up to your larger goals as well as your stormwater requirements.
We can also provide accurate budget costs to ensure that you’re designing something that will actually come to fruition and not be value-engineered out of the project. And finally, we can provide in-person quality control and assurance on the roof to make sure everything is being installed correctly. We’re basically there to help bring the Architect’s design to life.
If you’re an Owner or Developer, we can provide a turn-key solution from concept to completion or we can provide individual services depending on your needs. So whether you’re looking for design, budgeting, project oversight, or installation and ongoing stewardship, we can provide all of those services—or just the ones you need. We represent your goals while simultaneously partnering with the Engineer and the General Contractor to ensure smooth communication and execution of each project phase.
And finally, if you’re a General Contractor, we can review plans and provide input on the current designed system and make a variety of recommendations.
Was it designed correctly? Are the specified products or system going to work? Do any changes or improvements need to be made to not only meet the project goals but also meet your budget?
We can help navigate design challenges, suggest alternative components that better serve your project, or provide project oversight if needed.
After years of building green roofs, we have a deep understanding of the process and appreciate that consulting and project management can look very different depending on the stage of the project and who we’re working with. We know firsthand how many different solutions exist to every problem and we’re here to help.
Have a current project that you need help with? Or, an upcoming project on the horizon that you’d like help organizing? Contact us and we’ll get you started down the right path.