A number of pre-scheduled tours will begin mid-June 2010 - Check back for more details.

For more information or to schedule a tour contact:  Lisa Bailey 215-247-5777 ext. 157 or email: baileyl@exchange.upenn.edu

 

See all topics

The LEED® Platinum rated horticulture complex is made up of 4 separate structures:

See all topics

The Horticulture Center was designed in accordance with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System, which provides a standardized approach to environmentally sustainable construction. The Arboretum is committed to “raising the bar” for itself as well as for the wider community; as such, it has achieved the highest level of LEED® Certification, Platinum, for the Horticulture Center project.  

 

What is LEED® certification?
LEED ® is a certification program for all international green construction, has third-party personnel to verify that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed to improve: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council® (USGBC®), LEED® provides building owners a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

How does LEED® work?
LEED® is a point based system where building projects earn LEED® points for satisfying specific green building criteria. Within each of the seven LEED® credit categories, projects must satisfy particular guidelines and earn points. The number of points the project earns determines the level of LEED® Certification the project receives.

 

LEED® Certification Categories for achieving points:

 

New Construction Certification Project Points and Levels:

 

Level of Certification	Number of Points Required
Certified	26–32 points
Silver	33–38 points
Gold	39–51 points
Platinum	52–69 points (Max. number of points =69)

 

For more information about LEED® Certification or the U.S. Green Building Council®, please visit: www.usgbc.org

 

See all topics

The following features of the Horticulture Center demonstrate the Morris Arboretum’s dedication to environmental stewardship, through reducing the Arboretum’s carbon footprint, engaging in sustainability best practices and qualifying for the LEED® Platinum Certification. 

See all topics

Geothermal power comes from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth, and thermos, meaning heat is power extracted from heat stored in the earth. Geothermal power is considered to be sustainable because the heat extraction is small compared to the Earth's heat content.

Geothermal power is cost effective, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.  Geothermal wells do release greenhouse gases trapped deep within the earth, but these emissions are much lower per energy unit than those of fossil fuels.  More and more construction projects are applying this clean energy technology for heating and air conditioning. 

 

The Horticulture Center uses a closed vertical, ground-source heat system that cycles water through a series of underground geothermal wells. This process will keep water for the building’s heating and cooling system at a constant temperature, with the end result of using one-fourth the energy of a conventional heating and air-conditioning system.

 

When the pipes are installed underground, they are placed into drilled holes in the ground called "geothermal wells." These wells are usually between 300 and 1,800 feet deep. The Morris Arboretum Horticulture center’s geothermal wells were drilled 400 ft. deep into limestone.  The constant temperature of the earth is then filtered through the geothermal wells into the Horticulture Center through a process known as geoexchange.

Geoexchange is the transfer of heat back and forth between the earth and an indoor space. Geoexchange is also known as a geothermal heat pump systems or ground source heat pump systems.  A geothermal heat pump can extract enough heat from shallow ground anywhere in the world to provide minimal heating for a home or small commercial building. 

Water circulates through the pipes, creating a connection below the frost line of the earth where the ground temperature remains at a constant 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. The geothermal wells systems of pipes are brought into the building and attached to a compressor and heat exchanger.  These wells connect with this heating and cooling equipment to circulate warm water through the building in the winter to warm it up, and pulling heat out of a building in the summer to cool it down.

Seasonal Changes:
During the winter, this equipment utilizes the higher temperature under the earth’s surface to raise the air temperature in indoor spaces through standard ductwork.

Winter example
Underground: 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit
Air Temperature: 20-40 degrees Fahrenheit

During warmer seasons, the equipment utilizes the constant temperature below the earth to cool or air condition indoors spaces.  Cooler water in the pipes draws heat from the building and deposits it back into the earth, making the room temperature inside the building more comfortable.

Summer example:
Underground: 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit
Air Temperature: 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit

When the average underground temperature is equal or close to the outdoor air temperature the least amount of energy is used to run the compressor and heat exchange equipment.

Benefits of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems

Indoor units eliminate the exposure to harsh weather conditions.

 

See all topics

A Green Roof is essentially a “living roof,” that – through plant cover –reduces a building’s absorption of ambient heat, thus keeping the interior cooler and more energy efficient.

 

Where are the green roofs located?
The Morris Arboretum Horticulture Center has two green roofs constructed on the top of two sloped garage roofs. Visitors can see these two roofs from the walking path to the entrance of the office building. Both roofs visitor’s can view from ground level along the walking path.  No access is permitted on the top of the roof where the plants are located.  The 4-Bay Garage is designed with a 4” soil depth that allows mainly sedums to be planted.  The 6-Bay Garage has an 8” soil depth that allows a more diverse group of plants and native grasses to grow.  These two roofs will serve as an educational exhibit for visitors and be part of an ongoing research study at the Arboretum.

 

Two green roofs are planted atop the Horticulture Center’s four and six bay garages will serve as examples of “extensive” and “intensive” green roofs.

 

What are the differences between the Intensive and Extensive Green Roofs at the Morris Arboretum?

 

	Intensive	Extensive
Depth of the Soil	8 inches deep	4 inches deep
Maintenance Required	High	Low
Type of Plants used	More diversity   Native Perennials and Prairie Grasses	Typically Sedums
Plant Growth	Varies up to 12-16 inches	Low-growing
Size of the Roof	3,750 sq. ft.	2,500 sq. ft.

 

What are the layers of a Green Roof?

The two roofs constructed have 11 layers of materials that are used to create the green roof.  The diagram below shows each layer of the roof.

 

What is the Artificial Soil on the Green roof?

Morris Arboretum green roof soil mix is:

• Lightweight coarse aggregate
• Sand-fine aggregate
• Coarse and fine organic matter, pH 6-7.

Other minor ingredients include:

• Diatomaceous earth
• Perlite

 

List of Plants on the Intensive (8 in. deep) Green Roof:

 

Scientific Name	Common Name
Pennisetum x	Foxtrot
Pennisetum alopecuroides	Little Bunny
Silene acaulis
Rhus aromatica	Grolow
Carex flacca	Blue Zinger
Tridens flavus
Thymus serpyllum	Pink Chintz, Coccineus, Albus
Rosemarinus officinalis
Juniperus horizantalis
Lavandula angustifolia
Achillea	Fireland (Feuerland)
Achillea	Terra Cotta
Allium cernuum
Allium schoenoprasum
Allium senescens subsp. montanum var. glaucum
Allium tuberosum	(also planted on the extensive)
Aquilegia Canadensis	Little Lanterns

 

 

List of Hardy sedums on the Extensive (4 in. deep) Green Roof:

Scientific Name	Common Name
Sedum acre	Gold Moss
Sedum album	Coral Carpet
Sedum floriferum	Weighenstephaner Gold
Sedum hispanicum	Purple Form
Sedum kamschaticum
Sedum Angelina
Sedum spurium	Red Carpet
Sedum spurium	Tricolor
Sedum John Creech
Sedum Blue Spruce/sub for Angelina

 

 

Sempergreen® Sedummix blanket was used to plant the extensive (4 inch deep) roof on the 4 bay garage. For more information about sedum mix blankets visit:
http://www.sempergreen.com/USA/products/vegetation_blankets/about_sedum.html

 

Why were sedums planted on the Extensive (4 in. deep) green roof?
Low-growing sedums tolerate variable roof conditions, aid in rainwater management,
and have year-round visual appeal.

Sedums:

- Store water in their leaves & shallow roots
- Survive in a wide range of conditions
- Display a variety of leaf & bloom colors
- Attract birds & insects

 

What are the benefits of planting a green roof at the Morris Arboretum?
Green Roofs:

 

See all topics

Solar Panels are located on the roof of one of the 3-bay garages at the Horticulture center. Photocell sensors will automatically dim the electric lights in use on bright days to reduce energy use at the Horticulture center.

 

A photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel is a packaged interconnected assembly of photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells. The photovoltaic module, known more commonly as the solar panel, is then used in a larger system that produces electricity.  Solar panels use light energy (photons) from the sun to generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect (this is the photo-electric effect).

 

Because a single photovoltaic module can only produce a limited amount of power, by combining several modules or panels increase the amount of power generated.  A series of panels will produce enough electricity for commercial or residence use.  

 

See all topics

Air Filtration
The office uses under-floor air distribution to provide individual control of temperature and ventilation. Each staff member has the ability to control the flow of air within his or her personal office work space. Operable windows along the perimeter of the office space combined with electronically operated clerestory windows also allow for natural ventilation. The building will be well insulated to eliminate infiltration of outside air and reduce the energy lost through the walls.

 

Interior Finishes

What finishes were used?
By using Low-VOC products helps to reduce landfill, groundwater and ozone depleting contaminants in the environment. These paints are the safest for your health and for the environment. The reduction of toxins with allergies and chemical sensitivities benefits staff by creating a healthy and comfortable work space.

Why are these paint products harmful to the environment and health?
Paints and finishes release low levels of toxic emissions into the air for years after application.  The source of these toxins is a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which, until recently, were essential to the performance of the paint.  New environmental regulations, and consumer demand, have led to the development of low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes. These new paints are durable, cost-effective and less harmful to human and environmental health.

 

See all topics

The Horticulture Center’s design and layout incorporates a lighting system that takes advantage of natural daylight through the use of skylights and roof monitors.  Light sensors automatically dim electric lights on bright days to reduce energy use.  

 

The buildings are positioned to face the sun during morning and afternoons hours in order to maximize the amount of sunlight used in the buildings.  Skylights and windows frame the outside of the building to collect natural sunlight and to minimize the amount of electricity needed in the interior space of the buildings.  All of the garages also, have doors made of glass to capture sunlight within the enclosed garage space.    

 

See all topics

The Horticulture Center’s water cisterns are large receptacles built to catch and store rainwater. To reduce water usage, rain runoff from the building is collected in the cisterns for use in irrigation of the landscape and supplied for the lavatories.  The surrounding landscape features native and drought resistant plants.  No permanent irrigation system will be installed; rainwater is collected and stored in a large underground cistern and will be used to supply a series of hose bibs for hand watering and other site maintenance operations.   

Office Building Cistern

The above ground water cistern can be seen from the visitor walkway to the entrance of the office building at the Horticulture Center.  The above ground cistern at the carpentry wing collects rain water from the adjacent roofs and stores it for toilet flushing.  4,800 gallon tank made of corrugated Galvalume®.  System has backup to domestic water in the event of drought.  In an average rainfall year, the Horticulture Center should not need municipal water for flushing toilets and urinals.

Garage Irrigation Cistern
Irrigation water is provided by these cisterns. There are two 2,500 gallon cisterns are located above ground next to the 6-bay garage.  These two cisterns are connected to a large underground cistern. The above ground cisterns in front of the 6 bay garage collect surface storm water and water from the green roofs for irrigation.

 

These are two separate systems with different purposes.  Together the systems (1) minimize storm water flows from the site, by mitigating the potential for flooding in a sensitive urban watershed; (2) minimize the demand for potable water, by reducing the process loads on municipal water systems; and (3) minimize out-of pocket operating costs by harvesting the rain that falls on site.

The cistern water will not be used for drinking or cooking. To keep a clean water supply, the cisterns must be kept clean. The cisterns must be inspected regularly, kept tightly sealed, and must be emptied occasionally to be cleaned and rinsed. 

 

See all topics

  

A portion of the LEED certification is the use of recycled or reuse of materials from the original site.  In the construction of the Horticulture Center, there was a demand to recycle, reuse and protection the on-site natural resources at Bloomfield Farm.  

See all topics

In addition to providing vital space to support the Arboretum’s daily operations, the Horticulture Center will help establish the Morris Arboretum, as a leader in “green” technology.  The Horticulture Centers sustainable design is the University of Pennsylvania’s first capital project to achieve the Platinum Level LEED® Certification, setting an example for sustainable design and construction on a local, regional, and national level. 

 

The University of Pennsylvania LEED® Initiative

 

LEED Buildings and Projects at Penn:

Green Roofs at Penn:

University of Pennsylvania development plan for the future of the campus and LEED certified building:  http://www.facilities.upenn.edu/sustain_built.php

 

Green Campus Partnership & Climate Action Plan at Penn:
http://www.upenn.edu/sustainability/environment.html

 

See all topics

Overland Partners, San Antonio, Texas	www.overlandpartners.com
M2 Architecture, Philadelphia, PA.	www.m2-arch.com
Andropogon Associates, Landscape Architecture, Philadelphia, PA	www.andropogon.com

 

See all topics