Doane Stuart School Rensselaer New York

Installed in 2014, Doane Stuart is a 22,000 square-foot biodiverse roof garden. Funded by a $1.4 million grant from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, the roof reduces stormwater runoff, improves insulation and decreases energy use and expenses. Students participated in discussions of the landscape design, which includes a patio, central garden, outdoor science lab and accessible green space. Students also studied weather patterns, seed-dispersal and biodiversity to determine the types of plants and animals that could thrive on the roof.