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    The green roof on Hillside Elementary School provides benefits to both the Hillside Elementary School and the Valley Creek Watershed. The green roof manages stormwater by reducing the volume of runoff and delaying the peak rate of runoff.  Temperatures on the green roof are moderated in the summer and the winter helping to reduce energy costs.
     
    The green roof covers more than 8,900 square feet and contains 19 different varieties of Sedum, a water-storing plant. Many of these Sedum varieties are flowering so the roof will change color with the seasons.  A special soil media is engineered to be extra lightweight so it can be used on rooftops.  The greenroof is designed as a low maintenance roofscape and will be self-watering and sustaining. 
     
    Students in kindergarten through fourth grade will learn about the new green roof when they study soil and plants. Samples of some of the plants and soil are already in the science classroom. Monitoring equipment is also installed on the roof so that Hillside students can track the green roof temperature as well as local weather conditions. In addition, there are two cameras which capture live views of the roof. To see, click on the "See it Live!" link to your left.
     
    Hillside Elementary School is sited within the Valley Creek Watershed which encompasses over 23 square miles within Chester County, ultimately draining into the Schuylkill River.  The watershed is considered a significant local, state and nationa resource and has been designated an Exceptional Value Watershed by the state of Pennsylvania. 
     
    Thank you for visiting our green roof website!