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Onorato Plans To Make Courthouse 'Greener'

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May 12, 2009 4:33 pm US/Eastern

Onorato Plans To Make Courthouse 'Greener'

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The roof of the county office building on Forbes Avenue is nothing extraordinary right now, but in a few months - it will be transformed into a green roof - complete with a plant garden.

At the same time, the courtyard at the county courthouse will be transformed into a rain garden.

Both projects are a part of the County Executive's Allegheny green project.

"Both of these projects will save energy, reduce storm water run off and cut down on the amount of the pollution reaching our rivers," said Onorato.

Even on a day like Tuesday when it's not that hot, you see the effect the sun can have on the roof of the county building.

With a green roof made up of plants and shrubs, temperature controls become much more manageable because the surface will be covered with water proof fabric first - then planted.

"The roof will increase the buildings insulations, saving on heating and cooling costs," Onorato said.

Surveyors have already begun measuring space on the roof for the work to begin but there's no price connected to either project so far.

Half of the roof will remain intact to measure the difference between the storm run off on the two sides.

At the same time, work will begin on the courthouse courtyard which was a parking lot 30 years ago. It will soon become a rain garden.

Right now there's no firm time table for either project to be completed and the roof garden will not be open to the public.

But it is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

As for the courtyard work, it could be completed by the end of the summer.

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