PRESS RELEASE, Aug. 25, 2025
VANCOUVER, BC – We are pleased to collaborate with Van Dusen Botanical Garden to launch our first green roof education course in September 2025. While designed to reach a range of audiences, including gardeners and DIY champions, professionals can use the course towards continuing education credits.
Green roofs are effective nature-based solutions that protect water, climate and buildings, while enhancing human health and well-being, providing habitat for biodiversity, and bolstering climate resilience. These multi-functional tools can also manage rainwater, prevent flash floods, combat heatwaves, cool the urban heat island, and suppress fire.
Green Roofs 101 is a comprehensive course that provides an in-depth understanding of green roof design, installation and maintenance, with an emphasis on BC. It explores roofing fundamentals, design intents, construction details, plant selection, best practices, and emerging technologies such as blue-green and solar green roofs.
The course will be delivered over 3 Saturdays (18 instructional hours total) by subject matter experts, many of whom have higher education teaching experience in BC. Through a combination of lectures, discussion, and practical exercises, students will integrate theoretical knowledge with experiential learning for a well-rounded experience.
GRIN co-founder, Dr. Karen Liu, said: “Green roofs have a long history in BC. From traditional kekulis to Cornelia Oberlander’s early installations, the industry has evolved and so have our cities. Coquitlam was the first Canadian municipality to mandate green roofs in 2008. They are integral to Vancouver’s Rain City Strategy. The knowledge base has grown a lot over the past 20 years, along with technical standards and municipal policies. Professionals wishing to update their knowledge of these exciting developments will not want to miss this course! The course also serves for continuing education credits.
GRIN Executive Director, Dr. Christine Thuring, said: “We’re delighted to engage a bright collective of instructors to deliver these courses. Our aim is to advance understanding of green roofs and other nature-based solutions, to promote best practices, and to build capacity on their design, installation, and maintenance. GRIN’s educational content is designed to reach a range of audiences, from professionals, DIY champions, and policy makers, to children and youth. Virtual courses are coming soon.”
GRIN’s mission is to establish an interdisciplinary network of green roof champions united to advance the widespread implementation and appropriate policies, planning, design and maintenance of green roofs and stormwater infrastructure in BC.
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