search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • TOPICS
    • Cool Roofing
    • Event News
    • Latinos in Roofing
    • Low Slope
    • Legal
    • Metal
    • Project Profiles
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Roofing Safety
    • Steep Slope
    • Sustainable Roofing
    • Technology
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Best of Success
    • Contractor Profile
    • IRE Show
    • Roofing Contractor of the Year
    • Top 100
    • Young Guns
    • State of the Industry
    • Century Club
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Roofing Quizzes
    • IRE Videos
    • Webinars
    • Photo Galleries
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Featured Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Editor's Note
    • Exit Planning
    • Legally Speaking
    • Safety Advice
    • Technical Details
    • Guest Column
  • EVENTS
    • International Roofing Expo
    • Webinars
    • Best of Success Conference
    • Industry Events
  • DIRECTORY
    • Associations
    • Distributors
    • Manufacturer/Supplier
    • Business Services
    • Get Listed
  • MORE
    • Roofing Contractor eNews
    • RC Store
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Company Spotlights
    • Classifieds
      • Auctions
      • Business For Sale
      • Business Opportunities
      • Equipment For Sale
      • Positions Available
      • Products
      • Safety
      • Software
      • Services
      • Training
    • Contact Us
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Editorial Calendar
      • Contact
    • Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!
Columns

Technical Details: Ford Heritage Project: A Post-Construction Study

By John D'Annunzio
April 1, 2009
In 2004, Ford Motor Company integrated cutting-edge environmental design into its manufacturing facility with the construction of the Ford Dearborn Truck Assembly Building. The 1.15 million-square-foot facility was constructed at the Ford Motor Company Rouge River Industrial Complex in Dearborn, Mich. An environmentally friendly design was an integral part of the project from the outset.



In 2004, Ford Motor Company integrated cutting-edge environmental design into its manufacturing facility with the construction of the Ford Dearborn Truck Assembly Building. The 1.15 million-square-foot facility was constructed at the Ford Motor Company Rouge River Industrial Complex in Dearborn, Mich. An environmentally friendly design was an integral part of the project from the outset. Ford Motor Land engaged renowned environmental architect William McDonough to serve as the consulting architect with the project architects ARCADIS Giffels. The plan was to design a building that would allow the automobile manufacturer to produce vehicles efficiently and profitably in an environmentally friendly, modern and versatile manufacturing facility.

The resulting design not only succeeded in achieving the initial objectives, but it has become a template for future Ford Manufacturing facilities. The design allowed the building to achieve LEED status through the use of structural steel, natural lighting and the green roof assembly. Structural steel contributes to buildings’ sustainability because it is nearly 100 percent recyclable. Steel is one material that can be recycled repeatedly without losing quality. The structure was erected using nearly 8,500 tons of structural steel.

Natural lighting was also implemented in the design to reduce large-scale energy usage. To help provide natural lighting into the interior areas, a total of 36 gabled skylights (each 12 feet 6 inches by 25 feet) were installed in the roof of the manufacturing area. Ten monitors measuring 33 feet 4 inches by 100 feet were installed over the employee mezzanine. These installations bring natural light into the building and reduce the need for artificial light during the daylight hours. Photo sensors were installed in the artificial lighting to brighten or darken the lights as needed. This allows for an even distribution of light throughout the facility when the sun is in the clouds. To further enhance the natural lighting, all of the exposed steel was painted a bright white to provide reflectance and to lighten the spaces.

When the Ford Dearborn Truck Assembly Building opened in 2004, it had the distinction of housing the largest garden roof assembly in North America - and perhaps the world. The 454,000-square-foot (about 10.5 acres) living roof area was designed to control the water runoff from the roof area to the aging underground infrastructure. The actual roof construction was completed in 2002. As the roof enters its sixth year, we thought it would be a good idea to find out how the industry’s most famous vegetative roof has performed to this point.

Ford has commissioned a study to measure the performance of the 454,000-square-foot living roof on its Ford Dearborn Truck Assembly Building. (Photo courtesy of Giffels.)

The roof construction was completed by applying a conventional roof system over the structural metal deck. The roof construction consisted of a modified bitumen roof membrane set over rigid insulation. The SBS modified membrane consisted of a base ply and cap sheet set in hot asphalt. Isocyanurate insulation was fastened through the galvanized metal deck and cover board insulation was set in hot asphalt over the Isocyanurate layer.

The garden roof assembly consisted of protection board and a thin, four-layer growth media/drainage mat system. A low-maintenance perennial ground cover called sedum was placed over the membrane. Members of the design team traveled to Germany prior to the roof design to inspect garden roofs completed using systems designed by Xero Flor, an international firm specializing in green roofs and other related systems that were used on this project.

The primary intent of the living roof application was to filter storm water and minimize the storm water runoff. The total building size is 1.15 million square feet, and it was determined that the capacity of the runoff would exceed the capabilities of the complex’s aging sewer system, which was built in the early 1900s. The cost of a new sewer system would have been prohibitive and could have jeopardized the entire project.

Announcement of Green Roof Study

Roger Gaudette, the Director of Asset Management for Ford Land Corporation, has assembled a team of initial project participants to conduct a post-construction study of the roof’s performance to this point. Gaudette served as Ford Land’s point man and liaison between the designers and contractors during the facility’s development and construction phases. He was involved with the living roof from the project’s outset in 1999 and had input in materials and application methods applied in final construction.

Due to the overwhelming number of requests for information and data on the sustainable aspects of the living roof assembly, Ford has decided to conduct this study to provide the industry with a review of the roof system’s performance. There has also been some misinformation presented in some construction industry journals, which claimed the roof system has had numerous problems; this information was not substantiated by building occupants.

Gaudette chaired the first meeting in December 2008, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for March 2009. The goal of the study is to provide information on the roof’s performance from a waterproofing and living roof perspective.

Xero Flor, the manufacturer of the applied green roof system, has agreed to work with Michigan State University to develop testing and review criteria to determine the current diversity of the plant life and what level of irrigation is required. The group will also determine if the original sedum depth was sufficient and if there are any signs of shrinkage to the green system from the aluminum membrane strips. Maintenance and long-term care methods will also be determined.

Paragon Roofing Technology, the project quality assurance roofing consultants, will conduct a study of the membrane roof system to determine existing roof service life and compare roof performance in covered and uncovered areas. Testing will be conducted in accordance with ASTM standards for modified bitumen roof systems. The test cores will be extracted and repaired by Christen Detroit, the original roof applicator.

Ford’s environmental department will work with Giffels to develop a storm water study to determine water runoff levels. Giffels will also assist Ford’s Energy department with a study of the systems energy savings.

The testing will begin in the spring of 2009. Ford plans to publish the results of the study as a way to provide sustainable data to the construction industry. Stay tuned to Roofing Contractor for the study’s results.

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Jdannunzio
John A. D’Annunzio is President of Paragon Roofing Technology Inc., a construction engineering firm he founded in 1989. He is the editorial director of Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing and a technical columnist for Roofing Contractor. He has published more than 100 articles and has written four books on building exterior issues. For more information, visit www.paragonroofingtech.com. He can be reached at 248-936-8744.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Roofing Contractor Group Publisher Jill Bloom

    Physics, the Power of Authenticity and You

    In February's Publisher's Note, Jill Bloom describes a...
    Columns
    By: Jill Bloom
  • The Family Food Fare supermarket in Midland, Mich.

    ‘Rooftop Ninja’ Discovered Living on Roof, Inside Grocery Sign

    A bizarre tale out of Midland, Mich.: a woman dubbed the...
    Roofing News
    By: Bryan Gottlieb
  • A before and after heat measurement comparison

    How Hot is Too Hot in the Attic?

    If the ventilation is working, how hot should the attic...
    Sustainable Roofing
    By: Paul Scelsi
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Sign Up for the eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Roofing Contractor audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Roofing Contractor or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • An overhead view of a residential block
    Sponsored byCBIZ CompuData

    From Spreadsheets to Strategy: How Roofing Companies Can Transform Financial Operations

  • Snow Guard Solutions for Metal Roofs by S-5!
    Sponsored byS-5!

    Safeguard Your Building: How Snow Guards Prevent Costly Roof & Property Damage

  • A hand holding a wooden block that reads 'EVOLVE'
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Embracing Change: A New Era for the Roofing Industry

Popular Stories

Agentes de ICE arrestaron a casi una docena de empleados de una empresa de techos en Lowell, Massachusetts. Los arrestos son parte de una redada federal más amplia contra la contratación no autorizada y las violaciones migratorias en Boston.

ICE Redondea a Equipo de Techos Afuera de Boston

QXO CEO Brad Jacobs will share the company’s strategic vision today at the Wolfe Research Global Transportation & Industrials Conference in New York following its acquisition of Beacon Roofing Supply..

QXO’s Brad Jacobs Charts Growth at Wolfe Research Conference

Florida has become the focal point for construction-site raids, attracting national attention and altering labor dynamics throughout the industry.

Florida Emerges as the Epicenter of ICE Raids

Roofing Contractor Webinar

Events

December 3, 2025

The Premier Roofing Conference: Best of Success

Join roofing professionals from across the nation at the 2025 Best of Success conference, the ultimate destination for roofing professionals seeking the latest industry insights and networking opportunities. Pick up strategies for critical challenges like workforce shortage with innovative solutions, explore the latest advancements in roofing technology and sustainable practices, and gain valuable insights from industry leaders on navigating the evolving roofing landscape.

View All Submit An Event

Related Articles

  • Technical Details: Establishing A Roof Asset Management Program

    See More
  • TECHNICAL DETAILS: Fixing a Hole Where The Rain Gets In

    See More
  • TECHNICAL DETAILS: Metal Roof Details

    See More
×

Be in the forefront of the roofing industry!

Join thousands of professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing