Included in the concurrent sessions, these 90 minute masterclasses will provide participants with practical and design focused learning opportunities.

**Presenter:** Bruce Dvorak FASLA, PLA | Professor, MLA Program Coordinator at Texas A&M University

**Presenter:** Dustin Partridge, Director of Conservation and Science, NYC Bird Alliance

Designing Green Roofs for Biodiversity

Cities face a pressing biodiversity crisis, with urgent need for nature-based solutions such as green roofs to support regional flora and fauna.

This masterclass aims to equip participants with the theoretical foundations and practical strategies for designing biodiverse green roofs that enhance ecosystem services in urban settings. Through interactive presentations, discussions, and a hands-on design exercise, attendees will explore innovative approaches at multiple scales and urban contexts.

Participants will team up to learn about the importance and performance benefits of biodiverse green roofs, understand accepted principles and methods for attracting biodiversity, and apply their knowledge by designing concepts for three green roofs in New York City.

The session is tailored for Green Roof Professionals, landscape architects, contractors, architects, maintenance professionals, and researchers dedicated to advancing urban biodiversity.

**Presenter:** Alan Burchell, LEED-AP, GRP, Principal of Urbanstrong

Integrated Solar Green Roofs Workshop

Beyond competing for space, solar panels and green roofing integrated together create powerful performance synergies. This session explores how combining these technologies maximizes ROI through reduced costs, enhanced energy yields and improved biodiversity. We’ll analyze market-ready proprietary systems, navigate NYC’s unique incentive landscape, and review real-world case studies of successful urban installations.

**Presenter:** Bill Browning, Founder, Terrapin Bright Green

Applying Biopihilic Design

Applying Biophilic Design is a workshop that explores the science of biophilia, introduces patterns of biophilic design, and includes an interactive exercise on how to support specific outcomes for users of your spaces.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of biophilia, particularly how people respond physiologically and psychologically to experiences of nature. The workshop will also examine pattern language as a design tool for bringing beneficial experiences of nature into the built environment, and provide an opportunity to practice crafting biophilic design strategies that support specific user outcomes.

Presenter: Lily Turner, WELL AP, Founder, Lily Scott Designs

Designing Green Walls

This masterclass covers the end-to-end process of designing and building high-performance living plant walls and preserved moss walls. Participants will explore structural systems and mounting frameworks, substrate selection and hydrology, plant specification for varying light and humidity conditions, and the irrigation and drainage infrastructure required to sustain vertical installations long-term. This session provides the technical foundation to design, specify, and execute with precision.

**Presenters:** Andy Creath, Founder, Green Roofs Colorado

**Gaurav Mathur**, Senior Product Manager, Landscape Irrigation, Hunter Industries

Designing Irrigation Systems

In an age when droughts are becoming more common and unpredictable, the proper design, installation and maintenance of an irrigation system for your green roof has become indispensable. This master class will provide you with details on various types of irrigation systems, how to determine what is required, control systems, water use efficiency, installation and standard maintenance procedures. It will also cover common challenges associated with irrigation and how to avoid them.

This session is tailored to landscape architects, architects, green roof designers, contractors, developers, and other professionals involved in the planning, design, installation, and maintenance of green roofs.

Designing Blue Green and Green Roofs for Maximum Stormwater

Presenter: Zach Waliullah, Senior Sales Rep, Sika Corporation

This 90 minute Master Class will provide a detailed overview of maximizing stormwater retention on green and blue-green roof systems, the design of those systems, and their real-world applications using various case studies and research as support.

More details coming soon.