Mention green roofs around the MSU community and chances are Brad Rowe’s name will come up.

Rowe (Horticulture) has been studying green roofs ever since Ford Motor Co. asked MSU to help install a 10-acre green roof at the River Rouge plant in 2003.

Since then, Rowe has been researching what plants work best on rooftops in different regions, managing water stress levels and reductions in storm water runoff. Results have been promising.

Rowe draws inspiration from European countries, where modern green roofs have been commonplace for more than 50 years.

His latest project at MSU looks at the viability of growing vegetable gardens on rooftops – a practice most effective in urban areas.

“Why not grow [vegetables] on the roof?” Rowe asks in the video. “It’s wasted space.”

– Andy Balaskovitz