Ford Rouge Plant Living Roof

One of the henry ford s 3 must see attractions.

Ford rouge plant living roof.

Visit the ford living roof and benefits page and plan your visit during the ford rouge factory tour call center. Of all the innovations coming out of the revitalization of the ford rouge center nothing has attracted more interest than the living roof now growing on top of the new dearborn truck plant final assembly building. Visit the legendary ford factory making america s most iconic truck the ford f 150 and experience the assembly plant walking tour innovation theatre and living roof. The roof is covered with 10 4 acres of sedum a genus of perennial plants that tops a 3 in thick four layer system incorporating a root resistant membrane a drainage layer a fleece mat and a vegetation blanket see schematic.

The soils and grasses that comprise functional living roofs absorb water just like the soil and plants in a healthy landscape. In 1999 architect william mcdonough entered into an agreement with ford motor company to redesign its 85 year old 1 212 acre 490 ha rouge river facility. Within five days of the roof going down local killdeere had nested and laid their eggs in the sedum. A green roof was the most compelling solution to the stormwater problem at the rouge.

Ten years post installation north america s largest living roof about the size of eight football fields continues to flourish atop dearborn truck plant s final assembly building part of the ford rouge center. The roof of the 1 1 million square foot 100 000 m 2 dearborn truck assembly plant was covered with more than 10 acres 4 0 ha of sedum a low growing groundcover the sedum retains and cleanses rainwater and moderates the internal. Ford rouge factory tour henry ford museum of american innovation and greenfield village. Installed in 2003 the living roof on top of ford s dearborn truck plant is flourishing as an environmental touchstone amid the iconic rouge center.

The idea made intuitive sense.