The New School says of its upcoming building:
“Although gardens are rare in a place as densely built as Manhattan, the designers of the University Center found room for a front lawn of sorts: On the setback between the seventh and eighth floors will sit the Green Roof, carpeted with a leafy green flower called sedum. And in true New School fashion, the Green Roof’s purpose is interdisciplinary, providing both decoration and a boost to sustainability. The sedum plantings help cool and heat the center by providing an extra layer of sustainable insulation. Further, sedum allows the roof to absorb 40 percent of the rain falling on the building, which reduces impact on the city’s water system. The Green Roof, which is just one part of an overall water conservation strategy for the University Center, will reduce the building’s potable water usage by 74 percent and sewer discharge by 89 percent.”