We love April at Security Public Storage! In addition to all of the blooms and new growth, it’s the month we celebrate Earth Day, one of our favorite holidays. Collectively, it’s more important than ever to find ways to protect and restore the planet. At SPS, we’re always looking for ways to make our business practices more sustainable. The earth should be on our minds more often than one day in April, and one of the ways SPS celebrates year round is with our living roof in Bethesda.
March 28, 2022
Growing to Great Heights in Bethesda
Back when SPS added the 5223 building at our storage location in Bethesda, Maryland, we had a living roof installed as a way to offset our greenspace requirements from the county. Over the past year, the roof has been under stewardship with a company called Furbish. Stewardship of Bethesda’s living roof includes an irrigation system, removal of debris and plant material in drainage areas, removal of invasive weeds, and planting wildflower seeds. Between March 2022 and March 2023, we have watched the living roof in Bethesda thrive.
June 29, 2022
A Meadow of Wildflowers Above the City
The team at Furbish installed a digital camera that has been documenting the growth of our meadow-style green roof in Bethesda. We’ve been able to watch the progress of this green space above the city and seeing nature take its course evokes a special feeling. Watching the transformation of the roof from a barren, frozen landscape to a meadow of wildflowers is a perfect metaphor as we welcome a new spring season and shake off any icicles remaining from winter.
June 29, 2022
Benefits of Green Roofs in Urban Settings
Green roofs, or living roofs, like ours in Bethesda offer benefits for both the environment, as well as to our building itself. Unlike a black tar roof, green roofs reduce energy costs by absorbing heat instead of attracting it and they provide natural insulation for buildings. A green roof’s plants remove air particulates, produce oxygen and provide shade. In urban environments like ours in Bethesda, green roofs also help reduce and slow stormwater runoff. Urban areas have so many hard, impenetrable surfaces, that stormwater runoff increases. The ability of a green roof to absorb and filter water lowers the risk of flash floods and sewer overflows.
Happy Earth Day from SPS!
We love celebrating Earth Day and all of the natural wonders we’re lucky enough to experience on this beautiful planet. Here at SPS, we’re always looking for ways to make our business and operations more eco-friendly and sustainable. The living roof in Bethesda, along with retention ponds and sustainable, natural landscaping at other SPS locations, are a few ways we incorporate the planet into our operations. Visit our green initiatives page to learn more about how SPS does our part to preserve and protect the earth.
Happy Earth Day! How are you going to care for the earth today?