Green infrastructure consisting of porous asphalt and rain gardens was constructed at the Grace Episcopal Church in Syracuse, New York in 2013. The project was funded by Onondaga County’s award-winning Save the Rain program. The project was designed by Natural Systems Engineering and constructed by Lan-Co Companies, East Syracuse, New York. The photographs below were taken in the Summer of 2014, 1 year following construction.
Monthly Archives: September 2014
Onondaga Tower Green Roof Completed
Onondaga Tower Green Roof Begun!
Construction of the green (vegetated) roof at Onondaga Tower began on September 13, 2014. The building is the former HSBC Bank Building, a 15-story combined parking and office building currently owned by CBD Development Corp. The green roof is an approximately 5000 sq ft extensive vegetated roof funded by Onondaga County’s Save the Rain program. The green roof was designed by Natural Systems Engineering. Shaffer Building Services is performing the installation. The photograph below shows the placement of the growing medium, into which sedum will be planted.
Third Phase of Onondaga Commons Green Infrastructure Begun September 2014!
Construction began this month on the “Gar Building” green infrastructure project located at 414-416 W. Onondaga Street, Syracuse. This project involves converting a run down parking lot previously connected to the combined sewer to a porous asphalt installation with ornamental landscaping. Shown below is the stone infiltration basin and the base course of porous asphalt being installed are shown below.
Green Infrastructure Completed at JNJ Syracuse!
Construction was completed this month at the JNJ Syracuse restaurant site located at 725 E. Fayette St., Syracuse. The project consisted of porous asphalt to which runoff from the building was directed and added greenspace on site and in the “snow strip” adjoining Forman and E. Fayette Streets.
Green Roof at Graham Millworks Well-Established at 1 Year!
After 1 year, the extensive green roof at Graham Millworks located at Richmond Avenue in Syracuse is well established. The vegetated roof was planted in place in the Summer of 2013 using sedum plugs. This aerial view was obtained from a nearby building in September 2014. Green roof designed by Natural Systems Engineering, PLLC. Plants and soil supplied by Motherplants, Ithaca, New York.
Checking in on Erie-Bruce Green Infrastructure after 1 Year
The Erie-Bruce Green Infrastructure project located at 2112 Erie Boulevard East in Syracuse consisted of porous asphalt, porous pavers, and two bioretention areas. The site is characterized by sloping topography toward the office building, and clayey soils exhibiting low infiltration. The green infrastructure installed not only achieved the Onondaga County Save the Rain program objectives for retention of stormwater on-site, but did so in a manner that actually alleviated the flooding that sometimes occurred in the building related to storm runoff. Construction was completed in the Fall of 2013. Photos are from late Summer 2014.

Porous asphalt (foreground) and porous pavers (background) at Erie Bruce Green Infrastructure project
Natural Systems Engineering Featured in Short Enterprises’ “Startup Insider”!
The August 29th edition of Short Enterprises‘ “Startup Insider” features Natural Systems Engineering. The article discusses NSE’s contribution to the cleanup of Onondaga Lake through our green infrastructure projects and also presents our work in renewable energy. NSE’s designs of green roof, bioretention areas, porous pavements, stormwater infiltration planters (see photograph), green roofs, and rainwater harvesting systems are featured. NSE’s design of a geothermal heating and cooling system for an urban dwelling is also highlighted.