KTKA

Three stories up, on a rooftop of K-State's Seaton Hall, two professors are checking on their plants.

"These are as large or larger than they often get, these plants already," K-State Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture Lee Skabelund said.

It's been about two months and the 20 plants covering the roof are already showing progress.

K-State professors Todd Gabbard and Lee Skabelund started the green roof to see if native Flint Hills plants would grow and if they will help reduce the roof's temperature.

In October, on an 80 degree day, the professors measured this roof at 120 degrees and after comparing the newly covered green roof with a gravel roof and a white roof, the professors say they are already seeing a difference.

"Temperatures are lower on this roof than they would be on the same kind of roof that didn't have a green roof on it," Skabelund said.

Todd Gabbard, K-State Assistant Professor of Architecture, explains the soil acts as an insulator and absorbs the radiation from the sun.

"It basically prevents that heat from getting inside," he said.

The cooler roof could save K-State thousands in energy bills.

"It can help stop the sun's ray from getting inside and making buildings very warm," Gabbard said.

They're also finding the green roof helps in stormwater runoff.

"It retains that water, holds it, reuses it in some degree and then lets it go off just like it would, kind of on natural Earth," Gabbard said.

The professors say it will take at least two growing seasons to see if the plants can survive on the roof.