February 20: Sandra Jasinoski – It’s Not Easy Being Green: Revitalizing and climate-proofing TRU’s green roof

The semi-arid climate of Kamloops, with large seasonal temperature fluctuations and low rainfall, poses many environmental challenges for a green roof that are further exacerbated by climate change.  Our goal is to revitalize the sloped green roof at Thompson Rivers University (est. 2010) to make it more climate resilient to extreme weather events and prolonged drought.  Our investigations revealed deficiencies in the green roof components and the non-native grasses were not thriving.  Our project uses a collaborative and holistic approach to identify and test drought-tolerant plants that are suitable for a harsh environment and can withstand future heat-related events and rising temperatures.

Biography

Dr. Sandra Jasinoski is a Research Associate in the Faculty of Science at TRU. She is also managing an interdisciplinary project, funded by a TRU Sustainability Grant, to investigate and implement green technology solutions on two buildings at TRU, including revitalizing and climate-proofing the green roof on the House of Learning.  Sandra is currently looking for additional opportunities to provide tangible solutions to increase sustainability in Kamloops.