By: Deborah Johnson Wood
LiveRoof is constantly working on its new easy-to-install and scientifically-tested pre-grown vegetative roofs for the construction industry, and as the company moves toward the halfway mark of it's second year, plans to add two employees are underway.
The Spring Lake company, a subsidiary of Hortech, invented a patent pending 'green' roof system that delivers pre-grown modular sections to builders for "instant" commercial and residential installation. 'Green' roofs help control heating, cooling, and storm water runoff.
LiveRoof hired 10 growers this year, and need one more who will work specifically with the plants for the LiveRoof system.
"Our growers and sales people have to know the basic engineering aspects of roofs, slope, runoff properties—every job we've been involved with has had its own nuances," says David MacKenzie, general manager. "We work with draining, containment methods, soil chemistry, plant growth, and sometimes hydraulics with water flow and water pumping for irrigation."
The growers conduct on-site testing of potential roofing plants in conditions typical for a rooftop, learning why some plants work and others don't, and even which plants produce certain colors for customers who want to stylize their roofs.
"One company created their logo with the plants," MacKenzie says.
LiveRoof also needs a computer programmer to track a variety of inventory. As the company grows, MacKenzie expects to create jobs that could be in production, shipping, administration, and management.
Hortech launched LiveRoof in June 2006, ending the year with zero sales. This year the company will log some $800,000 in revenue.
Source: David MacKenzie, LiveRoof
Related Articles
A Green Firm Grows
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.