Banorte Has an Integrative Green Roof: Receives More Than 800 Visitors
June 8, 2015 /3BL Media/ - Since 2013, Banorte has had a green roof on top of the Banorte - Ixe Contact Center in Monterrey, which consists of a system of natural space with vegetation-populated landscape installed on the building’s rooftop.
Banorte’s green roof has a total area of 2,650 m2, of which 1,784 m2 are landscaped. There are 40,000 samples of 72 cactaceae plants, of which 18 are listed under the Mexican Official Standard of species at risk (NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010).
It should be noted that 100% of the plant established on this green roof came from Management and Use of Wildlife Units; and, 20% was provided by rural enterprises formed by indigenous women from the Mixteca Region in the State of Oaxaca, thus supporting gender equality and the empowerment of women.
As a complement to the conservation of plant species, in June 2014, Banorte integrated on its green roof an environmental education program with the support from the Centro de Información y Comunicación Ambiental de Norte América, A.C. (CICEANA). With these and other elements (design, ad hoc infrastructure and organic maintenance), Banorte’s green roof has become an integrative green roof.
The educational program includes conferences, workshops and activities to reflect on climate change, water and wilderness, sustainable construction, biodiversity and food security, in which participants provide feedback through satisfaction surveys. From only June to December in 2014, 868 visitors from different stakeholders participated on this program.
Also, due to the multiple environmental benefits of green roofs, this project provides the institution a great opportunity for academic links to environmental research, to be considered in future initiatives.
