Belt Line Center PACE-funded Green Roof

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Detroit (FUA)

Region

Northern America

Short description of the intervention

The Belt Line Center building, located in Detroit, Michigan, property of Letts Industries, features a green-blue roof, along with a rain garden, showcasing the benefits of green infrastructure in historic properties. The idea for this retrofit emerged in 2015 after a major renovation, when Chip Letts, CEO of Letts Industries, recognized the potential of green infrastructure for long-term energy efficiency and storm-water management.
The initiative gained momentum in 2018, following the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department's (DWSD) introduction of new drainage fees, which charged $750 per acre of impermeable surfaces. The DWSD also offered up to 80% discounts for properties implementing green solutions, further incentivizing the project.
The project officially began in 2020 after securing PACE funding (Property Assessed Clean Energy funding, a financing mechanism that enables property owners to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation projects) from CounterpointeSRE (financial institution), marking the first use of commercial PACE financing for a green roof in Michigan. The green roof, covering 17,250 square feet, includes 300 square feet of pedestal pavers and a 2,500 square foot blue roof. These features enhance stormwater management, energy efficiency, and roof longevity; the center also incorporates two beehives to support local biodiversity.
These systems work in tandem with the ground-level rain garden to capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff, significantly reducing the impact on Detroit’s stormwater system. The project aligns with the city’s broader sustainability goals, including the Beltline Greenway initiative, which will pass directly behind the property, integrating the building into Detroit’s expanding network of green spaces and bike paths.
The Belt Line Center serves as a model for revitalizing historic buildings through innovative financing and sustainable design, enhancing Detroit’s environmental resilience. (Ref.1-5)

Website of the intervention

https://counterpointesre.com/2020/07/detroit-retrofit-models-use-of-pace-for-gr…

Principal problems

Climate-Related Hazards

Urban flooding (stormwater)

Environmental Degradation

Biodiversity loss

Other

Please specify other principal problem

increased drainage fees (Ref.4)

Implementation area characterization

Climate

Continental (Cold-summer humid continental, Cold-winter dry continental, Cold-summer dry continental)

Ecosystem

Urban or built environment

Address

1111 Bellevue Street
Detroit, 48207
United States

Location

The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).

Area boundary (map-based)

NBS area image

Source of NBS area image

Source: https://inhabitect.com/project/belt-line-center/

Total area

6503.00m²

NBS area

1858.00m²

Area description

Urban (main city)

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Building

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

2015

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2020

End date of the intervention

2020

Present stage of the intervention

Completed

2. Objectives of the intervention

Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

To install a green roof to improve the building's insulation, reducing energy consumption and enhancing overall energy efficiency.
To integrate a green and blue roof system along with a rain garden to capture, manage, and infiltrate stormwater, significantly reducing runoff and easing the burden on Detroit’s stormwater system.
To utilize the green roof to protect the building’s structure, extending its lifespan and reducing long-term maintenance costs.
To align the building's infrastructure with Detroit’s broader sustainability goals, including integration with the Beltline Greenway and bike path network.
To capitalize on Detroit Water and Sewerage Department's drainage fee discounts and secure PACE financing to fund the project, ensuring cost-effectiveness and financial viability.
To improve the building’s marketability by incorporating attractive green amenities, leading to higher occupancy rates and increased tenant satisfaction.
To install a large vegetated green roof to enhance urban greenery, helping to lower ambient temperatures, reduce the urban heat island effect in the surrounding area, improve air quality and reduce emissions (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4)

Key Priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)

Climate change adaptation

Climate change mitigation

Environmental quality

Air quality improvement

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Green space creation and/or management

Regeneration, land-use and urban development

Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development

Water management (SDG 6)

Stormwater and rainfall management and storage

Economic development and employment (SDG 8)

Real estate development

Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect

Implement green walls or roofs to lower indoor temperature and provide insulation

Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater

Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Install vertical or horizontal artificial surfaces that help with carbon storage and cooling

Implementation activities and NBS focus

Implementation activities

In 2020, several key implementation activities were carried out for the Belt Line Center. The project involved collaboration with Inhabitect, LLC, and Environmental Consulting & Technology (ECT) to design the green and blue roofs, as well as the rain garden. The green roof project is being facilitated by Inhabitect, a Traverse City, Michigan based firm that designs, builds and grows such projects nationally. Environmental Consulting and Technology, Inc. (ECT) a Gainesville, Florida based firm is providing ecology-based site civil and landscape design for the green stormwater infrastructure out of their Detroit and Ann Arbor offices. A 17,250-square-foot Hydrotech Garden Roof® Assembly was installed, covering over 80% of the retrofit roof area. This roof was planted with InstaGreen® Carpet and made watertight with Monolithic Membrane 6125®.
Additionally, two beehives were added to the green roof to promote cross-pollination in the surrounding area. A 2,500-square-foot blue roof was implemented to enhance stormwater retention and management, while 300 square feet of pedestal pavers were integrated to create accessible rooftop space. A rain garden was constructed to manage stormwater runoff not captured by the roof systems. This rooftop will capture approximately 60% of all rainfall with the additional 40% being managed by the at-grade rain garden. Finally, the project secured an 80% reduction in DWSD drainage fees through the installation of green infrastructure. (Ref. 1-4)

Type of NBS project

Creation of new green areas

Creation of green roofs and walls

Creation of semi-natural blue areas

Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens)

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented

Green areas for water management

Rain gardens

Sustainable urban drainage systems

Nature on buildings (external)

Green roofs

Amenities offered by the NBS

Other

Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS

two beehives (Ref. 3)

Design elements for well-being

Visual elements (e.g., expansive views, scenic views, natural light, diverse vegetation)

Auditory elements (e.g., birdsong, water features, quiet areas, rustling leaves)

Olfactory elements (e.g., floral scents, earthy smells)

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Provisioning services

Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes)

Regulating services

Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)

Air quality regulation

Carbon storage/sequestration

Pollination

Habitat and supporting services

Habitats for species

Scale

Spatial scale

Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)

Beneficiaries

Demographics in implementation area

"Belt Line Center has a growing community of artisans and creative entrepreneurs." (Ref.6)

Socio-economic profile of the area

Unknown

Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts

Non-government actors

Private sector/Corporate/Business

Primary Beneficiaries

Private sector/Corporate/Company

Specify primary beneficiaries

The primary beneficiary of the Belt Line Center initiative is Letts Industries, specifically its CEO, Chip Letts. The company directly benefits from the enhanced energy efficiency, extended roof longevity, and significant reductions in stormwater drainage fees resulting from the green infrastructure. Additionally, the increased occupancy rates and the appeal of the building to tenants, particularly artisans and creative entrepreneurs, further benefit Letts Industries by improving the building's marketability and profitability. The initiative also indirectly benefits the broader Detroit community by contributing to the city’s sustainability goals and stormwater management efforts. (Ref.5)

Marginalized groups

Unknown

Other beneficiaries

Local wildlife (e.g., birds, pollinators)

Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification)

City infrastructure (e.g., reduced flooding, improved water quality)

4. Governance and financing

Governance

Governance arrangements

Led by non-government actors

Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative

Letts Industries, the building owner, initiated the green roof and rain garden installation. CounterpointeSRE provided over $1 million in PACE financing, marking Michigan’s first use of this financing for a green roof, which facilitated the project's financial viability. The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD - utility company) supported the project through a grant from its Capital Partnership Program and offered significant drainage fee reductions. Inhabitect was responsible for designing and building the green roof and stormwater features, while Environmental Consulting and Technology, Inc. (ECT) provided ecological and landscape design services for the green stormwater infrastructure. Additionally, Wayne County and Lean & Green Michigan (regional body) enabled the PACE financing through local legislative support and participation in the PACE program. (Ref, 2, 5)

Key actors - initiating organization

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Regional government

Local government/municipality

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Financial institution

Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders)

Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)

Taskforce groups

Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Uncommon actors ("Missing actors")

Infrastructure & Management

Utility companies: water, sewage, etc.

Private Sector

Local businesses (e.g. stores, restaurants)

Land owners

Private sector or company

Policy drivers

NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy

Unknown

NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan

Unknown

NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan

Yes

Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"

Capital Improvement Program (1), part of city's strategy to increase acres managed by green stormwater infrastructure

Relevant strategy or plan

Water regulation strategy

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Voluntary (spontaneous)

Enablers & Barriers

Type of enablers

Change agents (individual with major role influence on launching)

Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)

Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives.

"Up to 80 percent discounts were offered, in particular for parking lot owners and manufacturers who reduce or eliminate storm water flowing off their property. In addition, Letts received a $50,000 grant from the city to help pay for the roof and garden." (Ref.4)
Chip Letts, the owner of the Belt Line Center, played a key role as a change agent in the project. His vision for integrating green infrastructure following the 2015 renovation drove the entire initiative. Letts identified the long-term benefits of the green roof and rain garden, making the decision to pursue these sustainable technologies. (Ref.4)

Governace and decison-making instruments

Strategic instruments (e.g. GI strategies, green space strategy or plans)

Economic and fiscal instruments (e.g. subsidies or grants, charges or fees, payments for ecosystem services (PES))

Arrangements for governance cooperation

Formal coordination mechanisms to oversee project implementation and decision-making (e.g., multi-stakeholder steering committees, working groups)

Task forces or commissions (e.g. group of multi-disciplinary experts)

Barriers

Unknown.

Financing

Total cost

€500,000 - €2,000,000

Please specify total cost (EUR)

CounterpointeSRE provided $1.02 million in capital, through PACE financing, to support the infrastructure designed by Inhabitect, LLC of Traverse City, MI and ECT, Environmental Consulting & Technology of Detroit, MI. The project additionally benefited from a $50,000 grant from the Detroit Water and Sewage Department. (Ref.1)

What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?

932,246.20 Euro ($1,035,185) (Ref.6)

Source(s) of funding

Public local authority budget

Corporate investment

Type of fund(s) used

Earmarked public budget

Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Yes

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Private sector (businesses, financial institution)

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of land

Co-finance for NBS

Yes

Co-governance arrangement

A fund / grant

Entrepreneurship opportunities

Business models

Risk reduction model

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Private for-profit actor (e.g. firm, insurer)

5. Evaluation and learning

Impacts, benefits

Environmental impacts

Climate change

Lowered local temperature

Expected lowered local temperature

Reduced emissions

Achieved reduced emissions

Energy efficiency improvements

Achieved energy efficiency improvements

Environmental quality

Improved air quality

Expected improved air quality

Water management and blue areas

Improved stormwater management

Achieved improved stormwater management

Green space and habitat

Increased green space area

Achieved increased green space area

Enhanced support of pollination

Achieved enhanced support of pollination

Description of environmental benefits

-Achieved energy efficiency improvements: “Supporting our business community to achieve increased energy efficiency at no expense to taxpayers is why PACE is a proven driver for our region’s economic growth. " (Ref. 2)
-Expected lowered local temperature: “Energy and maintenance costs are saved but that is not all. Green roofs provide triple bottom line benefits, including onsite stormwater management, habitat creation, and reduction in the heat island effect,” (Ref. 2)
-Reduced emissions/Improved air quality: "This project will result in a reduction in CO2 emissions equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road each year, or eliminating 462 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere" ; "Green roofs such as what Inhabitect and ECT have designed for the Letts Industries Building are of interest to us because they reduce carbon, protect the waterproofing membrane and improve cash flow for owner" (Ref.2, 6).
-Improved stormwater management: "the green roof will provide the building with energy efficiency and stormwater management" (Ref.1).
-Increased green space area: "In addition to the 17,250 sq. ft. vegetated green roof, 300 sq. ft. pedestal pavers, and 2,500 sq. ft. blue roof, the project’s rain garden will supply a secondary measure of stormwater management — providing infiltration of any stormwater runoff that’s not already captured on the rooftop." (Ref.4).
-Enhanced support of pollination: "includes two beehives to promote cross pollination in the area" (Ref.5).

Environmental impact indicators

Green space area created (in ha)

0.16 (Ref.3)

Economic impacts

Reduce financial cost for urban management

Achieved reduce financial cost for urban management

Attraction of business and investment

Achieved attraction of business and investment

Description of economic benefits

-Reduce financial cost for urban management: "80 percent discount on drainage fees" (Ref.4). "estimated 19% reduction in whole-building energy use that makes the project immediately cash flow positive." (Ref.2)
-Attraction of business and investment: "The green roof and rain garden, viewed as attractive amenities, have raised the occupancy rate of Letts’ new Beltline Center to over 70 percent." (Ref.4)

Evidence for use of assessment

Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Name of any specific impact assessment tools

Unknown.

Use of GIS in mapping impacts

No evidence in public records

Cost-benefit analysis

Unknown

Transparency

Public disclosure of project funding sources and/or budgets

Justice

Community satisfaction

Positive: The majority of feedback and reports indicate high levels of satisfaction and appreciation for the NBS project within the community.

Description of locals satisfaction with the project

“It is fantastic to see PACE financing applied to green roofs, a technology that delivers tangible benefits to building owners and the community. This is undoubtedly the first project of what promises to be many more in the years to come,” (Ref.2). “It’s all working well,” he [Chip Letts] said in an interview. “I’m happy.” (Ref.4)

Trade-offs & Negative impacts

Unknown

Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement

No initiatives or policies were implemented

High-quality & Transformative NBS

Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community)

Goal setting and impacts delivery

No, project goals were not set, and benefits were not delivered in all 3 key areas.

Reaching original project goals

Most of the project goals were achieved

Please specify the achievements of the project goals

Climate action Goals:
-Achieved energy efficiency improvements: “Supporting our business community to achieve increased energy efficiency at no expense to taxpayers is why PACE is a proven driver for our region’s economic growth. " (Ref. 2)
-Expected lowered local temperature: “Energy and maintenance costs are saved but that is not all. Green roofs provide triple bottom line benefits, including onsite stormwater management, habitat creation, and reduction in the heat island effect,” (Ref. 2)
-Reduced emissions/Improved air quality: "This project will result in a reduction in CO2 emissions equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road each year, or eliminating 462 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere" ; "Green roofs such as what Inhabitect and ECT have designed for the Letts Industries Building are of interest to us because they reduce carbon, protect the waterproofing membrane and improve cash flow for owner" (Ref.2, 6).
-Improved stormwater management: "the green roof will provide the building with energy efficiency and stormwater management" (Ref.1).
-Increased green space area: "In addition to the 17,250 sq. ft. vegetated green roof, 300 sq. ft. pedestal pavers, and 2,500 sq. ft. blue roof, the project’s rain garden will supply a secondary measure of stormwater management — providing infiltration of any stormwater runoff that’s not already captured on the rooftop." (Ref.4).
-Enhanced support of pollination: "includes two beehives to promote cross pollination in the area" (Ref.5).

Long-term perspective

Yes

Cost-effective solutions

Yes

Equitable impacts

A. All stakeholders benefit fairly from the project

Transformative capacity

Technical change (e.g. built infrastructure of cities and their parts, roads, buildings and so on)

Magnitude of change

Reformist: by focusing on addressing underlying drivers of change but failing to address the problem structurally or systemically

Application of lessons learned

The NBS has been shared or used as a good practice to trigger transformative change

Perception of Environmental Change

Unknown

6. Sources

References

Counterpointe Sustainable Real Estate (2020). CASE STUDY: LETTS INDUSTRIES BUILDING. Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Counterpointe Sustainable Real Estate (2020). Detroit Becomes Home to Michigan’s First PACE-financed Green Roof with C-PACE from CounterpointeSRE. Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Inhabitect LLC (n.d.). Belt Line Center. Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Schneider, K. (2021). Water could make the Great Lakes a climate refuge. Are we prepared?. Bridge Michigan, Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

American Hydrotech (n.d.). Belt Line Center. Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Lean&Green Michigan (2020). Belt Line Center. Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Griswold, N. (2024). PACE Financing + Green Roofs – It’s the next BIG thing!. Living Architecture Monitor, Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Comments and notes

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