Since energy prices began to rise, Towson-based architect firm Beck, Howell & Parsons has been swamped with calls.
Beck, Howell & Parsons specializes in energy efficient commercial, industrial and residential architecture.
“We?ve been doing it since the ?70s. We?ve done projects where they produce their own electricity. We?ve done work with solar power, recycled water and recycled oil.” said Peter Powell, a partner with the firm.
A green roof is basically a roof with live low-maintenance, drought and cold-resistant plants that help keep the building cool in summer and prevent storm drain runoff, Powell said.
The firm?s most recent job was installing a green roof on the roof of Northwest Honda in Owings Mills.
“I?ve worked with Pete for over 23 years,” said Ed Dreiband, owner of Northwest Honda.
The primary purpose of a greenhouse is to reduce storm run off to the Chesapeake Bay, Powell said, because there is less water going into storm drains. But he added that they don?t make a lot of sense for single-family homes because the energy-efficient savings aren?t that great compared to a green roof with a large area.
There are green roofs at the old Montgomery Ward warehouse in Baltimore, he added, although Beck, Powell and Parsons did not install it.
Powell said his firm has installed three waste oil-burning furnaces in car dealerships in Maryland. But he added that dealerships are better suit for such furnaces because they have a ready supply of used oil from the automobile oil changes they provide to their customer.
“Otherwise you will have to buy the oil from a supplier,” Powell said.
According to the company Web site, Beck, Powell & Parsons installs energy-efficient designs in health care facilities, religious and community buildings as well as shopping centers, schools and apartment buildings.
