University of Idaho – Integrated Research & Innovation Center

The project scope included construction of a three-story building and approximately half an acre of landscaping, including rain garden detention ponds and a custom-designed green roof that wraps all three stories in native meadow grass. The detention ponds were designed to mitigate stormwater runoff from the building roof and surrounding surface hardscape, and are planted with native water birch and masses of ornamental grasses. The green roof starts at finish grade and rises 32 feet in elevation with slopes exceeding 2:1 in numerous locations. The SPVV team used a specialized green roof system manufactured by American Hydrotech to hold lightweight soilless mix in place while providing nutrients and medium for native meadow grass to thrive and grow. The rolling grasses of the IRIC green roof gesture to the rolling hills of the Palouse that surround Moscow and the University of Idaho. Places to gather, host events, or conduct outdoor lectures abound onsite. On the ground-floor level, 16-foot-high roll-up doors open onto an expansive patio adjacent to the rain gardens; the second- and third-floor levels have smaller, intimate patios adjacent to the green roof. An expansive set of stadium stairs embossed with the University of Idaho emblem rise alongside the green roof, creating the perfect place to study, people watch, or grab lunch in the warm sunshine. The entire site is irrigated using reclaimed water.