The Kansas City Zoo opened its newest exhibit, Polar Bear Passage, August 8, 2010. The Polar Bear Passage habitat will house Nakita, a 3 -year-old, 750-pound polar bear with over 18,000 square feet of realistic glacial rock work with simulated rock peaks over 25 feet tall, an ice and snow scenic waterfall that provides Nakita with a mist during warm Kansas summers. Diversified Construction installed the Green Roof or Live Roof system that covered the climate-controlled visitors center with 31,000 plants over the GAF PVC 60-mil Roofing System, drainage and irrigation systems. The Green Live roof project helped to enhance the exhibit by promoting a strong conservation message and enhancing the health and well-being atmosphere to the animals and visitors while increasing energy efficiency and reducing stormwater. The added benefits of reducing cooling costs through evapotranspiration, the plants create a thermal barrier between the sun and the building creating a barrier that keeps the cool air inside reducing air conditioning costs. This projects biggest challenge was, Nakita the 750 lb Polar Bear had already moved in.
Designed with LEED standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by international zoo design architectural firm PGAV Architects, and built by exhibit contractor COST of Wisconsin, Inc. with general contractor Barsto Construction. Diversified construction is proud to be a part of this new roof concept for the Polar Bear Passage exhibit project.
