Linda Velazquez
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Linda Velazquez, ASLA, LEED AP, GRP
Editor, Greenroofs.com
Linda Velazquez
Linda S. Velazquez, ASLA, LEED AP, GRP, is a well-known figure in the green roof and wall community. She is a published writer and international speaker but you may be more familiar with her as the powerhouse behind Greenroofs.com, an internet news media organization Connecting the Planet + Living Architecture promoting People, Projects & Solutions.
She is a Member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, has her LEED AP, and has been a Green Roof Professional since 2010! Linda is dedicated to sharing the earth-friendly technology of living architecture, advancing the green roof and wall industry and creating opportunities for the community. Her platform has benefited the industry greatly.
We are excited to feature Linda as this week’s Featured GRP as she is a longtime supporter and member of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and an esteemed industry professional.
Why did you decide to become a GRP?
When we published Greenroofs.com in 1999, very little was available online in English and our website was the result of an independent research study I had conducted at the University of Georgia as part of my undergraduate degree in landscape architecture. In 2000 I “discovered” The Cardinal Group, which later resulted in Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, and we established a beneficial, symbiotic relationship!
Although I was an early proponent, investigator, and designer of greenroofs (my first greenroof design was in 2001) prior to the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities’ GRP accreditation program, I felt it was necessary to support the cause and further advance the knowledge base. Also, as a GRHC Corporate Member, I felt taking the four GRP courses and the test would show commitment to promoting GRHC’s professional education platform.
Simply put, the GRP designation identifies me as someone who has put in the work and who supports Green Roofs for Healthy Cities as a professional association.
How has it enhanced your career?
As a practitioner, I have several professional designations after my name; ASLA (first I was Student ASLA and then Associate), LEED AP (which I received in 2004 to further promote the work of the USGBC), and the GRP from 2009. I feel all of them demonstrate my commitment to the various organizations and solidify my reputation and credibility as a professional within my chosen field of living architecture.
Additional details about the GRP process or how it contributes to your work
As publisher of Greenroofs.com I am designing less and speaking internationally and writing much more (although I do plan to increase my design work in the future). Yet, the GRP process offers enough solid and practical information and resources for a GRP to apply knowledge to a wide variety of scenarios, including design, consulting, writing, etc. I feel the GRP designation should not only be considered by design professionals, but any of us already within the industry – for example, manufacturers, sales people, etc., - to ensure an overall command of the multidisciplinary processes involved, component/ system parameters, and best practice measures.
As the publisher and promotor of Greenroofs.com’s biennial Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summits, I contact, interview, and connect with green infrastructure colleagues from across the planet. The Mission of the Virtual Summits is to inform, share, and create a global social media experience online for learning and networking via the power of the Internet.
Many colleagues are fellow GRP’s while others recognize the designation. For those who don’t, the conversation opens! We always encourage new people interested in entering our industry to study and receive the GRP designation, too, in order to ensure a firm grasp and be able to contribute responsibly to our shared vision of promoting the industry.
What is your favourite part of your job?
I am a people person! Aramis and I love attending conferences around the world, getting to know our colleagues better, and learning about their projects, my own passion. The ongoing living research of our Greenroofs.com Projects Database embodies my passion for open knowledge transfer and sharing of design principles and experience.
What advice would you provide to someone interested in pursuing a similar career path to yourself?
Those of us who have identified our passion are the lucky, indeed, because the path becomes clear once you realize it. That said, I’d say, “Study, research, visit projects, and talk to as many people involved in the process as possible, get some hands-on experience first…then, go for it!”
What trends about green infrastructure/sustainability make you excited for the future?
I appreciate trends and projects which embrace a multitude of ecosystem benefits for many species – humans, animals, and plants, as we all share the Earth. I’m excited about the potential for many cities to accept green infrastructure as positive nature-based solutions and increase climate resilience while providing beauty.
What do you see the role of green infrastructure in resilience and the COVID-19 recovery?
We’ve always been keen to unlock the potential of unused roof space and turn them where possible into greenroofs. With the threat of future pandemics and social distancing a current measure, creating amenity greenroofs are a must along with affordable housing and incorporating various types of urban ag – on buildings and walls, and inside. Plus, being able to feel a part of nature while at home, indoors and out, sustains hope and our sense of wellbeing. Increasing green infrastructure increases resiliency in many ways!
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Green Roof Professionals are industry recognized as having the most extensive knowledge of green roofs due to the rigorous training and exam process. The GRP training series and exam is available online through the Living Architecture Academy. Learn more about Green Roofs for Healthy Cities or how to become a Green Roof Professional.
