GRHC 2025 in Review: Milestones, Training, and CitiesAlive 2026 in New York

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Introduction

As we look ahead to 2026, our organization is building on strong momentum with exciting plans to further advance living architecture and green infrastructure across North America. Most notably, we are preparing to host the next CitiesAlive Conference in Brooklyn, New York, from November 11–13, 2026, where practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders will come together to network, present the latest industry research and innovations, and discuss solutions for improved stormwater management through green infrastructure. Featuring an interactive and central trade show, inspiring keynote presentations, concurrent sessions led by expert speakers, and plans for an opening reception at the Food Forest and roof farm located on the Javits Center, this is a must attend event. While our focus is on the future, allow us to reflect on the progress made over the past year, highlighting the key achievements, partnerships, and milestones that shaped our work in 2025.

*2025 Raleigh GRIMP trainees and instructor Emilio Ancaya of Living Roofs Inc. Photo: Eric Durnford*

2025 Summary

In 2025, GRHC hit the road bringing our Grey to Green Conference program along with us. We had the privilege of hosting successful events in Vancouver, Toronto, Denver, Raleigh, and Houston. One of our goals with hosting our conferences is to spark community interest in developing green roof and wall incentives, policies, and standards. We were successful in getting the newest green roof coalition started in Houston! More updates on that group’s progress will be shared in 2026. The key to our success in 2025 was working with our incredible members, over 20 of which supported our events program this year. A big thank you to all of the speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, partners, and attendees for making this year as rewarding and exciting as it was.

Other notable achievements in 2025 include the following:

Began development on a new micro-credential for stormwater management design
Delivered hands-on multi-system Green Roof Installation and Maintenance Professional (GRIMP) training to 40 professionals on green roof maintenance and installation practices.
Accredited 9 new Green Roofs Professionals (GRPs).
Assisted in creating a new green roof policy coalition in Houston, Texas immediately following the Houston Grey to Green Conference
Engaged more than 96,000 listeners on discussions about innovative approaches to green infrastructure, resilience planning, and sustainable design through the Sustainable Futures - Designing Green Communities and Buildings Podcast Series.
Engaged more than 300 attendees at our events
Produced more than 24 informative bi-weekly E-newsletters which average 10,000 readers per issue and profiled our Living Architecture Monitor (LAM) advertisers in each issue.
Worked with more than 20 Association Partners to market and promote green roofs and walls through their networks and to help us promote all of our events.
Developed a new resource guide on Green Roofs and Solar integration with the EFB, WGIN and private sector partners.

2025 Supporting Companies

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SMT

Professional Training

*A view from the rooftop farm at POST HTX - venue for Houston Grey to Green. Photo: Eric Durnford*

The Living Architecture Academy brings you the best, most up to date professional training information on design, installation and maintenance practices for green infrastructure. Start your professional development journey today during our Holiday Sale and save 30% until January 15, 2026.

Popular courses on the Living Architecture Academy Include:

Green Roof Professional Training and Accreditation
Solar + Green Roof Integration Virtual Symposium Recordings - Multiple Presenters
Introduction to Solar Green Roof Integration - Blaine Stand, Professional Resources Manager
Biodiverse Green Roof Maintenance - Cynthia Pohl, Living Lands Landscape and Design
Biophilic Holism - Elizabeth Calabrese, Biophilic Studies
Green Infrastructure Research Virtual Symposium - Multiple Presenters
Green Infrastructure Policy Virtual Symposium - Multiple Presenters
And many more!

2025 Holiday Sale

To celebrate the holiday season, we’re running a Holiday Sale of 30 per cent off all courses, lectures and proceedings on the Living Architecture Academy from December 1st, 2025 to January 15th, 2026. Save 30 percent on courses covering biodiverse green infrastructure, urban water management, and urban food production. Or, sign up for the Green Roof Professional Training bundle which includes everything you need to become an accredited GRP, all for the lowest prices of the year! Employers, this is a great opportunity to give the gift of professional development! Bundles can be purchased by reaching out to Eric Durnford, General Manager of GRHC, at edurnford@greenroofs.org.

All courses on the Academy are offered on-demand, do not expire, and are approved for AIA, ASLA, and GRP continuing education, so you can learn at your own pace, on your own schedule, and earn CEUs. Visit livingarchitectureacademy.com and take advantage of the Holiday Sale before it’s over!

Use code Holiday30 at checkout for your 30 per cent off!

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2026 Conferences & Events

We invite you to review our 2026 prospective event list. For details on our upcoming virtual and in-person events visit greenroofs.org/events. Please note that dates are subject to change.

April 2: GRIMP Training | Chicago, IL
April 3: Grey to Green Conference | Chicago, IL (Omni Ecosystems HQ)
May: GRIMP Training | Toronto, ON
June: GRIMP Training | Chicago, IL
June: Grey to Green Conference | Chicago, IL
September: GRIMP Training | Costa Mesa (Orange County), CA
September: Grey to Green Conference | Costa Mesa (Orange County), CA
October: GRIMP Training | Denver, CO
October 27-30: World Green Infrastructure Congress | Barcelona, ESP
November 11: GRIMP Training | Brooklyn, NY
November 11-13: CitiesAlive 2026 Conference and Award Ceremony | Brooklyn, NY

*The Farm at the Javits Center, the planned opening reception venue for CitiesAlive 2026. Photo: The Javits Center*

Sponsorships for 2026 events are now available. Please contact Eric Durnford, General Manager at GRHC at edurnford@greenroofs.org.

New & Returning Members

W.R. Meadows: W. R. Meadows, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets high quality building materials for today’s construction professionals.
NCSU: The Landscape Maintenance & Operations department at NC State services our main campus of 2,099 acres, offering landscape development and services, waste reduction and recycling, and program support
GAF: More homes and businesses in the U.S. are protected by a GAF roof than by any other product. We are the leading roofing manufacturer in North America, with plants strategically located across the U.S. As a Standard Industries company, GAF is part of the largest roofing and waterproofing business in the world.
Maison Fleurs Vivaces: The producer and exclusive distributor of Sème-Saveurs herbs and vegetables, with a production capacity of 2.4 million containerized plants per year, and nearly 400,000 square feet of greenhouse cultivation in Saint-Eustache.

Congratulations 2025 Green Roof Professionals (GRPs)

With the Green Roof Professional Training Courses and Exam now online, it has never been easier to complete your accreditation. Congratulations to our most recent graduates. We look forward to working with you to grow the green roof industry across North America.

Kelly Deak
HyungJung Kim
James Klassen
Elena Shtern
Courtney Eads
Alan Rayfield
Caj Thomasson
Murray McKay
Tom Wheler

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Congratulations 2025 Green Roof Installation and Maintenance Professionals (GRIMPs)

Responding to a lack of formalized, independent hands-on installation and maintenance training around green roofing systems and a lack of qualified professionals, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities began the process of developing a new training opportunity to address those deficiencies in the form of the Green Roof Installation and Maintenance Professional (GRIMP) certification program.