Tullia Marcolongo | Green Roof Professional (GRP)
Tullia Marcolongo, GRP
About Tullia Marcolongo
Tullia Marcolongo is a landscape designer specializing in ecological landscapes. Her background in land use planning and experience in public health give her a unique perspective to create landscapes that provide ecological value, enhance human health, and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Tullia is a certified Green Roof Professional and is currently working towards becoming a Certified Landscape Designer. Contact her on Linkedin here.
How did you find out about GRHC and the GRP program?
I found out about the program through doing research on green roofs and also through school. I went to the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) for their landscape design and climate resilience program. I was doing research on who’s out there in the green roof industry when I found out about GRHC.
Why did you become a Green Roof Professional (GRP)?
I wanted to address the climate emergency that we’re facing. Green roofs address a lot in terms of biodiversity, stormwater management, and habitat for wildlife.
How did you hear about Green Roofs?
Part of my family is from Switzerland and I’ve seen lots of green roofs there. The European example is a great model to look at. The interest for me was stormwater management and how our cities are concrete jungles. Where does that water go? Green roofs can help mitigate that.
What does your job entail? What does your day to day look like?
I work at Lawrence Park Complete Garden Care as a landscape designer. We partner with a couple of green roof companies and install green roofs for clients in the residential sector.
I consult with clients about their needs, do site visits, make recommendations on the type of roof system they require, and work on planting design.
What is your favourite part of your job?
The best part is meeting with clients and trying to understand their needs, while educating them on the benefits of green roofs. A big part of my job is to raise awareness of the benefits of green roofs and what clients can do to mitigate issues that we’re facing as a society.
Douglas Tallamy and the David Suzuki Foundation talk about creating wildlife corridors and connecting neighborhoods and properties to make them greener, green roofs are part of that. As a landscape designer that’s my goal - to create ecological designs to address biodiversity and climate change, while improving human health.
What advice would you provide to someone interested in pursuing a similar career path to yourself?
It takes a lot of discipline to do the GRP when you’re working, so have a good study plan. Keep up on readings as to what’s out there. The Living Architecture Monitor is a good source of information on the latest in the field. It’s also important to look at the successes of green roofs and to learn from ones that are less successful, and understand why.
What trends about green infrastructure/sustainability make you excited for the future?
The solar and green roof connection as well as expanding in the residential sector is important, especially as more people become aware of the benefits related to green roofs.
How does having a GRP on projects benefit the company?
It definitely helps, I’m new being a GRP but it helps connect with clients, and personally, now I feel confident giving advice, and people can trust the advice I give.
Tell us about a recent project:
A client with a young family approached us to build a green roof on a new addition to the house. The architect didn’t originally plan for it, but it was an ideal setting for an installation - adjacent to the kids bedrooms. She wanted to provide an opportunity for her kids to look out the window to see plants growing, pollinators, and birds These are things that keep me going. The plan is to design a biodiverse planting.
