As part of a research project conducted by the One Stop Permitting Center of Escambia County, FL, the State’s Department of Environmental Protection awarded $1.4 million to study the stormwater and pollution prevention effects of a green roof and a pervious pavement parking lot at their county offices.

The permitting office receives, reviews, and approves or denies all development/building applications and permits in the western-most county of Florida, home to naval and bay city, Pensacola. While not large in population or size, Escambia County is large in green thinking. The county will install the largest green roof in Florida, more than 33,000 square feet in size, and a pervious pavement parking lot complete with landscaped islands that collect and filter water, in an effort to be green and understand how each green infrastructure technology will improve stormwater management and pollution prevention.

As in most concrete-laden cities, stormwater management is an increasing challenge in Pensacola as developments raise the amount of impervious pavement available to quickly flood streets and sending pollutants to local creek beds. The county will also measure the energy efficiency benefits that green roofs provide to better inform their research. While not explicitly noted by the county, as the green movement sweeps government offices, it is suspected that the county’s research will also begin to ifluence their permitting decisions, opting for developments that use green infrastructure.