Ray Skol, Principle at Skol Manufacturing loves miniatures. On his desk are several tiny fishing poles, fully functioning with tiny hooks, rods and reels. One day, he and Business Development Director Andrew Shykofsky were discussing ways to spread the word about green roofs since Skol makes an aluminum edge treatment for the dynamic Chicago green roof market.

They were looking for a way to help educate more people on what green roofs are and what they do. Discussions of a miniature green roof led quickly to sketches of what would become the Assemble & Learn Green Roof Model.

When Skol first displayed the model at ASLA’s Annual Meeting and Expo in Chicago this past fall, they were overwhelmed by the response they got. 

“Our first version of the model was quite large, nearly 4 feet by 2 ½ feet. When landscape architects and designers walked by, they all wanted to come over and touch it and ask a lot of questions,” Shykofsky said. “One of the coolest features is that the model is an exact replica of an extensive green roof with a working drainage system. So we were able to irrigate it and demonstrate how much water it retains.”

This is an important aspect of green roofs as they mitigate stormwater runoff, which can ease the pressure on city sewer systems. In large rainstorms, the risk of sewer backup and flooding is greatly increased. With enough green roofs absorbing stormwater and reducing runoff, costly maintenance can be avoided.

Now several months later, Skol is seeing the idea catch on. Middle school and high school science teachers are hungry for innovative ways to teach many of the principles that green roofs encompass. And schools that cover environmental science or architectural design are really excited by the model.

The Assemble & Learn Model also demonstrates how a vegetated roof preserves the life of a roof membrane, lowers the cooling costs of the building and can even aid in lowering the overall atmospheric temperature. 

“Downtown areas are usually lacking in vegetation. In the heat of the summer, all that concrete retains heat and actually creates what’s called a ‘heat island’. The green roof helps combat this affect by the moisture that is held in the plants and media. By the process of evapotranspiration, moisture is released back into the atmosphere and helps cool the air,” Shykofsky explained.

Landscape companies have been snatching up models to show prospective clients the build-up that will occur in installation. Skol has introduced a smaller portable size that is easily carried by one person, so bringing it to meetings to demonstrate how a green roof works is relatively easy.

Shykofsky expressed his enthusiasm. “It’s really fun to put together! There is something so awesome about miniature models. I found myself learning a lot as I put the model together. It takes you out of the theoretical and into experiential. We hope firms will use the model to train their installers as well.”

With so many ripe concepts to be taught, it’s no wonder the model is selling. Science supply companies in France, Spain and the U.K. have added the product to their catalogs and Skol now works with a US distributor who has verbal commitment from one of the largest U.S. educational companies to carry the model.


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