Sustainable Design Pioneer to Speak at SUNY Canton April 22

CANTON, NY (04/18/2014)(readMedia)-- George Irwin, CEO and founder of the Rochester-based company Green Living Technologies, will discuss revolutionary trends in environmentally conscious design at SUNY Canton during the final installment of the spring Sustainability Lecture Series.

He will speak at 6 p.m. April 22 in Nevaldine North, Room 102. This event is free and open to the public.

Irwin's company specializes in living walls and roofs, also known as vertical gardens. His patented designs reduce the energy needed for heating and cooling through shading and evapotranspiration. They can remove pollutants and carbon dioxide and are known as the "new graffiti," according to Irwin.

"I hold a degree in education and maintain a passion for out-of-the-box learning; I combined my love for environment and zest for learning," he said. "I personally oversee all green wall and roof education, integrating the state-of-the-art technology into a continuously-evolving curriculum."

Living roofs can also reduce storm water run-off, filter pollutants and heavy metals out of rain water, and increase real estate value. Vertical agriculture gardens, which are also a growing trend, provides families with food within reach, reducing the need to travel to the store.

Irwin said his passion is agriculture, utilizing vertical green living walls and roof systems. His organic edible plants include tomatoes, celery, eggplant, potatoes, root crops, melons, beans, peppers and onions. His mission is to help create solutions to the challenges of food scarcity and the amount of job opportunities for at-risk populations throughout cities around the world.

He is also a published author and is a leading resource for Time magazine, Fortune, CNN, NBC, CBS TEDx, National Geographic and Newsweek. He has co-hosted many radio, television and garden shows in the U.S. and abroad.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier College for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The College delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management, and public service to students in the North Country, New York State, and beyond. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to their academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as eight exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The College's 14 athletic teams compete in state-of-the-art facilities as provisional members of the NCAA Division III and the USCAA.

-www.canton.edu-