This post was written by Hatchet Reporter Alex Altskan.

The University will construct its first “green roof” on the Elliott School of International Affairs next weekend. The 2,000 square-foot development will be built on the City View Room Terrace of the E Street building.

Green roofs add a layer of vegetation and waterproofing to a building’s existing structure. They are meant to draw nature to urban settings, create habitats for city-dwelling birds and offset carbon emissions, said Director of Facilities Planning Nancy Giammatteo.

Students in the GW chapter of Net Impact, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco, and other environmental organizations organized the project and will build the roof with the help of the Sustainable Landscape Design program. The construction will take an entire day, Giammatteo said.

The project will cost $25,000, about 70 percent of which will come from the University with the rest from the Student Association, according to a news release from the School of Business.