Linda Velazquez Editor & Publisher ASLA, LEED™ AP, GRP

Dear colleagues,

Happy Valentine's Day with wishes for some global love! We're off to Kuwait for The Urban Oasis Experience - 5th International Green Roof Congress 2018 Kuwait (17-18 February). It's our first time in the Persian Gulf and we're excited to participate and see this modern Arabian Peninsula nation, in particular the Al Shaheed Park with its cutting-edge architecture and 80,000+ sf of greenroofs.

Speaking of the IGRC, Patrick Blanc has been added to the Programme and it will be great to hear about his new projects in Kuwait, Dubai, and elsewhere.

Sustainable design is hot in research news this month! Don't miss these new Green Architecture & Health Reports:

• New Harvard Study: Green Buildings Provide Nearly $6 Billion in Benefits to Health and Climate

• U.S. cities can save billions with green, resilient design, says report

• Global Wellness Institute Releases Landmark Report "Build Well To Live Well"

Last September at CitiesAlive 2017 we had a tour of the still under construction Amazon Spheres in Seattle, and it was truly amazing! Take a look inside during the grand opening in their video.