Rick Buist
ABOUT THE GURU
An award-winning designer & Horticulturist
The Green Roof Guru
Rick Buist, President of Bioroof Systems Inc., a green roof systems manufacturer as well as a licensed distributor of Xeroflor green roof systems, has come to be known in the industry as The Green Roof Guru.
For two decades, Rick has participated in the design and/or installation of millions of square feet of green roof projects. Throughout the USA and Canada, he has worked on iconic landmark projects which rank among the largest in the world.
As an award-winning designer and certified horticulturist, he is consulted regularly by design professionals to troubleshoot green roof failures and help design systems to specialized roles.
He is a pioneer in the establishment of native urban meadows on rooftops and is a key consultant to the Green roof innovation testing laboratory (G.R.I.T. Lab) studying performance variables of green roof systems.
Rick is a past director of the industry association, Green Roofs for Healthy Cites, past Chair of their Corporate Members Committee, and past Chair of their Technical Sub-Committee on Growth Media.
Rick was involved in the development and instruction of the industry’s Green Roof Professional (GRP) Training Courses. Early in his career, Rick had developed curriculum and taught Environmental Horticulture at Sheridan College. More recently, Rick has been a part of the development and teaching of the CREATE course as part of the DesignLife Series at the University of Toronto. Rick has lectured at various Conferences and has presented all over North America.
A proponent of functional design and maximum performance in green roofing, Rick has worked tirelessly to ensure green roofs meet stringent quality protocols and deliver the benefits they are meant to provide.
Want to learn more about the benefits of green roofs or what green roof system would best suit your needs?
