NEW SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE RATING SYSTEM AND GUIDELINES, 2009
Sustainable Sites Initiative Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks
The American Society of Landscape Architect (ASLA) has notified their membership (including MCLLC) that the Sustainable Sites Initiative™ “has released the first voluntary, scientifically researched rating system and guidelines for design, construction, and maintenance of sustainable landscapes, with or without buildings.
The rating system works on a 250-point scale, with levels of achievement for obtaining 40, 50, 60, or 80 percent of available points, recognized with one through four stars, respectively. If prerequisites are met, points are awarded through the 51 credits covering areas such as the use of greenfields, brownfields, or greyfields; materials; soils and vegetation; construction and maintenance. These credits can apply to projects ranging from corporate campuses, transportation corridors, public parks, and single-family residences. The rating system is part of two new reports issued from the Initiative, The Case for Sustainable Landscapes and Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009, both available for download at www.sustainablesites.org/report. “
The Initiative will oversee pilot projects during a two-year system assessment process. www.sustainablesites.org/pilot. The Sustainable Sites Initiative is a partnership of the ASLA, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the U.S. Botanic Garden. The rating system “represents four years of work by dozens of the country's leading sustainability experts, scientists and design professionals, as well as public input from hundreds of individuals and dozens of organizations to create this essential missing link in green design.”
Monday, November 9, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Sustainable Smackdown: Beyond LEED
Suzanne LaBarre wrote a snappy article on the “Living Building Challenge” (LBC) in the October 2009 issue of Metropolis magazine. She says that we should “think of the Living Building Challenge as a Port Huron Statement for the green age.” I had to look that one up on Wikipedia and found a tie-in to the University of Michigan as follows:
“The Port Huron Statement is the manifesto of the American student activist movement Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), written primarily by Tom Hayden, then the Field Secretary of SDS, and completed on June 15, 1962 at an SDS convention at what is now a state park in Lakeport, Mich., a community north of Port Huron[1]. It begins: “We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed now in universities, looking uncomfortably to the world we inherit…”
So it’s the radical voice of green building according to Suzanne whose “motto, “No credits, just prerequisites” rebukes the moderate incrementalism of LEED, which favors plaques and incentives of soup-to-nuts sustainability.”
The LBC may well pressure USGBC to “radicalize, effectively tamping the entire industry into smaller carbon footprints, one pretty little building at a time.” Ouch!
And further, LBC “turns architecture into a series of Carthusian statutues that no one, not even the most devout among us, could possible follow to a tee.” Huh? Back to Wikipedia where the site for Carthusian statues is a bit rough and reads in part:
“(The monks) follow their own Rule, called the Statutes, rather than the Rule of St Benedict (as is often erroneously reported) and combine eremitical and cenobetic (sp.) life."
I’ve been out of school for a long time, so it’s off to the dictionary for “eremitical” (like a hermit) and “cenobitic” (a member of a religious order living in a convent or community). Cool! LBC will make us all monks and nuns living in convents and following all sorts of neat rules and rituals!
So how far out does the radical voice of green building get? Well, the article is really about the Omega Center for Sustainable Living, “the newest addition to the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, a non-profit that is every bit as New Age as it sounds and wherer shape-shifting courses and “bootcamp for goddesses” do the work of its sunny mission: “awakening the best in the human spirit.”
There are 16 rigorous prerequisites and lots of inherent conflicts. You really need to read the article, if only to get to the part where the Omega therapeutic dance teacher has you “exhale out through your hands and feet today.” And don’t skip the very last line!
“The Port Huron Statement is the manifesto of the American student activist movement Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), written primarily by Tom Hayden, then the Field Secretary of SDS, and completed on June 15, 1962 at an SDS convention at what is now a state park in Lakeport, Mich., a community north of Port Huron[1]. It begins: “We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed now in universities, looking uncomfortably to the world we inherit…”
So it’s the radical voice of green building according to Suzanne whose “motto, “No credits, just prerequisites” rebukes the moderate incrementalism of LEED, which favors plaques and incentives of soup-to-nuts sustainability.”
The LBC may well pressure USGBC to “radicalize, effectively tamping the entire industry into smaller carbon footprints, one pretty little building at a time.” Ouch!
And further, LBC “turns architecture into a series of Carthusian statutues that no one, not even the most devout among us, could possible follow to a tee.” Huh? Back to Wikipedia where the site for Carthusian statues is a bit rough and reads in part:
“(The monks) follow their own Rule, called the Statutes, rather than the Rule of St Benedict (as is often erroneously reported) and combine eremitical and cenobetic (sp.) life."
I’ve been out of school for a long time, so it’s off to the dictionary for “eremitical” (like a hermit) and “cenobitic” (a member of a religious order living in a convent or community). Cool! LBC will make us all monks and nuns living in convents and following all sorts of neat rules and rituals!
So how far out does the radical voice of green building get? Well, the article is really about the Omega Center for Sustainable Living, “the newest addition to the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, a non-profit that is every bit as New Age as it sounds and wherer shape-shifting courses and “bootcamp for goddesses” do the work of its sunny mission: “awakening the best in the human spirit.”
There are 16 rigorous prerequisites and lots of inherent conflicts. You really need to read the article, if only to get to the part where the Omega therapeutic dance teacher has you “exhale out through your hands and feet today.” And don’t skip the very last line!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Roadway BMPs
With more and more emphasis being put on storm water quality control and the use of best management practices (BMPs) such as sediment forebays in detention/retention basins it is often overlooked that large state/county/local road projects don’t have the space available to install what can be quite large above ground storage systems, or they don’t have the funds to install an underground system. As a result road drainage runoff and the associated pollutants (oil, fertilizers, salt) as well as trash (plastic bottles, lawn clippings, plastic bags) just flow straight into the sewer system and eventually discharges into our lakes and stream and this action is not promoting a healthy environment. Communities have begun to try to fight against this pollution by first installing new catch basin inlet castings with sayings of “discharges to streams” in an effort to educate the public but even this isn’t enough.
There are several newer designs that are being used more and more these days in order to improve the storm water runoff quality before it reaches the streams. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of pollutant laden runoff from entering the storm sewer system is to just not let it. Rain gardens are a solution that are being utilized more and more across the country, particularly in developed areas that contain limited space and that presently have no means of treating runoff. The overall size of rain gardens can vary depending on the amount of runoff that is desired to be treated, but they all operate in the same manner. By increasing the amount of vegetation that wants to absorb water while also slowly the runoffs velocity, rain gardens reduce the amount of runoff from being channeled underground. As this article shows rain gardens are being used not as a replacement for storm sewers but as a means to increase the storm water quality before it reaches our streams and lakes.
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/63647942.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUBP7hUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU
If storm sewer systems must still be used there are several options for treating storm water with no noticeable aboveground features. One is called a hydro-dynamic separator (HDS). This device is installed as a typical inlet/catch basin that we see everyday with the difference being that a inlet/catch basin will just catch runoff and direct it into a pipe with no cleaning. A HDS unit in one of several different ways (screens, filters, vortex action) will remove pollutants and debris depending on the type you design it to remove and to what level of cleanliness. While these units work very well they do require maintenance and cleaning on a schedule based on the amount of pollutants that enter the unit. Of course this maintenance requires money in addition to the original cost of the unit which is dependent on the size of the unit which is based on the flow it is designed to handle.
A lower cost and simple method of controlling larger pollutants and floatables is the use of Snouts. Snouts are a plastic cover that cover the downstream pipe inside of a storm sewer manhole. As can be seen on this link the Snout works by preventing pollutants from entering the manhole and then continuing downstream by re-directing the flow down under the Snout and then up through the outlet.
http://www.bmpinc.com/
The method works due to the way that water works which always seeks the lowest point possible while maintaining a constant elevation. Because of this the water level on either side of the Snout will always be the same, but the pollutants will be kept on one side while the cleaner storm water discharges on the other (This also occurs due to the Snout extending below the invert of the downstream pipe which helps to keep the pollutants inside the structure even when no rain event is occurring) While the Snouts may seem that they are considerably cheaper than an HDS unit this can be deceiving. In order to install the Snout a manhole must be wider in diameter and have a deeper sump than traditional units. These additions can increase the cost, but depending on the size of the manhole/pipe this system is typically still cheaper than an HDS. Snouts do require periodic cleaning, but it would be no different than if the structure had a traditional sump that would need to be cleaned. Snouts can be used for existing manholes depending on the required dimensions.
When designing tomorrow’s roads more thought must be given to how this road will impact the environment both today and in the future. By utilizing new and different BMPs a smaller impact can be achieved while still designing a system that satisfies all the engineering requirements.
There are several newer designs that are being used more and more these days in order to improve the storm water runoff quality before it reaches the streams. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of pollutant laden runoff from entering the storm sewer system is to just not let it. Rain gardens are a solution that are being utilized more and more across the country, particularly in developed areas that contain limited space and that presently have no means of treating runoff. The overall size of rain gardens can vary depending on the amount of runoff that is desired to be treated, but they all operate in the same manner. By increasing the amount of vegetation that wants to absorb water while also slowly the runoffs velocity, rain gardens reduce the amount of runoff from being channeled underground. As this article shows rain gardens are being used not as a replacement for storm sewers but as a means to increase the storm water quality before it reaches our streams and lakes.
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/63647942.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUBP7hUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU
If storm sewer systems must still be used there are several options for treating storm water with no noticeable aboveground features. One is called a hydro-dynamic separator (HDS). This device is installed as a typical inlet/catch basin that we see everyday with the difference being that a inlet/catch basin will just catch runoff and direct it into a pipe with no cleaning. A HDS unit in one of several different ways (screens, filters, vortex action) will remove pollutants and debris depending on the type you design it to remove and to what level of cleanliness. While these units work very well they do require maintenance and cleaning on a schedule based on the amount of pollutants that enter the unit. Of course this maintenance requires money in addition to the original cost of the unit which is dependent on the size of the unit which is based on the flow it is designed to handle.
A lower cost and simple method of controlling larger pollutants and floatables is the use of Snouts. Snouts are a plastic cover that cover the downstream pipe inside of a storm sewer manhole. As can be seen on this link the Snout works by preventing pollutants from entering the manhole and then continuing downstream by re-directing the flow down under the Snout and then up through the outlet.
http://www.bmpinc.com/
The method works due to the way that water works which always seeks the lowest point possible while maintaining a constant elevation. Because of this the water level on either side of the Snout will always be the same, but the pollutants will be kept on one side while the cleaner storm water discharges on the other (This also occurs due to the Snout extending below the invert of the downstream pipe which helps to keep the pollutants inside the structure even when no rain event is occurring) While the Snouts may seem that they are considerably cheaper than an HDS unit this can be deceiving. In order to install the Snout a manhole must be wider in diameter and have a deeper sump than traditional units. These additions can increase the cost, but depending on the size of the manhole/pipe this system is typically still cheaper than an HDS. Snouts do require periodic cleaning, but it would be no different than if the structure had a traditional sump that would need to be cleaned. Snouts can be used for existing manholes depending on the required dimensions.
When designing tomorrow’s roads more thought must be given to how this road will impact the environment both today and in the future. By utilizing new and different BMPs a smaller impact can be achieved while still designing a system that satisfies all the engineering requirements.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Greening the Office
It has been just over a month since we started our green initiative around the office. We have focused on changing our daily routines and product usage. To date, we have been quite successful. Yes, there have been a few naysayers but most everyone is pitching in.Greening the Office Accomplishments:
- Recycling program in conjunction with Recycle Ann Arbor. We now collect, sort and deliver white paper, mixed paper, newspaper, magazines, books, cardboard, plastic, and styrofoam.
- Electronic recycling with Recycle Ann Arbor and Best Buy. Best Buy will accept our old monitors, computers, etc for a $10 fee but they give us a $10 gift card.
- We have been in the process of switching out lighting throughout the office with compact fluorescent light bulbs. The only notable difference is in our main conference room - the existing dimmer switches are no longer effective.
- Normal copier and printer paper (letter, legal, ledger and letterhead) have been replaced with recycled paper products. Not are we being environmentally friendly, the cost per ream of paper has been reduced by about $0.25.
- Additionally, we have set the default on our copiers to the duplex setting. Multi-page documents will be printed on two sides unless otherwise changed by the user.
- As our existing cleaning supplies have dwindled and needed to be replaced, we have switched to green cleaning supplies for the carpets, bathrooms, windows, and countertops/surfaces.
- We have also switched to recycled paper products for napkins, paper towels, and toilet paper.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Green is Not New
The amount of attention that “Green” building and design has received lately has really made it seem that going green is a new concept. It has actually been around in some form or another since probably well before I was born, but in today’s world the items that were new back then are so commonplace these days that no one realizes just how important and green they are.
Renewable energy such as geothermal, wind and solar while getting larger headlines today has been around for over 2 decades. Iceland is poised to become the first country that does not use a single fossil fuel for its energy production or vehicle transportation. Turning an entire country over to renewables didn’t happen over night and has been slowly taking place for years. Elsewhere in Europe green roofs have become incredibly commonplace in Germany and wind farms have now moved offshore as opposed to being located on solid ground.
These green elements are only now gaining such interest in the US because of the increase in fuel prices. What has become commonplace in Europe is only now beginning to scratch the surface in the US. And things that have become commonplace in the US are often ignored because they’re not a 200 meter tall wind turbine that is easily noticeable.
How many people drive past a detention basin or retention pond and only see a water feature that is an aesthetic focal point for a property? They don’t even realize that detaining runoff and using sediment forebays helps a project to qualify for 2 LEED-NC credits and has a large impact on the water quality and quantity that eventually exits the site. They help to prevent runoff from further degrading the water system downstream of a development.
Using lighter colored materials for paving and roofing, native plant species that don’t require sprinklers and limiting the extent of new grading for a project are all ways of making a development more green and no one even realizes it. All of these types of practices are used everytime a new project is started here. I can remember the first ever engineering work I did was for a detention basin. This was before I had even started any of my engineering classes where I learned the what, where, when, why and how of environmental design. Once I did take those classes I was able to understand the full impact of a detention basin, but it is something that has been around awhile and no one gives second thought about.
Green planning and engineering is nothing new to MCLLC and has been occurring for years. This is partially because it is required by many review agencies, but it is also because it often makes sense from both a design perspective and for a client’s pocket book. A project may not have anything as noticeable as a wind turbine, but that doesn’t mean there are other elements to making the project green.
Renewable energy such as geothermal, wind and solar while getting larger headlines today has been around for over 2 decades. Iceland is poised to become the first country that does not use a single fossil fuel for its energy production or vehicle transportation. Turning an entire country over to renewables didn’t happen over night and has been slowly taking place for years. Elsewhere in Europe green roofs have become incredibly commonplace in Germany and wind farms have now moved offshore as opposed to being located on solid ground.
These green elements are only now gaining such interest in the US because of the increase in fuel prices. What has become commonplace in Europe is only now beginning to scratch the surface in the US. And things that have become commonplace in the US are often ignored because they’re not a 200 meter tall wind turbine that is easily noticeable.
How many people drive past a detention basin or retention pond and only see a water feature that is an aesthetic focal point for a property? They don’t even realize that detaining runoff and using sediment forebays helps a project to qualify for 2 LEED-NC credits and has a large impact on the water quality and quantity that eventually exits the site. They help to prevent runoff from further degrading the water system downstream of a development.
Using lighter colored materials for paving and roofing, native plant species that don’t require sprinklers and limiting the extent of new grading for a project are all ways of making a development more green and no one even realizes it. All of these types of practices are used everytime a new project is started here. I can remember the first ever engineering work I did was for a detention basin. This was before I had even started any of my engineering classes where I learned the what, where, when, why and how of environmental design. Once I did take those classes I was able to understand the full impact of a detention basin, but it is something that has been around awhile and no one gives second thought about.
Green planning and engineering is nothing new to MCLLC and has been occurring for years. This is partially because it is required by many review agencies, but it is also because it often makes sense from both a design perspective and for a client’s pocket book. A project may not have anything as noticeable as a wind turbine, but that doesn’t mean there are other elements to making the project green.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
LEEDing by Example
On July 20, 2009 the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that they had received Platinum certification for their new headquarters under the new Version 3.0 requirements for Commercial Interiors (CI). Under these requirements the new building received credit for 94 credits out of a possible 110 total, far exceeding the required 80 credits necessary to achieve the Platinum rating. And of particular note was the compliance with all 11 Water Efficiency credits and 36/37 Energy and Atmosphere credits.
The LEED-CI section of design is interesting because it focuses on re-using what is existing and it can furthermore have an impact on occupied buildings. While most building owners/tenants will not try to achieve LEED-CI certification much can still be done to have a positive impact on the environment. Such small things as changing fluorescent light bulbs to energy efficient LED’s or other bulbs can not only save in the pockets of the users but consume less energy and thus reducing power demands which can lead to fewer green house gas emissions. While lighting is one of the simplest and most apparent ways to go Green for existing buildings there are countless others. These can include replacing old single non-insulated windows to save on heating and cooling costs, replacing regular toilets with low flow models to reduce water usage, or using paints and floorings that have low VOC counts to increase indoor air quality. The list goes on and on. While some of these are obviously more expensive to the owner than others, even the smallest change can have a large impact in the long run.
By not only using an existing building and thus reducing the use of raw land and virgin material, but also attaining such a high level of certification the USGBC has shown that they not only talk the talk but also walk the walk. In trying to do the same Midwestern Consulting has begun our own small Green practices of replacing light bulbs with energy efficient ones and re-using office supplies rather than purchasing brand new. While these may not seem to make a large impact if everyone in the world did the same the change would be noticeable.
To learn more about the new USGBC headquarters click here.
The LEED-CI section of design is interesting because it focuses on re-using what is existing and it can furthermore have an impact on occupied buildings. While most building owners/tenants will not try to achieve LEED-CI certification much can still be done to have a positive impact on the environment. Such small things as changing fluorescent light bulbs to energy efficient LED’s or other bulbs can not only save in the pockets of the users but consume less energy and thus reducing power demands which can lead to fewer green house gas emissions. While lighting is one of the simplest and most apparent ways to go Green for existing buildings there are countless others. These can include replacing old single non-insulated windows to save on heating and cooling costs, replacing regular toilets with low flow models to reduce water usage, or using paints and floorings that have low VOC counts to increase indoor air quality. The list goes on and on. While some of these are obviously more expensive to the owner than others, even the smallest change can have a large impact in the long run.
By not only using an existing building and thus reducing the use of raw land and virgin material, but also attaining such a high level of certification the USGBC has shown that they not only talk the talk but also walk the walk. In trying to do the same Midwestern Consulting has begun our own small Green practices of replacing light bulbs with energy efficient ones and re-using office supplies rather than purchasing brand new. While these may not seem to make a large impact if everyone in the world did the same the change would be noticeable.
To learn more about the new USGBC headquarters click here.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Mainstreaming Sustainability
As part of the 2004 development of the Washtenaw County comprehensive plan, the County hired Creative Educational Solutions (a local non-profit) to develop a high school curriculum module about land use, public policy and regional sustainability. The result was reviewed in the August 2009 issue of “Planning and Zoning News”. The module grew into “Our Town: Sustainable Places, Green Spaces” and has been adapted for elementary through adult education classes. The intent is to “revitalize communities and invigorate learning through interdisciplinary place-based programs on land use, brownfield redevelopment and sustainable communities. Support equity with content that teaches it." Per PZN, the intended result is to “develop a new generation of informed citizens while introducing students to academic and career pathways related to community revitalization and the “new” Michigan economy.”
Taking the “Program Tours” on the website shows how “sustainability” is being integrated into education at all levels.
http://www.creativechange.net/programs/our_town
Their website includes on of the clearest definitions of “sustainability” I’ve found, and is as follows:
What Is Sustainability?
There is growing acknowledgement that forces such as population growth, consumption, and inappropriate “development” are combining to weaken the ecological systems on which all life depends. Although environmental fluctuations have occurred throughout history, changes generated by human activity may be altering ecological systems in ways that will be irreversible.
An alternative future is “sustainable”, defined as lasting environmental health, economic prosperity, and social equity for current and future generations.
In a sustainable society, the regenerative capacity of the environment is maintained.
All people have the opportunity to live a fulfilling life within the earth’s capacity.
Democracy and justice are core values guiding people and institutions.
People live, work and communicate successfully in multiple cultural contexts.
Conflicts are resolved without violence.
Beauty and wonder are celebrated.
Achieving sustainability requires rethinking economic systems and cultural beliefs that equate “more” with “better” ".
Creative Educational Solutions has some sustainability street credibility of its own as described in the section that describes their office practices which include a gray water recovery system, rain barrels and even an office worm bin to compost food scraps.
Taking the “Program Tours” on the website shows how “sustainability” is being integrated into education at all levels.
http://www.creativechange.net/programs/our_town
Their website includes on of the clearest definitions of “sustainability” I’ve found, and is as follows:
What Is Sustainability?
There is growing acknowledgement that forces such as population growth, consumption, and inappropriate “development” are combining to weaken the ecological systems on which all life depends. Although environmental fluctuations have occurred throughout history, changes generated by human activity may be altering ecological systems in ways that will be irreversible.
An alternative future is “sustainable”, defined as lasting environmental health, economic prosperity, and social equity for current and future generations.
In a sustainable society, the regenerative capacity of the environment is maintained.
All people have the opportunity to live a fulfilling life within the earth’s capacity.
Democracy and justice are core values guiding people and institutions.
People live, work and communicate successfully in multiple cultural contexts.
Conflicts are resolved without violence.
Beauty and wonder are celebrated.
Achieving sustainability requires rethinking economic systems and cultural beliefs that equate “more” with “better” ".
Creative Educational Solutions has some sustainability street credibility of its own as described in the section that describes their office practices which include a gray water recovery system, rain barrels and even an office worm bin to compost food scraps.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
USGBC and Global Releaf
At Midwestern Consulting, we strongly believe that engineers, planners and landscape architects can play a crucial role in the conception of sustainable and energy efficient projects. We are now proud members of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and Global Releaf Organizations.
Midwestern Consulting is committed to the "
Global Releaf is striving to expand the area of forests, assuring that all forests are maintained, enacting effective legislation to address these issues and plant trees throughout all
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
It's getting easier to be green!
It's getting easier to be green!
Everything is turning green, from paving and retaining walls to rooftops and vertical walls. Good design, smart design, energy efficient design, -all of these things are now green design, low impact development, or sustainable design. We are learning to lower our carbon footprint and even our "cookprint". http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2009/05/cookprint-kate-keyhoe-induction-cooking-energy-efficiency-mark-bittman-microwave-ovens.html.
To a certain extent, green design is driven by product availability. Some interesting products that we have seen advertised but not installed and that appear to assist in obtaining LEED points include:
RECYCLED PLASTIC PRODUCTS
Composite pavers system: David Justice, djustice@vastpavers.com
Recycled plastic retaining wall system:Millenia Wall Solutions, milleniawalls.com/Green.aspx
Permeable paving systems: TurfPave XD, rginc.com/geo
REDUCING ENERGY REQUIREMENTS
Contemporary LED site lighting: Leonis by Lumec, www.lumec.com/newsletter/architect_10-08/leonis_hid-led.htm?utm_source=newsletter
Traditiional LED site lighting: Holophane, www.holophane.com/products/Family.asp?Brand=HLP&Family=GranVille%20LED&ProductType=Outdoor&Category=Decorative&SubCategory=Historical
REDUCING THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
Solar reflective coatings: StreetPrint, www.integratedpaving.com
REDUCING USE OF CHEMICALS AND WATER IN LANDSCAPING
Xeriscaping:Legacy turf-type buffalograss (Buchloe Dactyloides), www.toddvalleyfarms.com
No mow lawn: Bella Bluegrass (Poa Pratensis), www.toddvalleyfarms.com
No mow lawn: No Mow Lawn Mix, 6 low growing fine fescue turf grasses w/ or w/o annual rye nurse crop, www.prairienursery.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=11
Have you seen some interesting things that can be added to this list?
Everything is turning green, from paving and retaining walls to rooftops and vertical walls. Good design, smart design, energy efficient design, -all of these things are now green design, low impact development, or sustainable design. We are learning to lower our carbon footprint and even our "cookprint". http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2009/05/cookprint-kate-keyhoe-induction-cooking-energy-efficiency-mark-bittman-microwave-ovens.html.
To a certain extent, green design is driven by product availability. Some interesting products that we have seen advertised but not installed and that appear to assist in obtaining LEED points include:
RECYCLED PLASTIC PRODUCTS
Composite pavers system: David Justice, djustice@vastpavers.com
Recycled plastic retaining wall system:Millenia Wall Solutions, milleniawalls.com/Green.aspx
Permeable paving systems: TurfPave XD, rginc.com/geo
REDUCING ENERGY REQUIREMENTS
Contemporary LED site lighting: Leonis by Lumec, www.lumec.com/newsletter/architect_10-08/leonis_hid-led.htm?utm_source=newsletter
Traditiional LED site lighting: Holophane, www.holophane.com/products/Family.asp?Brand=HLP&Family=GranVille%20LED&ProductType=Outdoor&Category=Decorative&SubCategory=Historical
REDUCING THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
Solar reflective coatings: StreetPrint, www.integratedpaving.com
REDUCING USE OF CHEMICALS AND WATER IN LANDSCAPING
Xeriscaping:Legacy turf-type buffalograss (Buchloe Dactyloides), www.toddvalleyfarms.com
No mow lawn: Bella Bluegrass (Poa Pratensis), www.toddvalleyfarms.com
No mow lawn: No Mow Lawn Mix, 6 low growing fine fescue turf grasses w/ or w/o annual rye nurse crop, www.prairienursery.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=11
Have you seen some interesting things that can be added to this list?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Canton - A2Express
As a Canton resident, I am extremely pleased to hear of our communities new service - Canton A2Express bus route. This new bus route will operate Monday through Friday and deliver commuters from Independence Park or Cherry Hill Village to several destinations in Ann Arbor beginning August 24th. This service is open to anyone who would like to participate.
The Canton A2Express will start service at 6:00am and run every half an hour until 8:00am from Canton to Ann Arbor. Then, it will run from Ann Arbor to Canton starting at 3:00pm and run every half an hour until 6:00pm.
The full fare commuter pass is $125/month, a 10 ride pass is $40 and a one way fare is $5. The 10 ride pass and the one way fare average out to $8 to $10 for a round trip. While, the full fare pass would cost you less than $3 for a round trip. A standard car making this round trip would cost a little over $7 in gas plus wear and tear on your car for another $1 or $2 for a total of $8.50.
Based on this assessment, you could save approximately $120/month for the full fare commuter pass and about $10/month for the 10 ride pass not to mention reducing your carbon footprint and dependence on natural resources.
The website is http://www.theride.org/A2express/a2xmain.html.
The Canton A2Express will start service at 6:00am and run every half an hour until 8:00am from Canton to Ann Arbor. Then, it will run from Ann Arbor to Canton starting at 3:00pm and run every half an hour until 6:00pm.
The full fare commuter pass is $125/month, a 10 ride pass is $40 and a one way fare is $5. The 10 ride pass and the one way fare average out to $8 to $10 for a round trip. While, the full fare pass would cost you less than $3 for a round trip. A standard car making this round trip would cost a little over $7 in gas plus wear and tear on your car for another $1 or $2 for a total of $8.50.
Based on this assessment, you could save approximately $120/month for the full fare commuter pass and about $10/month for the 10 ride pass not to mention reducing your carbon footprint and dependence on natural resources.
The website is http://www.theride.org/A2express/a2xmain.html.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Site Selection
One of the biggest potential problems with developing vacant land in the Midwest, and especially in Michigan can be the existence of regulated wetlands, inland lakes, or streams. Evaluating property for appropriate development is part of the site selection process and due diligence for any developer. If LEED Certification is to be sought for a new construction project, understanding the evaluation criteria for the Prequalification Site Selection Credit is imperative.
The thing I found interesting is that any land intended for development must not be within 50 feet of any open water, or 100 feet of any wetlands as defined by the United States Code of Regulations 40 CFR, Parts 230-233, and Part 22. Furthermore, the land cannot contain any isolated wetlands ore areas of special concern as identified by state or local rule, OR is less than minimum isolation distances given in state or local regulations as defined by local or state rules, whichever is greater. Michigan is one of only 3 states in the country that has established its own agency to administer the United States Code of Regulations governing these natural features, and the current trend for local municipalities is to establish rules and regulations typically more stringent than Federal and State Code.
Finding suitable vacant land to develop absent these natural features, especially wetlands, is darn near impossible. While it's not forbidden to develop these properties, the LEED program discourages it. Ultimately, the goal is to minimize the impact to natural features and develop a site that beneficially modifies the physical environment and creates permanent sustainability.
Let us know if you have a site that requires evaluation for a LEED Certified project.
The thing I found interesting is that any land intended for development must not be within 50 feet of any open water, or 100 feet of any wetlands as defined by the United States Code of Regulations 40 CFR, Parts 230-233, and Part 22. Furthermore, the land cannot contain any isolated wetlands ore areas of special concern as identified by state or local rule, OR is less than minimum isolation distances given in state or local regulations as defined by local or state rules, whichever is greater. Michigan is one of only 3 states in the country that has established its own agency to administer the United States Code of Regulations governing these natural features, and the current trend for local municipalities is to establish rules and regulations typically more stringent than Federal and State Code.
Finding suitable vacant land to develop absent these natural features, especially wetlands, is darn near impossible. While it's not forbidden to develop these properties, the LEED program discourages it. Ultimately, the goal is to minimize the impact to natural features and develop a site that beneficially modifies the physical environment and creates permanent sustainability.
Let us know if you have a site that requires evaluation for a LEED Certified project.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Reusing Big Boxes
An interesting article stood out in the UrbanLand (June 2009) magazine, "Reusing Big Boxes". The article shed light on the many vacant big box retail stores and their potential for adaptive use. We have all seen the vacant Wal-Mart, Home Depot or Kmart store but because of the economy and changing consumer spending habits, these building will be hard pressed to find another tenant in their current state. Wal-Mart Realty has a website, http://www.wal-martrealty.com/, with it's sole purpose to dispose of these unwanted buildings and property. The vacant buildings cause a cloud of economic decline and disinvestment over its location.
Creative thinkers are changing the way they view these buildings. What can we use them for or what can our municipality use them for? Randall County Justice Center, in Canyon Texas, needed a solution to the county's 100-year old courthouse. So, they bought a former Wal-Mart store, modernized it and turned into their new courthouse with five courtrooms plus offices. Peggy Palmer Summers Memorial Library, Lebanon, Missouri, development plans were stuck in neutral because the small town couldn't afford the estimated $6 million for a new building. Through donations and volunteer work, the community purchased a former Kmart building and transformed the library into a reality.
Please let us know if you have any thoughts, ideas or suggestions on how to renovate a vacant big box in your neighborhood.
Creative thinkers are changing the way they view these buildings. What can we use them for or what can our municipality use them for? Randall County Justice Center, in Canyon Texas, needed a solution to the county's 100-year old courthouse. So, they bought a former Wal-Mart store, modernized it and turned into their new courthouse with five courtrooms plus offices. Peggy Palmer Summers Memorial Library, Lebanon, Missouri, development plans were stuck in neutral because the small town couldn't afford the estimated $6 million for a new building. Through donations and volunteer work, the community purchased a former Kmart building and transformed the library into a reality.
Please let us know if you have any thoughts, ideas or suggestions on how to renovate a vacant big box in your neighborhood.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Welcome!
Our Green Initiative Team has started a blog to keep followers apprised of sustainable design and the transition from LEED V2.2 to v3.0. We hope you enjoy the information that we will post with regular posts every Tuesday and other special interests at any time. Remember to check back!
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