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.

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 "Green Building" movement led by the USGBC and its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System®.

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 Michigan communities.

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?

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.

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.