Transcript Stephen Cook – SITES Presentation

Introduction to the Sustainable
Sites Initiative
Founded in 2005 as an interdisciplinary partnership between
the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird
Johnson Wildflower Center, the US Botanic Gardens and
a diverse group of national stakeholders to develop standards
and guidelines for site sustainability.
Why Sustainable Sites?
Promote biodiversity
– Native Species
– Appropriate Non-Native/Adapted Species
Greenhouse gas emissions
– Vegetation helps reduce the amount of
carbon dioxide
– In the United States, urban trees capture
up to 25 million tons of carbon each year.
Why Sustainable Sites?
Reduce the urban heat island
– A study of five U.S. cities found that the
presence of urban trees can result in
substantial annual energy savings
– $553,000 per year in Berkeley, CA
– $187,000 in Cheyenne, WY
Invasive Species
– Approximately 85% of the invasive
woody plant species in the U.S. were
introduced for for ornamental use
– Approximately 5,000 plant species are
estimated to have escaped to natural
ecosystems
Why Sustainable Sites?
Water waste
– Native plants conserve the use of scarce water resources
– Residential and commercial lawns are the single largest
irrigated crop in America
– Each U.S. citizen uses 200 gallons of water per day in order
to maintain this “crop.”
Why Sustainable Sites?
Water pollution
– homeowners use up to 10 times more
chemical pesticides per acre on their
lawns than farmers use on crops
– Sound planting design and organic
soil additions reduce the use of
pesticides and
fertilizers that can contaminate water
– Rain gardens or vegetated swales
reduce runoff
– Urban runoff contributes to damaging
more
than 26,000 river and stream miles
Why Sustainable Sites?
Organic waste
– Composting leaves and grass
is good for the soil
– Leaves and grass comprise as
much as 18 percent of landfill
volume
– In Texas alone, it costs $150
million a year to dispose of
yard waste.
Why Sustainable Sites?
Public health
– Studies show
• Reduced illness recovery times
• Crime reduction
• Reduction in absenteeism
• Improved workplace productivity
• Physical activity
Landscapes and Ecosystems
Services
• What are Ecosystem Services?
The goods and services provided by healthy systems
– Pollination of crops
– Flood protection provided by wetlands
– Filtration of water by vegetation and soils
– Climate Regulation
Landscapes and Ecosystems
Services
The average combined value
of ecosystem services has
been estimated at $33 trillion
dollars per year globally
– New York City trees intercept
almost 890 million gallons of
rainwater each year, saving $35
million in storm water
management cost alone.
– Urban trees in the Chicago are
filter an estimated 6,000 tons of
air pollutants annually, providing
$9.2 million in Benefits.
Landscapes and Ecosystems
Services
Role of Land Practices in
Ecosystem Services
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Hydrology
Soils
Vegetation
Materials
Human well being
Hydrology
Natural hydrology
– Plants slow runoff
– Soils filter and clean water
– Recharge
Conventional Drainage
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Treat rainfall as waste
Leads to downstream flooding
Poor water quality
Erosion
Hydrology
Inefficient water use
– High-quality municipal drinking water is often used for
purposes that may not require potable water, such as lawn
and garden irrigation
– Because compaction affects the infiltration rates of lawns, the
water used to irrigate lawns commonly does not seep into the
water table and ends up as runoff or evaporation
– 36 states anticipate local, regional or state-wide water
shortages in the next five years.
Hydrology
Examples of sustainable irrigation practices
– Improved irrigation practices
• No irrigation
• Reuse water
• Automated systems
• Monitoring
Rainwater management
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Rain gardens/bio-retention
Vegetated swales
Improved soil health
Increased biomass
Soils
Healthy soils clean, store and
recharge ground water
– Microbes break down
pollutants
– Retain moisture and nutrients
Damaged/compacted soils
– Reduce infiltration
– Restrict root growth
– Releases sequestered carbon
Vegetation
• Plants moderate climate
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Clean air and water
Protect soils
Provide shade and cool buildings
Research in New York City
indicates that a single tree provides
$5.60 in benefits for every $1 spent
on its care
Vegetation
• Eliminate the use of
invasive plants
• Manage invasive
plants on site
• Specify plants from
local growers
Materials
• Selecting materials that require
reduced energy-intensive
processes
• Regional materials
• Reduced maintenance
• Leaching of toxins into the soil
• Design for disassembly
• Tropical/Exotic hardwoods
Materials
• Reduce the urban heat island effect
– Shade constructed surfaces
– Use paving with high reflectivity
– Vegetated roofs
Human Well Being
• Plants and natural elements provide many environmental
benefits and improve our quality of life and well being. Sites can
use natural elements in designs that provide human benefits as
well as benefits to the environment.
Human Well Being
• Provide spaces for physical activities
• Support on site food production
• Space for social interaction