LARC Environmental issues final -Part 2

Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES)

Framework for design, construction, operation, and maintenance

SITES focuses

Long term sustainability

Ecosystem health

Resource effeciency

Triple Bottom Line (3 componenents)

Environmental

Economic

Social

Triple Bottom Line -> Environmental

Protect Ecosystems

Triple Bottom Line -> Economic

Cost Effective

Triple Bottom Line -> Social

Equity & Well Being

Ecosystem Services (4)

Supporting

Rgulating

Cultural

Provisioning

Supporting (ecosystem service)

pollination, nutrient cycling

Regulating (ecosystem service)

climate regulation, erosion control

Cultural (ecosystem service)

recreation, spirituality

Provisioning (Ecosystem service)

water, food, clean air

Economic value examples

Urban trees store $14.3B in carbon

Residential trees save 2B anualy in energy costs

SITES system Hist.

developed by ASLA, Lady Bird Johnosn Wildflower Center, & US Botanical Garden

SITES System breakdown

Includes 18 Prerequisites, 48 Credits, total 300 points

Certification Levels - Certified

70

Certification Levels - Silver

85

Certification Levels -Gold

100

Certification Levels -Platinum

135

Eligible projects- SITES

Parks/Open spaces

Commercial/residential

Institutional

LEED Basics

8 categories

prerequisites required (no points)

credits optional; points earned

total: 110 points

Prerequisities (LEED)

Mandatory w/ no points

Credits (LEED)

Optional and earn points

Role of representation

Used to communicate and persuade design ideas

Connections created (Types)

Physical

Emotional

Physical connection created:

Locations, buildings, jobs, commerce, homes, community

Emotional connection created:

environment, culture, past, spirituality, family

Intent vs reception

difference between designers intent and audience interpretation

Meaning Process

Production-> Artifact->Presentation-> Reception

Semiotics

Study of signs and meaning-making (semiosis)

Dyadic Model parts

Signifier

signified

Dyadic Model-Signifier

the physical form

Dyadic model- signified

the meaning

Meaning interpretation

Influenced by personal experience, culture, and context

Landscape Representation Components

Object

Sign

Intrepretant

Landscape representation component -> interpretant

audience meaning

Landscape Representation Component-> object

Design idea

Landscape representation component-> sign

representation

Power & knowledge relationship

Representation creates knowledge and persuasion creates power, influencing design and society

Constructing Meaning

consider composition, medium, audience, cultural context, and intent

Green Infrastructure definition

integration of engineered and ecological systems to create healthier environmental and social outocmes

Examples of green infrastructure

green roofs, constructed wetlands, rain gardens/bioswales

phytotechnlogy

use of plants to remediate, contain, or prevent contaminatoin and improve ecological function

-includes boarder prevention + design strategies

-contains/prevents contaminant

-techniques to stabilize contaminants

Phytoremediation

-Removes contaminants

-complete removal of plants; no longer there

Contaminiated sites

Brownfields

Superfunds

Brownfield sites

have known contaminants

Superfund Sites

Hazardous and regulated by government

(risk to peoples lives)

Traditional remediation problems (3)

Energy intensive

expensive

reduces land usability

Benefits of Phytotechnology (3)

Less disruptive

Cost effective

Adds ecological and cultural value

Implementation Phases (5)

Preliminary Assessment

Site Assessment

Alternatives Analysis

Implementation

Maintenance

Constraints (3)

Limited to shallow soils

Slow process

Requires monitoring

Plant Mechanisms (3)

Phytoextraction

Phytodegredation

Phytostabilization

Phytoextraction (Plant mechanisms)

Absorb

Phytodegredation (plant mechanisms)

Break down

Phytostabilization (Plant mechanisms)

Contain

Pre-construction considerations (4)

Understand goals

Protect trees/soils/infrastructure

Select machinery

Plan staging

Tree Protection (3)

Survey early

Remove unhealthy trees

Prefer younger adaptable trees

Working with living systems (3)

Use plant communities

Manage water

Integrate ecosystem services

Cut & Fill

Cut removes soil; fill adds soil