Sustainable Landscapes Rating System for Sustainable Sites Initiative

[Brent Jacobsen]

Thanks for posting the synopsis of the credits Wes. From everything I have seen and heard about the SSI, it seems like a common sense approach to sustainable design that should provide a good reminder / checklist of the variety of factors to consider in site design. It will be interesting to see how the pilot projects go, though, as the translation and documentation of some of the credits (i.e. social and economic value for surrounding communities) seems to be a practical challenge beyond merely a great design challenge.

[Geoffrey Katz]

I concur with Brent. We will all have more comments I am sure as we get to know this system better and better.

[Jason T. Radice]

Seems like a rehash of LEED-NC…

[nca]

As I’ve stated before I think SSI will be a good way to make our work more quantifiable which is becoming increasingly important to the viatlity of the profession in this society.

[Wes Arola, RLA]

I feel all these criteria should be applied to any design no matter the intention ( to win a merit or not) It should be our responsibility as designers to address these factors anyways. This system will become a great reminder and a way to assign measurable importance to all factors of projects.

[Ryan A. Waggoner]

Good point Nick, one that our professor’s kept pushing at school…until our profession holds quantifiable evidence of it’s impact we will have little grounds to prove our worth. I do like having a benchmark to guide those wishing to design sustainably that may not have as much experience in the area. Has anyone heard of potential projects for consideration for SSI?

[Keven Graham]

Katherine, I heard the meeting was real good and generated a lot of good thoughts. You are right we need the nurseryman on board, we also need the contractors on board and as a complete green industry we need to inform the GC’s so we get and keep sites prepared the correct way. The shift in thinking needs to be happening where landscape is not the last part, the oh we’ll value that in later and the cosmetic fixer for the ills of the site development process. We need to make the site development and landscape architecture a seem less event all the way through. Encourage all in the industry to work toward a common goal of sitting at the table from day one. It can be done and has been done and those projects that have really stand out over the years not just the day we turn it over. SSI gives us a good roadmap to do this and good values to implement. remember it is about ecosystems and apply that where ever you are practicing, it is all related.

[Jeremy Horwitz]

“Credit 1.7 Select sites that encourage non-motorized transportation and use of public transit”

The issue I’d like to bring up in terms of an urban divide is the inequity in facilities and planning for transit and non-motorized transportation such as biking and walking. Cities that embrace biking offer transportation that does not pollute, is low cost and healthy. Many slums do not have transit access, but in many cities it is totally unsafe to bike in any area of the city. Automobiles, affordable to only a few in many places, dominate the setting. In the wealthy city of Copenhagen, thirty percent commute by bike. Bogota has made great strides in providing bike infrastructure. Such investments are relatively low cost compared to infrastructure for automobiles. I think we need to elevate the discussion and need for creating better bike and transport planning in the cities of the world.
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Greentech are specialists in a range of Building Energy Ratings Services.

[Terry Mock]

Deepening Perspectives on Sustainable Land Development
http://www.sldi.org/newService/SLDIJan2010.html

Green building certification programs today pay scant attention to landscaping, but they should, according to the Sustainable Sites Initiative, which has just announced release of the world’s first rating system for the design, construction and maintenance of sustainable landscapes. This and other certification programs fit well within the scope of holistic sustainable land development principles and Sustainable Land Development International (SLDI) embraces their development. In fact, a SLDI project has applied to participate in the Sustainable Sites Initiative as a portion of its pilot phase participation in The SLDI Code™ best practices system.

Your participation and comments are welcome.

Terry Mock
Executive Director
Sustainable Land Development International – http://www.SLDI.org

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