Christopher Mecham

Joy, have your Chapter Trustee or President check in with Liz at ASLA national and she can certainly help find appropriate speakers for you. Also, the ASLA Sustainable Design & Development PPN can help guide you as well. We have many talented speakers that can address many different aspects of this topic.

anyone know the best way to convey “god rays” in drawn perspectives? thanks

The NY Upstate Chapter of the ASLA is teaming with the NY State AIA for the first time ever to put a JOINT conference together! Sustainability is a particular topic that is HOT on both arenas. Please feel free to let me know if there are people interested in presenting at the conference regarding the SSI to LEED roll out, or to a particularly…[Read more]

Feel free to use the group’s forum to post questions and discussion topics. Just click the “+ Start Discussion” link.

Thanks!
Andrew

Thank you Eric for your feedback – invaluable information since many have been asking about the LEED GA exam.

Charles,
Perhaps they are hiring knowledgable Landscape Architects? Clearly they need help.

Just sat for the GA Exam and passed on the first attempt. It’s definitely distilled down from the old version of the exams. From my perspective the LEED GA is a great credential for LAs to have the distinction, but without having to go through the specialty portions that are beyond our typical work. Sustainable Sites is where I’m placing my emphasis.

My civil engineer handed me a brochure on the Filterra Bioretention System which appears to be a vault, filled with gravel, sand and a little peat moss that takes in and filters storm water. The vault is topped with a tree grate where you plant a plant from the recommended list provided by Filterra. Has anyone used this system? They recommend that…[Read more]

I know many of you are concerned with the cost of Labash….well let me reassure you about what you are getting for the money!!!

2 dinners fully catered
2 lunches
Open bar for 3 nights…come on guys you can’t beat this
Tours (fees included in reg price)
Transportation to all of our events and tours
Amazing Lectures by: Mark Rios, Walter Hood,…[Read more]

That’s fantastic to know USGBC is taking SiTES seriously. Alot of fellow designers have been very concerned about how SITES and LEED will integrate or if any integration will take place at all!?!?! There are so many great things about SITES that it would be a shame for LEED to miss. Thanks for the note, Heather!

Hey Folks! Just a quick note to say hello and introduce myself. After completing the 2009 report, I resigned as project manager of the Sustainable Sites Initiative to pursue other opportunities and spend more time with my 7 month old son. I am currently working with the USGBC as a subject matter expert to incorporate portions of the Sustainable…[Read more]

I agree with Heather about building a track record of using the SSI. It is through application in the real world that tools like the SSI show their strengths and value.

I am anxious to see the outcome of the pilot projects. I think the real world application and testing of Sites is of the upmost importance and we will learn a great deal from this process.

In order to continue building natural capital through the design construction and maintenance of regenerative systems, we need to see the application of…[Read more]

Hi Heather! You and I have had many past conversations when you were in the trenches with SSI. So what are your current thoughts from your new perspective relative to what needs to happen to keep the SSI momentum going? Is practical application the key….or are there other issues that are just as critical?

You’ve been a great resource…..hope…[Read more]

Hey Folks! Just a quick note to say hello and introduce myself. After completing the 2009 report, I resigned as project manager of the Sustainable Sites Initiative to pursue other opportunities and spend more time with my 7 month old son. I am excited to hear your thoughts and concentrate more strongly on the practical application of the…[Read more]

Nashville adopts form-based code for downtown

Ashley- In urban settings, supplemental irrigation is advantageous for the summer-dry months. Specifically, I’ve used inline subsurface drip. Quality growing medium like compost is important too, along with mycorrhizal fungi applications to help plants thrive through root establishment. Some native plant material I have used are: Juncus…[Read more]

does anyone know how rain gardens thrive in the Bay Area? I am wondering because right now, its the rainy season, so everything is getting a lot of water – but when it is summer and dry, how do the plants in the rain garden get their water? What plants do you suggest putting in the rain garden?

Hello all
For those of you in the San Fran Bay Area registration for the tour of East Bay native plant gardens just opened. Went last year, will go again this year. http://www.BringingBacktheNatives.net

Thanks much to Chad and Charles. Are there specific details that you used, or did you just design your own details for each specific site? I’m going to look at SSI and see if there are any parking lots in their case studies; looking for pictures of good examples to show client that it can look good as well as earn them LEED credits!