Heather L. Venhaus

Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 11 years, 2 months ago

Matt – From what I understand, the U.S. Botanic Garden does not support the lawsuit. I believe this to be true because out of the three organizations, the U.S. Botanic Garden has the greatest legal resources and influence. If the USBG was unhappy with the trademark request as filed by UT, they would have joined the legal battle to stop it and w…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 11 years, 2 months ago

Matt – Currently, SITES is not a separate entity. The Executive Committee is made up of the ASLA, the Wildflower Center which is a part of UT and the US Botanic Garden. SITES staff who work with the various committees and lead the development of the metric and educational materials are located in Austin at the Wildflower Center. Liz Guthrie, Ma…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 11 years, 2 months ago

In regards to the ASLA SITES Petition update, publicly airing dirty laundry is rarely a good idea. Particularly when it is smattered with childish comments and obviously intended to discredit a former partner. Landscape Architects and many others in the site design industry have worked tirelessly to prove our value to the green building in…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 11 years, 2 months ago

The legal petition from ASLA and the formal response from UT definitely tell two different sides of the story. Regardless of which side you fall, we should all agree that litigation is not good for SITES or the profession as a whole. SITES v2 and the reference guide are scheduled to be released in the next couple months and projects will f…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 11 years, 2 months ago

Charles – you obviously have not read SITES closely or either don’t understand it. It is a performance base metric – the opposite of prescriptive design. Also, I challenge you to certify a project. In my work, I have found that those who believe they have been “doing it for 40 years” have great difficulty meeting the minimum criteria.
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 12 years, 2 months ago

A large number of credits under the Sustainable Sites Initiative pertain to vegetation. Check out my latest article “Green Math” in Landscape Architecture Magazine to find out what you should know to earn as many as possible.
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group Residential Design Group 12 years, 4 months ago

Land8 online has invited me to provide a free webinar on sustainable site design, small scale sites and residential landscapes on November 7th. What type of information you would find most useful?
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 12 years, 4 months ago

Land8 online has invited me to provide a free webinar on sustainable sites, small scale sites and residential landscapes on November 7th. What type of information you would find most useful?
Heather L. Venhaus replied to the topic Cristo's Over the River: Over the Rainbow, Overdone or Overblown? in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION 12 years, 11 months ago

I like the idea of drawing attention to our waterways and the many pressures placed upon them. The wrinkle I see in the concept is that it is beautiful, maybe not as beautiful as the river but certainly not an eye-sore. Wouldn’t it be more effective to cover the river with something that is not visually appealing? To help us understand how we…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus replied to the topic Real Landscape Architecture, no certification required in the forum SUSTAINABILITY & DESIGN 12 years, 11 months ago

Amazing! What a wonderful example of regenerative design – I love how the local children are taught the craft and anticipate their grandchildren using the bridges. I want to go visit!
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group Residential Design Group 14 years, 10 months ago

In response to John’s question “how would you propose to reduce emissions and increase sequestration through design” in addition to my comments below about how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – landscapes can also play an active role in sequestering carbon through thoughtful plant selection and soil stewardship. Research has shown that…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group Residential Design Group 14 years, 10 months ago

I believe the solution is to first accept the dual responsibility built landscapes hold in both causing environmental degradation AND protecting and restoring the ecosystem services we depend upon.

I agree with David, we can not and should not eliminate turf completely from our landscapes. There are many scenarios where mowed lawn is the best…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group Residential Design Group 14 years, 10 months ago

Urban “Green” Space may lead to Global Warming

Interesting article about the importance of extending sustainable practices to the maintenance of our landscapes. If the implications of maintenance requirements are not considered, the benefits of sustainable design practices may be lost. I think this article also highlights the advantage of having…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group LEED in Landscape Architecture 14 years, 10 months ago

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]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 14 years, 10 months ago

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]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group Residential Design Group 14 years, 10 months ago

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 interested in the practical application of landscape sustainability in residential settings and look…[Read more]
Heather L. Venhaus posted an update in the group The Sustainable Sites Initiative 14 years, 10 months ago

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]