Martin Schwanauer

In order to pass the new practice act in Washington, we had to capitulate to a legislator who said he “is an apprentice kind of guy”. So now the state LA Board is drawing up rules for the act’s implementation. One of the areas being addressed is this aspect of the legislation. As it stands now, the law gives a big boost to kids of licensed…[Read more]

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!

Naomi-
If 6″ curbs are a must, explore the possibility of using curb cuts at regular intervals or where it makes sense….the cuts will still allow runoff to enter the depression. Clay soils? Maybe grade soil towards a central trench/basin filled with gravel. Put an underdrain at the bottom of the gravel and follow Charles’ suggestion of piping…[Read more]

Naomi
We have done quite a few parking lots with the planting islands as depressed catchment areas. Most of the time we have to plumb them together to get rid of the water as infiltration is not good. One problem I have seen is that these areas tend collect litter and looks bad unless cleaned oftern.

I just took a little Green Associate Review the week before last as part of training for BPI (Building Performance Institute) certification. I plan to take the GA test within the next few weeks, so I’ll post how it goes.

Anyone have a good detail/case study for using planting islands as small stormwater catchment areas? This is for the northeast, and the parking lot will most likely have standard curbs, but if there’s another idea… Just getting started on the project, but excited about the possibilities. Thanks!

Has anyone taken the LEED Green Associate exam? Please share your exam experience.

Katrina – Sorry I accidentally posted a question about the practice tests to your discussion earlier !!

Katrina,
If your program is LAAB accredited, then you should be fine. Email me priviately and I can make some recommendations for you to address the LATC staff.
Stephanie

Semiarundaria fastuosum is a good screen variety. Dense and upright.

Baskar – Could you go into more detail with your comments…

natural topography( wild grasses area or growing naturally ) can take as landscaped area? or it should be neatly landscaped ( dry or xeroxscping_) area? for site selection ?.

Hands-on all-day workshop on Modeling Residential Sites with Slope in Google SketchUp (for intermediate/advanced users) in San Francisco Feb. 20th, 2010

tal_sketchup.pdf

I also got this information from GBCI: If you area a LEED AP and you choose a specialty – there is no harm in keeping your enrollment and that if you do not report any continuing education hours at the end of the 2 years your LEED AP with Specialty credential will expire, however you will remain a LEED AP without specialty.

FYI: LEED Credentialing Maintenance Program (CMP) – read last sentence!!

Enrollment Options: LEED APs without specialty will be provided with an enrollment window, a 2-year period between fall 2009 and fall 2011. LEED APs without specialty can view their enrollment window through My Credentials at http://www.gbci.org. The last enrollment windows close…[Read more]

Its the pathogens. Greywater is almost as bad as sewer water. Getting people sick in the name of LEED does not seem to be the way to go.

hai nice to join in this group

Potentially greywater could be treated in a bioswale or series of detention ponds, but in California, this system is impossible to permit (Does anyone know of any States who allow this?). However, you can treat stormwater in that method.

how about grey water treating with wetlands/ aerobic system? there is need for open bond rite? instead using in sewage water treatment along with chemicals?