Finally , after four years in the qualification , theSustainable Sites Initiative‘s military rank organisation for design , grammatical construction and maintenance of sustainable landscapes wasannouncedthis week at the U.S. Botanic Garden in D.C. It ’s a rating system for any internet site at all – not just around building or throughout residential development but also ballpark , parking circumstances , utility corridors , right field - of - way , botanic garden , campus and your own backyard .
The most compelling argument for sustainable landscapes , and the slogan splashed across SSI literature , is that Landscapes Give Back . They give back in cleaner water system and air , coolheaded cities , mitigation of mood alteration ( all that sequestering of carbon ) , imagination conservation and positive feedback , cracking push efficiency , habitat preservation and biodiversity , lower costs and better carrying into action from stormwater management , and better bread and butter condition . Whew !
So while designer are seeking the Holy Grail of green building blueprint – carbon neutrality – landscapes are well carbon - positively charged . In the Word of Nancy Somerville , executive film director ofASLA , “ Sustainable landscape move beyond a do - no - harmapproach . ” Other Speaker include Holly Shimizu , Director of the U.S. Botanic Garden , and Susan Reiff , executive Director of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center . Together they represent the threeparties to the Sustainable Sites Initiative .
Pilot Sites NeededIn increase to releasing the guidelines , the SSI folk are asking for pilot site – 75 to 150 of them . The sites can be any eccentric of designed landscape painting of at least 2,000 square feet in size of it . Pilot land site will earn up to 250 point toward LEED certification , and the deadline to apply is February 15 , 2010.More info .
Homeowner ’s VersionOne bit ofexcellentnews was the promulgation that a homeowner ’s edition of the Sustainable Sites guidelines is in the work , and it ’s being written by surely the best qualified person in the whole damned mankind for the business – Janet Marinelli . Check out herAbout Pageor the alternative , more officialthird - person translation . ( There ’s also a link there to an awfully retentive resume , for those who desire to wade through it . )
But I ’ll summarise . She ’s either written or edit The Brooklyn Botanic Garden ’s outstandinghandbooksand a plenty ofbooks , too . She created the BBG ’s excellentwebsite(learning HTML to make that happen ) and a really nerveless site I just bring out aboutUrban Habitats . She ’s been write about sustainable horticulture for a long , long fourth dimension .
And check her out – I just love the nature - young woman - with - lipstick - and - jewelry look in this photo . Now that I ’ve met her and caught up on her calling , Janet ’s my new hero . So congrats to the SSI folk for taking this extra , much - needed footprint , doing it powerful , and construct the homeowner resources free .
