Land planning critical to Green Buildings and Climate Change
The American Society of Landscape Architects made the following recommendations. For the full report, click here.
- Encourage sustainable site planning for new communities and buildings of all types. (LEED addresses site planning in several ways, but much more could be done, especially in the area of building orientation for passive design)
- Require open space and parkland preservation as a component of all public and private development, from small site-specific projects to regional land use plans. (This is addressed, but not very satisfactorily, in the LEED rating system)
- Encourage the use of native and adapted vegetation in the built environment to take full advantage of the most appropriate plants to increase air quality, conserve water resources, and sequester carbon dioxide. (This is covered in the LEED rating system in several places)
- Encourage the use of sustainable stormwater management practices that enhance the treatment and increase the infiltration of stormwater. (LEED covers this topic as well)
- Encourage the use of green roofs on public and private buildings of all types. (LEED addresses green roofs and allows them to be used for multiple purposes)
- Require comprehensive transportation and utility planning as a component of land use planning, matching infrastructure capacity with current and proposed land uses.
- Encourage the development of smart growth communities. (LEED for Neighborhood Development will facilitate this development approach)
- Enact policies that support design of safe transportation routes for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and those who use wheelchairs.
Site planning is critical to green building’s long-term success. It’s great to see landscape architects stepping up to the plate on the climate change issue.
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