Even the most conscientious land development designers and project managers, caught up in the ever-increasing feverish pace of land development, rarely have enough time to research the most up-to-date thinking on the complex issues surrounding sustainable site design. New information often comes in small doses through an occasional class or conference but without the tools and resources to integrate that new information into actual designs and deliverables. In this model of professional development, resources tend to be localized and not shared between offices or even within offices between co-workers. When information is localized, so is the 20/20 hindsight that we get from making mistakes that will make our designs better in the future.

Ideas

My idea is a free, open source web site, funded through sponsorships and grants to streamline the design and construction of sustainable sites for all, not just green, land design professionals. The web site will provide the supporting information and resources on best management practices (BMPs) to make a giant leap forward in incorporating BMPs in every phase of the develelopment. Check out the prototype.

The web site will be easy to navigate and information is delivered in a way that recognizes how designers need to organize their own information to get their work done. Designers want to know, “What benefits can I expect from this BMP?” Thirteen sustainable design principles (aka green goals) are represented by a simple icon will make it easy for the designer to tell which BMPs address which goals. Designers want to know, “How do I clearly communicate the design of this BMP to the contractor?” BMPs are organized as checklists under typical drawing sheet titles like “Demolition Plan” or “Utility Plan”. Most BMPs need to be addressed in one way or another on more than one drawing sheet, so they will show up as a checklist item under each one of those sheets.

Shared

Designers want to know, “Which BMPs are feasible?” Each BMP will have the supporting information needed to argue the importance and economic benefits of the BMP to the client, practical design tips for differing environmental considerations, time of year and staging considerations, additional team members and private and public partners that could be needed, a case study example of the drawing sheets with helpful dos and don’ts to show the right information on the right sheets, guidance on construction ovesight, and design and modeling tools, details in AutoCAD and pdf format, and specifications in Word format.

To Benefit

Agencies:

• Alternative path to development: Some agencies have expressed interest in adopting a tool like this into their land development codes, which would provide an alternative (i.e. optional) path to conventional land development.
• Cost effective: In addition, pooling resources will mean that each jurisdictional authority in Oregon isn’t reinventing the wheel.
• Streamlined work flows: Once permitting staff feels comfortable with approving BMPs and designers are submitting their plans and specifications in a consistent fashion, the municipality will be able to reduce their own work load and expedite permitting.
• Adaptability: When the heavy lifting is complete, agencies may choose to tailor the information for their city or region because not all 200 land development BMPs will be appropriate for everywhere!
• Reduce risk: Since each web page of BMP guidance will be vetted by an integrated team of experienced designers and experts and have the approval of appropriate state agencies, the smaller jurisdictions can recommend these pages with confidence.

Designers:

• Cost effective: No office, no matter how dedicated to sustainable design, has a $1M laying around to develop this kind of tool.
• Streamlined work flows: This tool will take the guesswork out of considering and designing BMPs and will help to standardize the language and way designs are communicated on the plans to contractors.
• Flexibility: Designers can more eaily expand the suite of BMPs that are incorporated into their plans at whatever pace they feel comfortable with.
• Reduce risk: Since each web page of BMP guidance will be vetted by an integrated team of experienced designers and experts and have the approval of appropriate state agencies, designers use the tools and incorporate the resources on these pages with confidence.

Developers:

• Reduced risk: Since each web page of BMP guidance will be vetted by an integrated team of experienced designers and experts and have the approval of appropriate state agencies, developers will like how the stakeholder process will identify past mistakes. When their own designers and project managers move to incorporate these BMPs with our tools, they won’t have to fall prey to the same pitfalls.
• Streamlined work flows: This online tool will help developers perform an early assessment of BMPs that they’d like to explore.
• Reduced costs: Many applied sustainable land development principles result in cost savings or are at least cost neutral.
• Reduce uncertainty: In addition, uncertainty about design practices tends to increase the cost of newer technology and approaches. By reducing uncertainty, we reduce cost.
• Expedited permitting: They would certainly welcome expedited permitting as another way to increase their cost savings.
• Marketing opportunities identified: Many developers are already incorporating some of these practices but now will have a way to market why their project is more green than others.

Communities:

• Reduced health costs: Communities will be healthier both by design and as a consequence of additional localized ecosystem services that will be preserved and/or developed through the application of these BMPs.
• Natural resource management: Sustainable sites mean fewer long-term inputs such as irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides, frequent mowing, etc.
• Reduced operating costs: Sustainable site design can reduce long-term operating costs. For instance, orienting a building with its long side on an east-west axis can reduce energy costs by 40% alone.
• Educated public: While the people of Oregon are fiercely independent, they are also highly adaptable. When some of them learn about the importance and benefits, they will drive the market demand for these BMPs.

Everyone

Stakeholders’ input will come from every corner of the private and public sector, but a smaller group of expert stakeholders will form a review committee to vet the supporting information, models, details, and specifications so that designers can incorporate these resources into their deliverables with confidence. Developers, engineers, architects, landscape architects, realtors, scientists, ecologists, green marketing professionals, and members of environmental non-profits like watershed councils will be tapped. Involvement from such state and regional public agencies such as the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of State Lands, and Metro and many others has already occurred and is on-going. A number of stakeholders have already pledged their support and interest in the project.

By taking the guesswork out of sustainable land development practices and providing the design tools and resources for deliverables all in one convenient, vetted place, even designers with no previous green design experience will be empowered to incorporate sustainable principles into their projects with a smaller learning curve. I believe this web site will transform the way the life-giving ecosystem services provided by our land, air, and water are seen and treated by designers and contractors in land development projects to create a more livable place for us all.