The Sustainable Sites Initiative: quantitative performance evaluation of designed landscapes

Allegra Bukojemsky & Steve Windhager

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center are leading an effort to establish site performance goals to guide landscape design. The Sustainable Sites Initiative seeks to bridge the disciplines of ecology and design to help guide choices in the planned landscape.

Green building standards, such as the U.S. Green Building Council's LEEDŽ rating system, are driving environmentally superior building design and construction through voluntary market-based incentives.  Measurable benefits - environmental, economic, and quality of life - result when people have the necessary information and tools to guide their design decisions and when commitment to excellence is recognized. By extending this approach beyond buildings to the planned landscape, we can realize even greater gains. 

The Sustainable Sites Initiative will quantitatively evaluate performance of landscapes and land management in terms of performance of ecosystems services such as stormwater management and hydrodynamics, soil health, air and water pollution reduction and abatement, human wellbeing, carbon sequestration, and heat island effects for projects such as large campuses, public parks, conservation areas, private resort, recreation areas, and transportation and utility corridors.  The program is a first attempt to systematically apply the wealth of ecological knowledge to the design and management of anthropogenic systems.  The input of applied and theoretical ecologists -- as well as a wide array of other disciplines -- is critical to the successful development of this program.

This presentation will discuss the current research findings, questions and discuss ways that listeners can provide input.