Nature Landscape And Building For Sustainability

The complexity and scale of the environmental problems confronting humanity today provoke a wide range of responses, from indifference to anger to creativity. Among a growing number of architects, landscape architects, and planners, however, these problems have inspired a new vision-sustainability-to guide their practices. In Nature, Landscape, and Building for Sustainability, a diverse group of contributors considers the concept of sustainability, both philosophically and practically. Some take a broad view of the divisions between nature and humanity, exploring the incomprehensible scale of human intervention in the natural world, the relationship between how we feel about nature and what we do about it, and the commodification of the natural world. Other essays focus on sustainable design practices: sustainability's roots in the American conservation tradition, its utility as a framework for future design practice, and the necessity of moving beyond demonstration projects into the mainstream. Together, these essays suggest that the gap between the promise and reality of sustainable design, although significant, can be bridged through diligence and practice. Contributors: D. Michelle Addington, Yale U; John Beardsley, Harvard Graduate School of Design; Albert Borgmann, U of Montana, Missoula; Peter Buchanan; Peter Del Tredici, Harvard Graduate School of Design; Robert France, Harvard Graduate School of Design; Susannah Hagan, U of East London; Kristina Hill, U of Virginia; Catherine Howett, U of Georgia; Niall Kirkwood, Harvard Graduate School of Design; Lucy R. Lippard; Bill McKibbin; Michael Pollan; Rossana Vaccarino, Vaccarino Associates, St. Thomas. William S. Saunders is editor of Harvard Design Magazine and assistant dean for external relations at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. He is editor of five previous Harvard Design Magazine Readers published by the University of Minnesota Press. Robert L. Thayer Jr. is emeritus professor of landscape architecture and founder of the landscape architecture program at the University of California, Davis.

Nature Based Strategies for Urban and Building Sustainability reviews the current state-of-the-art on the topic. In the introduction, the editors review the fundamental concepts of nature elements in the built environment, along with the strategies that are necessary for their inclusion in buildings and cities. Part One describes strategies for the urban environment, discussing urban ecosystems and ecosystem services, while Part Two covers strategies and technologies, including vertical greening systems, green roofs and green streets. Part Three covers the quantitative benefits, results, and issues and challenges, including energy performances and outdoor comfort, air quality improvement, acoustic performance, water management and biodiversity. Provides an overview of the different strategies available to integrate nature in the built environment Presents the current state of technology concerning systems and methodologies on how to incorporate nature in buildings and cities Features the latest research results on operation and ecosystem services Covers both established and new designs, including those still in the experimental stage

Basic principles : "Sustainability" in context -- Principle 1 : Keep healthy sites healthy -- Principle 2 : Heal injured soils and sites -- Principle 3 : Favor living, flexible materials -- Principle 4 : Respect the waters of life -- Principle 5 : Pave less -- Principle 6 : Consider origin and fate of materials -- Principle 7 : Know the costs of energy over time -- Principle 8 : Celebrate light, respect darkness -- Principle 9 : Quietly defend silence -- Principle 10 : Maintain to sustain -- Principle 11 : Demonstrate performance, learn from failure -- Sustaining principles, evolving efforts.

This key book is a revised and updated discussion of the fundamental conflict in the perception of nature, and an expression of the essential need for an environmental view when approaching urban design. Whilst retaining the existing structure, each of the chapters has been revised to take into account recent theoretical and practical developments. A completely new concluding chapter has been added which draws together the themes of the volume and links these to broader landscape issues such as greenway systems, landscape ecology and green infrastructure.

The full-color, practical guide to designing sustainable residential landscapes and small-scale sites "Going green" is no longer a choice; it's a necessity. Developed landscapes have played a significant role in exacerbating the environmental and social problems that threaten humanity; however, they can also be part of the solution. Designing the Sustainable Site: Integrated Design Strategies for Small-Scale Sites and Residential Landscapes gives site designers and landscape architects the tools and information they need to become a driving force in the quest for sustainability. Advocating a regenerative design approach in which built landscapes sustain and restore vital ecological functions, this book guides readers through a design process for new and redeveloped sites that not only minimizes damage to the environment but also actively helps to repair it. Designing the Sustainable Site: Assists designers in identifying and incorporating sustainable practices that have the greatest positive impact on both the project and the surrounding community, within a regional context Uses photographs, sketches, and case studies to provide a comprehensive look at successful green landscape design Illustrates how sustainable practices are relevant and applicable to projects of any size or budget Demonstrates how built environments can protect and restore ecosystem services Explains the multiple and far-reaching benefits that sustainable design solutions can provide Assists project teams in fulfilling credit requirements of green building assessment tools, such as LEED, BREEAM, or SITES With attention to six global environmental challenges—including air pollution, urban flooding and water pollution, water shortages, invasive species, and loss of biodiversity—along with guidance on how to meet these challenges, Designing the Sustainable Site is a practical design manual for sustainable alternatives to small-scale site and residential landscape design.

Sustainable Site Design introduces the core concepts of sustainability as applied to landscape architecture. Focusing on site-scale design, this book provides a regional framework for integrating sustainable practices throughout the design process. From landscape analysis to program and design development, each design phase is illustrated with detailed case studies covering a broad range of innovative built landscape architectural projects.

How are greenways designed? What situations lead to their genesis, and what examples best illustrate their potential for enhancing communities and the environment? Designing greenways is a key to protecting landscapes, allowing wildlife to move freely, and finding appropriate ways to bring people into nature. This book brings together examples from ecology, conservation biology, aquatic ecology, and recreation design to illustrate how greenways function and add value to ecosystems and human communities alike. Encompassing everything from urban trail corridors to river floodplains to wilderness-like linkages, greenways preserve or improve the integrity of the landscape, not only by stemming the loss of natural features, but also by engendering new natural and social functions. From 19th-century parks and parkways to projects still on the drawing boards, Designing Greenways is a fascinating introduction to the possibilities-and pitfalls-involved in these ambitious projects. As towns and cities look to greenways as a new way of reconciling man and nature, designers and planners will look to Designing Greenways as an invaluable compendium of best practices.

"The second edition of Sustainable Landscape Construction has been updated to include the most important development and latest scientific research in the field. - It has been expanded to provide more ideas for designing, building, and maintaining environmentally sensitive landscapes."--Jacket.