Sustainable Landscape Construction

by Thompson, J. William; Sorvig, Kim; Farnsworth, Craig D.

ISBN13: 9781559636469

ISBN10: 1559636467

Format: Paperback

Pub. Date: 2000-08-01

Publisher(s): Island Pr

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Summary

Sustainable Landscape Constructionre-evaluates the assumption that all built landscapes are environmentally sound, and offers practical, professional alternatives for more sustainable landscape construction, design, an d maintenance. Packed with clear concepts and never-before-compiled resources on "green" landscape work, the book is an inspiring overview of important practices and concerns.Organized around ten key principles of sustainability, the book offers specific methods that can help accomplish those principles. Techniques and materials of landscape construction -- both alternative and conventional -- are evaluated, using criteria such as energy savings or non-toxicity and renewability in manufacture. Topics covered include: keeping healthy sites healthy constructing for and with plants working with a site's water regime reducing the impacts of paving using local, salvaged, or recycled materials estimating energy costs over time respecting the need for darkness and quiet evaluating the resource costs of conventional landscape maintenance and more More than 100 projects from around the world are described and illustrated, proving that sustainable methods are viable today -- economically, functionally, and aesthetically. The book's extensive lists of resources for further information are an invaluable tool for implementing the ideas discussed, and for adapting them to local and regional conditions.Sustainable Landscape Constructionwill be an important complement to basic landscape construction texts, and is a one-of-a-kind reference for professionals in landscape architecture, construction, and maintenance; students in landscape construction and related design courses; and landowners, community groups, and others concerned with the health of specific sites.

Author Biography

J. William Thompson is story editor for Landscape Architecture, the magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Kim Sorvig is research professor at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of New Mexico, and co-author of the Sustainable Building Technical Manual published for the U.S. Green Building Council.

List of Illustrations

List of Tables

xix

Acknowledgments

xxi

Contacting the Authors

xxi

Introduction

(1)

What Is Sustainability: Politics, Ethics, and Semantics

(7)

Green building: Definitions and Initiatives

(2)

Sustainability: Convention, Tradition, and Innovation

(1)

The Landscape Professions: NOT Construction ``versus'' Design

(1)

An Evolving Effort

(1)

Who Should Use This Book?

(1)

How to Use This Book

(4)

Principle-Focused Organization

(1)

Abbreviations

(1)

Resource Lists for Further Information

(1)

Individuals and Firms Mentioned in This Book

(1)

Exemplary Landscapes

(2)

Successes and Challenges

(274)

But How Can Landscapes Damage the Environment?

(2)

Technical Issues: Resources and Biodiversity

(1)

From How to Why

(1)

Natural ``Look'' and Ecological Function---A Paradox?

(5)

The Hand of the Designer

(2)

``Ecorevelatory Design''

(1)

Form Follows Function in Nature, Too

(1)

The Appearance of Sustainability

(1)

Get an Attitude

(1)

Take a Role in ``Preconstruction''

(2)

Build a Site-Focused Team

(2)

The Challenges of Change

(1)

Resources

(5)

General

(1)

Ecology

(1)

Green Building

(1)

Construction

(1)

Technology

(1)

Style and Sustainability

(1)

Planning, Design, and Management

(1)

Teamwork

(1)

Community-Based Planning

(2)

Keep Healthy Sites Healthy

(32)

What Is a Healthy Site?

(2)

Do Your Homework FIRST: Knowledge as Sustainability

(2)

Locate Features during Site Reconnaissance

(1)

Specially Protect Streams, Lakes, and Wetlands

(1)

Tap Local Knowledge of Sites and Seasons

(1)

Avoid Survey Damage

(4)

Manage Line-of-Sight Surveys

(1)

Use Alternative Survey Technology

(1)

Global Positioning

(1)

Project Examples Using GPS

(1)

Laser 3-D Site Imaging

(1)

Low-Tech, Nonline-of-Sight Tools

(1)

Minimize Utility Damage

(5)

Use Narrow Easements and Trenches

(1)

Reduce Clearing for Access Roads

(2)

Keep Urban Utilities Accessible

(1)

Plant the Right Street Trees, and Prune Them Right

(1)

Make New Utility Technologies Less Intrusive

(1)

Specify and Lobby for ``Alternative'' Utility Systems

(1)

Physically Protect Site during Construction

(3)

Clearly Designate Protected Areas

(1)

Fence Protected Areas and Maintain throughout Construction

(1)

Limit On-Site Stockpiling, Parking, Etc.

(1)

Choose Staging Areas Carefully

(1)

Preserve Healthy Topsoil

(2)

Avoid Soil Compaction

(1)

Don't ``Improve'' Healthy Native Soils

(1)

Save Every Possible Existing Tree

(3)

Evaluate Existing Trees with Professional Help

(1)

Remove Trees Early, if at All

(1)

Remember the Health Benefits of Death

(1)

Fence All Protected Trees Thoroughly

(1)

Build with Great Care under Trees

(1)

Avoid Grade Changes near Trees

(1)

Don't Half-Save a Tree

(1)

Use Appropriate Construction Machinery

(4)

Don't Assume a Need for Heavy Equipment

(2)

Use the Lightest Machinery Available

(2)

Related Design and Planning Issues

(3)

Site Selection

(1)

``Building Envelopes''

(1)

Reasonable Grading and Clearing Regulations

(1)

Covenants for Site Protection

(1)

Zones within Constructed Landscapes

(1)

Specifying Site Protection in Contracts

(1)

Coordination and Follow-Up

(1)

Resources

(4)

Surveying and Mapping

(1)

Site Inventory

(1)

Site Protection

(1)

Site Protection: Vegetation

(1)

Vegetation: Consultants

(1)

Vegetation: Native Plants

(1)

Utility Impact

(1)

Energy Generation

(1)

Tools

(1)

Heal Injured Sites

(38)

Turn Wastelands into Gardens

(2)

Derelict Sites

(1)

Brownfields

(1)

Toxic Sites

(1)

Balance Costs and Benefits of Restoration

(1)

Involve the Community in Site Restoration

(6)

Know the Site's History

(1)

Start an Urban Barn Raising

(1)

Follow the Lead of Community Garden Groups

(1)

Invest in a Garden Festival Restoration

(2)

Make a Virtue of the Necessity for Landfills

(1)

Recognize Agricultural and Rural Restoration

(1)

Fit Techniques to Both Community and Site

(1)

Restore Landscape Structurally

(7)

Restore Environmentally Appropriate Grading

(1)

Grade to Follow Regional Landforms

(2)

Grade Long Slopes in Steps

(1)

Grade Subsoil, Not Topsoil

(1)

Note: Regrading and Wetlands

(1)

Remove Damaging Structures

(1)

Remove Excess Paving

(1)

Replace Overengineered Drainage Structures

(1)

Create Landscapes on Landfills

(1)

Trees versus the Cap?

(1)

Fresh Kills

(1)

Suggested Practices for Landfill Sites

(1)

Restore Damaged Soils On-Site

(11)

Avoid ``Topsoiling''

(1)

Stockpile Existing Topsoil

(1)

Balance Cut and Fill

(1)

``Amend'' Soil---But with Restraint

(1)

Materials and Energy for Soil Amendment

(2)

Use Greenwaste and Other Composts

(1)

Availability and Quality of Composts

(1)

On-Site use of Yard Waste

(1)

Green Manure Crops

(1)

Watch for Lead in Soils

(1)

Heal the Soil with Biosolids

(2)

Biosolids Project Examples

(1)

Manufactured Soil

(1)

Projects

(1)

Suggested Practices for Soil Restoration

(1)

Restore Regionally Appropriate Vegetation

(7)

Remove Invasive Plants and Restore Succession

(1)

Follow Field-Based Planting Patterns

(1)

Match Plants to Restoration Purposes

(1)

Plants for Wildlife Restoration

(1)

Phytoremediation for brownfields Cleanup

(3)

Bioremediation

(1)

Get Specialist Help for Toxic Wastes

(1)

Resources

(4)

Site Restoration

(1)

Brownfields

(1)

Grading

(1)

Compost and Mulch

(1)

Biosolids

(1)

Soils

(1)

Soil Amendments and Manufactured Soil

(1)

Phytoremediation

(1)

Bioremediation

(2)

Favor Living, Flexible Materials

(34)

Hold Slopes with biotechnical Erosion Control

100

(5)

Bind the Soil with Living Plants

100

(1)

Control Surface Erosion with Mats and Mulches

101

(1)

Mats and Blankets

102

(1)

Mulches and Composts for Slope Stabilization

102

(1)

Evaluate and Monitor Each Site Carefully

102

(1)

Project Examples

103

(2)

Suggested Practices for Bioengineering

105

(1)

Make Vertical Structures ``Habitat-able''

105

(6)

Advantages of Greenwalls

106

(1)

Types of Greenwalls

106

(1)

Plantable Masonry Structures

107

(1)

The Evergreen Trough

108

(1)

Greening the Block Wall

108

(1)

Flexible Soil Support Systems

109

(1)

Experiments with Mesh

109

(1)

Sandbag Variations

109

(1)

Cellular Containment

110

(1)

Design Issues

111

(1)

Turn Barren Roof Spaces into Ecoroofs

111

(5)

Environmental Benefits of Ecoroofs

112

(1)

Project Examples

113

(1)

Ecoroof Materials and Approaches

114

(1)

Suggested Practices for Ecoroofs

115

(1)

Construct For and With Plants

116

(12)

Follow Up-to-Date Planting Structure Guidelines

118

(1)

Street-Tree Structures

118

(2)

``Structural Soil'' for Urban Plantings

120

(2)

Planters, Raised Beds, and Containers

122

(1)

Updated Standards for Uncontained Plantings, Too

122

(1)

Select Sustainable Species (and Substitutes)

123

(1)

What Is a Native?

124

(1)

Handle with Care

125

(1)

Choice of Nursery Stock

125

(1)

Moving and Storage

126

(1)

Planting Practices

126

(1)

Wildflowers

127

(1)

Maintaining New Plantings

127

(1)

Organic Maintenance

128

(1)

Count on Plants to Sustain

128

(1)

Resources

129

(4)

Bioengineering

129

(1)

Erosion Control

129

(1)

Greenwalls and Ecoroofs

130

(1)

Plants: Valuation

130

(1)

Plantings

130

(1)

Plantings: Native Plants

131

(1)

Plantings: Structures

131

(1)

Horticultural Products

131

(2)

Respect the Waters of Life

133

(40)

Work with the Site's Water Regime

133

(5)

Respect Natural Drainage Patterns

134

(1)

Accept Regional Limitations of Water Supply

135

(1)

Deal with Stormwater near Where It Falls

136

(2)

Protect and Restore Natural Wetlands

138

(8)

Recognize ``Services'' Provided by Wetlands

138

(1)

Know the Issues before Working in or near Wetlands

139

(1)

Understanding and Recognizing Wetlands

139

(1)

Legal and Political Issues

140

(1)

Wetlands ``Creation'' and Brokering

140

(1)

Protect Wetlands during Construction

141

(1)

Wetlands Require Different Protection Strategies

142

(1)

Decrease Impacts if Building in Wetlands

142

(2)

Restore Damaged Wetlands

144

(1)

Project Example

145

(1)

Restore Rivers and Streams to Full Health

146

(8)

Project Examples

150

(4)

Collect and Conserve Water

154

(11)

Harvest Water from Roofs and Landscapes

154

(2)

Project Example

156

(1)

Infiltrate Water Simply On-Site

156

(2)

Store Water for Later Use

158

(1)

Use Pumps if Needed

158

(1)

Filter and Purify Collected Water for Drinking

158

(1)

Irrigate Intelligently and Sparingly

159

(1)

Xeriscape and Low-Water Landscapes

159

(1)

Water-Efficient Irrigation Technology

160

(1)

Drip Irrigation Equipment

161

(1)

Controllers and Sensors for Efficient Irrigation

162

(1)

Energy Efficiency of Irrigation Systems

163

(1)

Materials Efficiency of Irrigation Systems

164

(1)

Reuse Greywater

165

(1)

Purify Water with Constructed Wetlands

165

(4)

Resources

169

(4)

Wetlands

169

(1)

Wetlands Restoration

169

(1)

Construction in Wetlands

170

(1)

Stream Restoration

170

(1)

Stormwater

170

(1)

Water Harvesting, Storage, and Purification

171

(1)

Planning, Design, and Management

171

(1)

Greywater

171

(1)

Xeriscape, Permaculture, and Related Strategies

171

(1)

Irrigation

171

(1)

Controllers and Sensors

172

(1)

Constructed Wetlands

172

(1)

Pave Less

173

(22)

Plan and Design to Reduce Paving

174

(7)

Put New Development on a ``Parking Diet''

175

(2)

Legalize Narrower Streets and ``Traffic Calming''

177

(1)

Environmental Benefits of Narrower Streets

178

(1)

On Sensitive Sites, Scatter the Parking

179

(1)

Just Say No to Some Paving Demands

180

(1)

Reduce Runoff from Paving

181

(9)

Make Gutters and Curbs Permeable

182

(1)

Infiltrate Road and Parking-Lot Runoff in Bioswales

182

(2)

Use Porous Paving Materials

184

(1)

Porous Asphalt and Concrete

184

(2)

Pave with Grass

186

(2)

Grassed Paving: Project Examples

188

(1)

Unit Pavers on Permeable Subgrade

189

(1)

Cool Asphalt with Planting and Albedo

190

(2)

Resources

192

(3)

Overpaving

192

(1)

Paving

192

(1)

Porous Paving

192

(1)

Bioswales

193

(1)

Roadway Design

193

(1)

Traffic Calming

193

(1)

Heat Islands

193

(2)

Consider Origin and Fate of Materials

195

(34)

Some Simple Guidelines

196

(1)

Let Reuse Be Reinspiration

196

(1)

Use Local, Salvaged, or Recycled Materials

196

(14)

Use On-Site Materials

198

(1)

Boulders, Stone, Brick, and Timber

199

(2)

Adobe, Soil Cement, and Other Earthen Materials

201

(2)

Find and Reuse Off-Site Salvage

203

(1)

Stone

203

(1)

Timber

204

(1)

Crushed Glass

204

(1)

Tires

205

(2)

Specify Remanufactured Materials

207

(1)

Plastic Lumber

207

(2)

Recycled Glass Tile

209

(1)

Crumb Rubber

209

(1)

Other Recycled Materials

210

(1)

Recycle at the Job Site

210

(1)

Evaluate Supplier-Specific Costs

210

(1)

Use Sustainably Harvested Renewables

211

(2)

Salvage Wood Where Possible

212

(1)

Specify Sustainably Harvested and Processed Wood

212

(1)

Substitute Straw and Other Wastes for Wood

212

(1)

Avoid Toxic and Nonrenewable Materials

213

(5)

Anticipate Hazards from prior Land Uses

213

(3)

Be Aware of Direct Hazards from Construction

216

(1)

Minimize Invisible Hazards Off-Site

216

(1)

Impacts of General Manufacturing Processes

217

(1)

Use and Advocate Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA)

218

(1)

Toxicity Summaries by Material Type

218

(5)

Plastics Used in the Landscape

219

(1)

Three Controversial Materials

219

(2)

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC and CPVC)

221

(1)

Wood Preservatives

221

(2)

Toxics as ``Fertilizer''

223

(1)

Selecting Landscape Materials: Priorities

223

(1)

Resources

224

(5)

Materials

224

(1)

Materials Selection

224

(1)

Materials: On-Site

225

(1)

Materials: Recycled

225

(1)

Sustainable Wood

225

(1)

Construction Waste Management

226

(1)

Hazard Identification

226

(1)

Materials: Nontoxic or Alternative

226

(1)

Life-Cycle Analysis

227

(2)

Know the Costs of Energy Over Time

229

(30)

Landscape Energy Use Is Different

230

(1)

Types of Energy in Construction

230

(1)

Energy in Buildings vs. Energy in Landscapes

230

(1)

Saving Energy in the Landscape

231

(1)

Energy for Machines, Tools, and Labor

231

(12)

Alternatives in Generating Energy

232

(1)

Tools and Their Energy Sources

233

(1)

Energy Use: Heavy and Self-Propelled Machinery

234

(1)

Example of Machinery Evaluation

235

(1)

The Special Role of Mini-Machinery

235

(2)

Energy Use: Small Power Equipment

237

(3)

Energy Use: Hand Tools and Labor

240

(1)

Energy Use: Transportation

241

(1)

Summary: Machinery and Tools Energy Guidelines

242

(1)

Embodied Energy---Why Do We Care?

243

(7)

Benefits of Embodied Energy Analysis

244

(1)

Energy Accounting and Sustainability

245

(1)

Construction Influence on the Energy Future

245

(1)

Embodied Energy of landscape Materials

245

(1)

Embodied Energy Estimating Example

246

(1)

Understanding the Embodied Energy Tables

247

(3)

Not Energy Alone

250

(1)

Life-Cycle Costing: A Sustainability Tool

250

(5)

LCC for Better Comparative Costing

251

(2)

Basic LCC

253

(1)

Energy LCC

254

(1)

Monetary LCC Analysis

254

(1)

Landscape Energy Conservation Guidelines

255

(2)

Resources

257

(2)

Energy

257

(1)

Energy: Site Design

257

(1)

Machinery

257

(1)

Operating Energy

258

(1)

Embodied Energy

258

(1)

Celebrate Light, Respect Darkness

259

(10)

Respect the Need for Darkness

259

(1)

Use Lighting Efficiently

260

(2)

Design for Accurate and Appropriate Light Levels

261

(1)

Use Sensors and Controllers to Avoid Wasted Light

262

(1)

Try Low-Voltage Lighting for Flexibility

262

(5)

Don't Overlook Fiber-Optic Lighting

263

(1)

Use Solar Lighting

263

(2)

Photovoltaic Design Considerations

265

(1)

Package PV Systems: Promise and Problems

266

(1)

Street Lighting

266

(1)

Signage Lighting

266

(1)

Garden Lighting

266

(1)

Security Lighting

267

(1)

Evaluate Lamp Performance

267

(1)

Resources

268

(1)

Lighting

268

(1)

Light Pollution

268

(1)

Solar Energy

268

(1)

Solar Lights

268

(1)

Quietly Defend Silence

269

(6)

Be Aware of Damage Caused by Noise

269

(1)

Don't Rely on Noise ``Barriers''

270

(1)

Walls

270

(1)

Berms

270

(1)

Vegetation as Sound Barrier

270

(1)

Make Noise Invisible

271

(1)

Fight Noise with Noise

271

(1)

Protect ``Soundscapes'' through Planning

271

(1)

Resources

272

(3)

Acoustics

272

(1)

Noise

272

(1)

Noise Control

273

(2)

Maintain to Sustain

275

(12)

Know the Resource Costs of Conventional Landscape Maintenance

276

(1)

Plan for maintainable Spaces

276

(2)

Expect Change

278

(1)

Use Appropriate Machinery and Fuels

278

(2)

Apply Integrated Pest management to Reduce Pesticide Use

280

(1)

Use Fertilizers Sustainably

281

(1)

Don't Waste On-Site Resources

281

(1)

Adapt to Using native OPlants

282

(1)

Evaluate Life-Cycle Costs of Maintenance Options

283

(1)

Coordinate Design, Construction, and Maintenance

284

(1)

Resources

285

(2)

Maintenance

285

(1)

Maintenance: Energy Use

286

(1)

Maintenance: Organic and IPM

286

(1)

Maintenance: On-Site Waste

286

(1)

Maintenance: Plants

286

(1)

Maintenance: Computers and Coordination

286

(1)

Conclusions and Beginnings

287

(8)

Learning from the Landscape: Themes and Strategies

288

(3)

Decentralize

288

(1)

Coordinate Efforts

289

(1)

Rely on Resilience Rather than Strength

289

(1)

Build for Synergy

289

(1)

Work from Community

290

(1)

Integrate Natural and man-Built Elements

290

(1)

Envision Richer Forms

290

(1)

Green Design/Construction Education

291

(1)

Public Landscapes as Education

292

(1)

Thinking One Hundred Years Ahead

293

(2)

Appendix A. The Hazards and Impacts of Landscape Materials

295

(24)

Using This List

295

(1)

General Definitions

296

(1)

Process Listings

296

(2)

Process: Electrical Generation and Transmission

296

(1)

Process: Fuel Combustion (engines and industrial)

297

(1)

Process: Logging

297

(1)

Process: Mining

297

(1)

Process: Petroleum Production and Refining

298

(1)

Process: Disposal

298

(1)

Plastics, Glass, and Rubber

298

(4)

ABS Plastic

298

(1)

Acrylic Glazing

299

(1)

Foam Plastics, Expanded-in-Place

299

(1)

Fiberglass

299

(1)

Glass

300

(1)

Nylon

300

(1)

Polybutylene

300

(1)

Polycarbonate

300

(1)

Polyethylene

300

(1)

Polypropylene

301

(1)

Polystyrene

301

(1)

Polyurethane and Polyisocyanurate

301

(1)

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC and CPVC)

301

(1)

Recycled Plastic Products

302

(1)

Rubber

302

(1)

Coatings, Preservatives, Adhesives, and Additives

302

(6)

Additives and Admixtures

302

(1)

Adhesives (see also products to be glued)

303

(1)

Caulks and Sealants

303

(1)

Paints

304

(1)

Oil-Based (also called solvent-based)

304

(1)

Water-Based

304

(1)

Alternative

305

(1)

Swimming-Pool, Traffic, and Specialty

305

(1)

Powder Coatings

305

(1)

Solder

306

(1)

Solvents

306

(1)

Varnishes, Clear Finishes, and Stains

306

(1)

Wood Preservatives

306

(2)

Metals

308

(3)

Aluminum

308

(1)

Brass

308

(1)

Cast Iron

308

(1)

Copper

308

(1)

Iron

309

(1)

Lead

309

(1)

Steel

309

(1)

Zinc and Galvanizing

310

(1)

Wood

311

(1)

Lumber

311

(1)

Glulam timber

311

(1)

Plywood and Chipboards

311

(1)

Stone

311

(1)

Cement and Asphalt

312

(2)

Cement, Concrete, and Mortar

312

(1)

Asphalt

312

(1)

Aggregates

313

(1)

Sand

313

(1)

Form-Release Agents

314

(1)

Brick, Tile, and Adobe

314

(1)

Brick

314

(1)

Ceramic Tile

315

(1)

Adobe (stabilizers)

315

(1)

Soil Products

315

(4)

Perlite and Vermiculite (soil mix)

315

(1)

Fertilizers

316

(3)

Appendix B. Limits of Embodied Energy Methods Today

319

(8)

Issues in Embodied Energy Research

319

(2)

Lack of Comparable Source Data

319

(1)

Differences in Analytical Methods

319

(2)

Political and Historical Obstacles

321

(1)

Methods Used in Compiling Embodied Energy Figures for This Book

321

(6)

Sources

321

(1)

Procedures

322

(5)

Appendix C. Landscape Projects Cited in This Book

Notes

327

(12)

Index

339

Sustainable Landscape Construction

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