Here at Landwell Design + Build Co., we strive to foster deep connections to the environment by creating beautiful and functional outdoor spaces for our clients to enjoy. Working so intimately with the land, we are reminded every day of the critical state our environment is in, due in no small part to the enormous population growth in recent years and the rate of development that has inherently followed. When the pace and priorities of development overshadow a professional obligation to implement best management practices and consider implications for future generations, the detrimental impacts of development can be widespread, long-lasting and nearly irreversible. As part of the design and construction industry, we feel a responsibility to do our part to help mitigate the climate crisis, instead of continuing to contribute to it. Through our work, we have an opportunity to utilize more environmentally conscious methods and materials, minimize our footprint, and make a real difference. One approach we’ve started to explore is the Sustainable Sites Initiative, which is a program that integrates the functions of healthy ecosystems into landscape design and development practices.
Whether natural or constructed, modest or immense, landscapes have such incredible potential to provide a variety of vital environmental benefits that are made available by healthy ecosystems. Properly functioning ecosystems regulate climate on a local and global scale, clean our air and water supply, control erosion and reduce pollution from runoff, break down waste, mitigate damage from natural disasters, support pollination and wildlife habitat, provide food and other resources, and improve human health and well-being, among many other essential services that increase the long-term sustainability of a site. Prioritizing the conservation, restoration and generation of robust natural ecosystems during land design, development and management can ensure a high level of site performance over time. This concept is the basis of the Sustainable Sites Initiative, an extensive rating system developed to guide designers, landscape architects, engineers, planners, and property owners alike through the process of designing, building, and maintaining a sustainable outdoor space.
Pioneered by the United States Botanic Garden, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the American Society of Landscape Architects, the SITES v2 Rating System is the product of several years of comprehensive research and collaboration between 70+ professional organizations and individuals in the fields of soil science, hydrology, ecology, horticulture, materials, engineering, design, architecture, maintenance, education, and human health. The assemblage of contributors also created the SITES v2 Reference Guide, intended to help project teams understand and navigate the rating system and to facilitate the certification process. The reference guide covers the background of SITES, the guiding principles and goals of the Sustainable Sites Initiative, gives case studies and examples, and outlines the rating system framework.
Like the LEED rating system for sustainable building design and development that SITES was modeled after, the SITES rating system is broken down into categories that follow the process from site selection through operations and maintenance. Each section – there are ten total – is comprised of prerequisites and credits, which are formulated to address one or more ecosystem service(s) like those listed above. All 18 prerequisites found throughout the rating system are required for a project to qualify for certification and hold no point value. Credits, which have varying point values, are not required, but fulfilling a combination of the 48 available credits is necessary in order to achieve a point total at or above the minimum amount required for the desired level of certification. Acquiring 70 points earns a project the title of SITES Certified, and the higher certification levels are as follows: 85 points – SITES Silver, 100 points – SITES Gold, and 135 points – SITES Platinum.
Besides the intrinsic positive environmental effects of establishing a sustainability-focused landscape, SITES certification can provide additional incentives for property owners, developers and organizations who want to participate in the program. Interested in learning more about SITES, or considering pursuing SITES certification for an upcoming project? The prospect may seem daunting, but Landwell can help! Our project manager Joslyn Amato is now a SITES Accredited Professional, and can educate, advise and assist with all things SITES-related. Feel free to get in touch with us or visit the Sustainable Sites Initiative website for more information.
