The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), The
University of Texas at Austin's Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center,
and the United States Botanic Garden announced the development of a new
rating system for sustainable landscape design, called the Sustainable
Sites Initiative. The announcement took place at the 2007
ASLA EXPO in San Francisco, California.
Just as the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED(R) rating
system measures a building's environmental impact, the Sites Initiative
will measure the sustainability of designed landscapes of all types,
including public, commercial, and residential projects. The U.S. Green
Building Council is lending its support to this project and plans to
adopt the Sustainable Sites metrics into its LEED(R) system once they
are finished.
"This will provide the missing link for green building
standards," said Nancy Somerville, Executive Vice President and CEO of
ASLA. "Developers, designers, owners, and public officials will now
have the tools at hand to significantly increase sustainability in the
built environment, from interiors to landscapes."
"We are acutely aware that the best guidelines and standards
in the world will not be adopted if they are not cost-effective for
builders and landowners," said Frederick R. Steiner, FASLA, Dean of The
University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture and a member of
the Wildflower Center Advisory Council. "Sustainable landscapes have
enormous environmental benefits, and any additional costs should be
easily recovered over the life of the project in energy, water, and
other savings."
"The U.S. Botanic Garden is extremely excited to be a part of
the Sustainable Sites Initiative," said Holly Shimizu, Executive
Director of the Garden. "We recognize that through partnerships and
collaborations we can make a much greater impact on promoting and
guiding sustainable design, implementation, and management of gardens,
landscapes, and all outdoor spaces. This initiative will help balance
the built and natural environments for the long-term health of
communities nationwide."
Posted 8th October 2007
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