Strategies for More Sustainable Exterior Solutions

From growing walls to glowing glass, professionals can choose sustainability through the use of exterior building products that will help conserve water resources, manage living systems and daylgiht.
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Sponsored by Formulated Solutions LLC, greenscreen®, IRONSMITH, Jockimo Inc., Kim Lighting, SOIL RETENTION, YKK AP America Inc.
Celeste Allen Novak AIA, LEED AP
Permeable, Flexible and Plantable Paving Systems Increase Buildable Area

A church in the midwest is currently in the midst of a parking lot expansion, but is limited in the number of parking stalls they can install by the size of the detention basin required to maintain the stormwater runoff from the new paving. By choosing a plantable concrete paving system for the parking stalls they are able to lower the runoff amount due to infiltration through the pavers, and reduce the size of the detention basin. They are hoping to receive full approval by the city to allow for more parking within the confines of their lot.

STRATEGY #3: MEASURE 3: Land Use & Site Ecology
Sustainable design protects and benefits ecosystems, watersheds, and wildlife habitat in the presence of human development.

Trees − managing pedestrian shade and increasing energy efficiency

One tree makes up the CO2 produced in the manufacturing process for some tree grates in less than three years. After that, trees continue to benefit the environment by increasing air quality and decreasing the urban heat island effect.2 Tree grates can be made from one hundred percent recycled iron extracted from old vehicles and appliances and they are also one hundred percent recyclable. That's good for the environment and good for designers who care about the carbon footprint of materials.

Like planted driveway pavers, the success of a tree planting system depends on the composition of the soil, the type of tree and the engineered base. Trees are a living system. They need to be maintained, watered, and nourished throughout their life span and expected growth pattern. Planting trees and providing stormwater detention in urban areas, benefits the ecosystem, watersheds and wildlife habitat.


Phoenix Civic Space Park features aluminum trench grates in a custom frame for a fountain, and trench grates along a water wall to provide a space for play and cooling in this hot urban setting.

Photo courtesy of Carol Brennan Associates

 

Tree grates and stormwater trench drains should be durable providing long lasting enclosures that can last over forty years. These components need to weather in the harshest of urban environments, withstand salt spray, snow plows, traffic, the grit of urban rainfalls as well as the hot humidity of summer. They are most durable when specified in unfinished iron that weathers to a burnished industrial surface or unfinished aluminum that can withstand harsh marine environments. When used in an urban setting they can be installed with pilfer proof tie downs, to prevent theft.

As with vertical walls and planted paving systems, designing for an organic environment means educating the community or the client in the management of the system. Tree grates are sized by the growth patterns of a tree, and can "grow" as the tree matures with break panels that are adjusted throughout the lifespan of the tree. Design flexibility is important and so is the branding of the environment as tree grates and storm trenches can be imprinted with the name of the city, a facility or even an amusement park.


Two views showing street tree grate retrofits for existing trees in City Heights Center − San Diego, CA

 

When City Heights decided to retrofit their streets, they were able to do so without cutting down the existing trees at the curb's edge. By working around the existing tree roots, arborists were able to engineer constructed soils to maintain a planting channel or link between the trees so that they can share moisture content and grow as a natural system. As shown, a section of a tree paver grate demonstrates that the tree can be protected at its base by tree grates with openings to provide irrigation and impact damage from pedestrians and their pets.

The Colorado Tree Study provides a comprehensive list of the benefits of trees in urban areas.3 According to this study, trees help with carbon sequestration, reduce pollutants, protect our water, save energy, extend the life of paved surfaces by blocking UV rays, increase traffic safety, improve economic sustainability and affect consumer perceptions and behaviors. Providing trees along a neighborhood street applies to many LEED® categories, particularly in the new LEED® s for Neighborhood Development.

 

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Originally published in Architectural Record
Originally published in November 2009

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