Designing the Sustainable Site (PDF)

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.