Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum

The Steering CommitteeThose with a ‘Vested Interest’

US GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL-HOUSTON AREA CHAPTER

INTERNATIONAL EROSION CONTROL ASSOCIATION-SOUTH CENTRAL CHAPTER

ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA-HOUSTON CHAPTER

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS-HOUSTON

HOUSTON COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS-HOUSTON

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS-HOUSTON/GULF COAST

TEXAS COASTAL WATERSHED PROGRAM

CITY OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS &

ENGINEERING

CITY OF HOUSTON MAYOR’S OFFICE

HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL

HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE DIVISION

HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT

BAYOU PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION

ENERGY CORRIDOR DISTRICT

GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

A Common Understanding↓Costs of traditional development are

soaring↓Developing ‘the way we’ve always done it’

is more and more counterproductive↓Costs of keeping pace with results of

traditional development becoming major problem

↓Change is inevitable↓Leadership role is better than the

alternative

“OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE, ENABLE AND INTEGRATE SUSTAINABLE USE OF LAND AND WATER FOR THE HOUSTON AREA'S CONTINUED GROWTH

AND ECONOMIC VITALITY."

Goal

Drive the widespread adoption, adaptation and implementation of sustainable development practices

Low Impact Development (LID)●

Green Infrastructure

Low Impact Development (LID)

• Hydrology as the organizing principal– Disconnect– Increase Time of Concentration– Infiltrate

• Reduce runoff• Mimic natural cycle– Clean storm water passively• Treat, infiltrate or use it on site

Low Impact Development (LID)

• Micro-scale, decentralized water management– 180° shift from centralized approach

• Water management in the landscape– Rain gardens (bioretention cell),

bioiswales, bio-filtration, etc. (unlimited IMPs)

A Gap that Needed to be Filled

Gaps between disciplines– Integrated design teams limited

Gaps in education– Focus on our soils, climate, topography

Focus on ‘nuts & bolts’ – Practical application rather than the

theoretical Driven by ‘enlightened self-interest’ – Inherent staying power

HLWSF Founded 2007• ‘True test’ of the Steering Committee• Programming on sustainable development– ‘Levelers’– Workshops– Local Case Histories

• Program facilities inevitably filled to capacity– 100 to 400 seat rooms

• Education is good, but ‘hands on’ is better– Getting to the next level

Making it Count• Require integrated design teams• Use real properties with challenging

conditions– Allows reusable design and viable LID

adaptations

• Require cost comparison of LID to Traditional design– Provides viable numbers for value comparison

• Use key ‘Drivers’ for Judges and Jury Panel– Educate key market players as part of the

process

Property Donors

CITY OF HOUS-TON

HARRIS COUNTY

DEVELOPERS

Competition Property Donors

Prize Donors

ARCHITECTSCIVILENGINEERS

DEVELOPERS

Competition Prize Donors

All the Key Players

CITY OF HOUS-TON

HARRIS COUNTY

DEVELOPERS

ARCHITECTSCIVILENGINEERS

DEVELOPERS

Competition Underwriters

Terry Hershey

Driving Participation• Use constituent groups’ drawing power• High-dollar cash prizes• Design Challenges that generate greatest

interest• Properties with owners who want LID• Name-value stage one Judges• Name-value finals Jury, predominantly

developers• Fast-paced, high-profile finals event, upscale

location

Expert JudgesStage One

CIVIL ENGINEERING Arthur L. Storey, PE

Executive Director, Harris County Public Infrastructure Division

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREDana Nunez Brown, ASLA

Principal, Brown + Danos Landdesign Inc. Baton Rouge, LA

LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENTLarry Coffman

President, Stormwater Services Group Chesapeake Beach, MD

ARCHITECTURE Greg Papay, FAIA

Principal, Lake|Flato ArchitectsSan Antonio, TX

HYDROLOGYStephen Costello, PE

Principal, Costello Inc. and City Councilman, Houston, TX

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTTed Nelson

Regional President, Newland Communities, Houston, TX

Participant Demographics• 22 submitting teams– 9 Green Roadway– 4 Urban Redevelopment– 9 Suburban Residential

• 230 design professionals– Architects, Civil Engineers, Landscape

Architects, Hydrologists, Urban Planners, Construction Consultants, Homebuilders, Environmentalists, Transportation Engineers, Irrigation Consultants

• 42 firms (TX, IL, NC, GA, CO, CA, KS)

Finals Event

• Presentation boards from all entries displayed

• Experienced emcee team• Networking time designed in to

proceedings• Finalists limited to 7 minute

‘lightning’ presentation• Highly orchestrated, quickly paced

Finals Jury PanelAmer Al-Nahhas

PresidentSpawGlass Civil Construction

Bill HuntsingerVice President-Planning

Metro National Corporation

Frank LiuPrincipal

Lovett Homes

Ian PowellPresident-Elect, AIA Houston

PBK Architects

Jimmy PappasPrincipal

Corinthian Development

Ralph DeLeonTIRZ 15 Program ManagerCity of Houston TIRZ 15

Richard JohnsonDirector of Sustainability

Rice University

Christopher GilbertProject/Construction Manager

General Growth Properties, Inc.

Dan GilbaneDevelopment Manager

Gilbane Building Company

Andrew SteffenProject ManagerHines Interests

Finals Jury PanelCommissioner Sylvia R. GarciaHarris County Precinct 2 Commissioner

Dov WeitmanChief, Nonpoint Source Control BranchU.S. Environmental Protection Agency

David Nussbaum Vice President-Development

Mischer Investments, LP

Terry HersheyBoard Member

Bayou Preservation Association

Mike Talbott Director

Harris County Flood Control District

John Blount Director of Architecture & Engineering

Harris County Public Infrastructure Dept.

Perry SennPrincipal

Peron Development

Ed WulfePresident

Wulfe & Company

David HightowerExec. VP & Chief Development Officer

The Wolff Companies

Carol Ellinger Haddock Sr. Asst. Director PW&E, City of Houston

American Society of Civil Engineers – Houston

Green RoadwayIndependence Parkway

The challenge is to design a new ‘green’ roadway section that

incorporates Low Impact Development techniques, reduces runoff, reduces storm water pollution through bio-

filtration or other means, and reduces long term maintenance costs.

Urban RedevelopmentBastrop Promenade

The proposed urban redevelopment, Bastrop Promenade, is located

adjacent to a proposed professional soccer stadium. It is conceived to be a 24/7 six-block pedestrian promenade

developed between the stadium and a proposed Sister City Garden at the end

opposite the stadium.

Suburban ResidentialVentana Lakes

The concept for this site is to develop a residential neighborhood with the look and feel of a master planned

community, using Low Impact Development to improve storm water

management, water quality and quality of life, and lower development

costs.

Counterintuitive Outcome?• Mimicking nature really works– Dramatic Water Quality improvements– Impressive reductions in runoff– Incredible cost savings when compared

to traditional development methods

• ‘Old school’ civil firms proselytize ‘green infrastructure’

• Results consistent across all categories and submittals

The Winning Designs

Simple●

Effective●

Can be permitted now with minimal variances

Notable Comments

• ‘We were surprised when we got the hydrology modeling, but when we saw the economics we were stunned. I called my guys in last Friday and told them that we’re pitching our new projects this way.’ Principal, one of Houston’s most prominent ‘old school’ Civil Engineering firms

Notable Comments• ‘I was one of the finalist judges down

there, and it ranks among the most exhilarating experiences of my 31-year career at EPA....I truly think that if we could replicate this event in every state, we could revolutionize development in this country….The most exciting part was that so many people involved had no background in LID prior and came out the other end believers and even proselytizers. Truly remarkable.’ Dov Weitman, Chief, Nonpoint Source Control Branch, EPA

Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum

www.houstonLWSforum.org