Sustainable Community Design

Sean JoyceHuong NguyenThomas Parenteau

Create a guide on sustainable development

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Goal

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Identified Problems

Need for sustainable communities• Urban development patterns• Dependency on motor vehicles• Environmental degradation

Picture from google.com

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Identified Problems

Need for best practice manual

• LEED-ND does not provide implementation methods

• Testing unproven ideas are costly

Ideas + Testing =

Best Practices Manual (BPM)

• Focus on LEED Neighborhood Pattern and Design (LEED-NPD) category

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Deliverable

• BPM table

• List of detailed guideline on the 15 NPD credits

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DeliverableCredit: Title of LEED Credit

Intent: This section provides the objectives of the credit named above, as provided in LEED-ND handbook.

A. To easily present information on a variety of topics, this section subdivides the credit into smaller goals.

Goal Associated Best Practices

Concerned Agencies

1. This column provides the goal of the subdivision named above. While it may share a common theme with the intent of the entire LEED credit, it focuses more on one aspect of the credit, rather than the whole.

1. This column lists the best practices associated with achieving the goal mentioned in the adjacent left column.

Since achieving many of these goals may require changes to

zoning, streets design, bus routes etc, this column provides the

name of any agencies or bodies that may

need to be involved in the planning process in

an effort to expedite completion of the

project.

Employing BPM Table

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Credit 1: WalkabilityIntent: To promote transportation efficiency, including reduced vehicle miles traveled. To promote walking by providing safe, appealing, and comfortable street environments that support public health by reducing pedestrian injuries and encouraging daily physical activity.

A. Alley RevitalizationGoal Associated Best

PracticesConcerned Agencies

1. Reclaim alleys as walking paths for pedestrians, providing alternate routes throughout a city’s center, and promote connectivity.

1. Increase lighting and signage, giving the alleys more of a “street” feeling.  3. Replace asphalt with more pervious materials. 4. Promote alleys as viable space to local businesses, especially for outdoor restaurant seating. 5. Turn alley into park where applicable

Department of Public Works Local Business Owners

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Alley Designs

• Replace pavement with pervious pavement or grass

• Line alleys with trees

• Install lighting

Chicago’s green alley from google.com

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Results

Boston, MAStandard Pavement:

2 Year 0.192 cfs

100 Year 0.437 cfs

Pervious Pavement:

2 Year 0.010 cfs

100 Year 0.023 cfs

Grass/P:

2 Year 0.0385 cfs

100 Year 0.0875 cfs

Grass:

2 Year 0.051 cfs

100 Year 0.115 cfs

Runoff on Pavements/Grass:

Results Pervious Pavement

• Reduce localized floods

Trees• Provide shade • Reduce 5% of stormwater

runoff

Lighting• Aesthetically appealing• Encourage use of alleys

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Baltimore’s green alley from google.com

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Summaries

• Renovated alleys are useable public spaces

• Alley restoration is a sustainable, effective investment for many cities

Seattle’s green alley from google.com

Accomplishments

Identified shortcomings in LEED-ND

Developed a comprehensive BPM table

Created a design-based manual

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Questions