I had never quite understood why federal agencies were so focused on green building certification.  That was, until I read this:

"U.S. agencies are required to have 15 percent of their existing building inventory incorporate sustainable elements by 2015 under Executive Order 13423, signed by George W. Bush in 2007.  

To comply with the order, the Department of Veterans Affairs aims to have 21 facilities reviewed and rated by third-party green building systems by the close of this year.

'Reaching the goal of 21 third-party certifications in 2010 will make VA a leading example of green achievement,' said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki in a prepared statement. 'We will proudly reach and surpass the 15 percent requirement before 2015.'"

Ng Sek San was the principle designer of Mao Marilyn and the Big Garden. With a post grad diploma in landscape architecture and a bachelor of civil engineering, Ng Sek San presented this design to the Singapore Garden Festival. Small living wall panels were used to hold individual plants. The plants are uniform in size, but very different in color which makes the design work. I am guessing that the panels are wire mesh stuffed with sphagnum moss to hold the plants. New Zealand is known for its sphagnum moss, and it’s right next door to Singapore.

Singapore Garden Living Wall...

In an interview with Metropolis’ POV blog, Jan H. De Jager, a Dutch civil engineer and dike and dam expert, finds fault in New Orleans’ new coastal and storm management system and discusses how “soft coastal engineering” is more effective than vertical walls in combatting sea level rise.

De Jager says the current reconstruction work in New Orleans, which involves rebuilding solid vertical walls, is the wrong way to go. “One of the projects I’ve seen is the storm-surge barrier being built across the New Orleans Inner Harbor Navigation Canal. In my opinion, this is a completely wrong structure. It’s a vertical wall to stop the waves. That thing will collapse when you have another category-five hurricane.” Instead, soft coastal engineering, featuring natural marsh systems, would be more effective...

Last post I covered some guiding principles for urban resilience planning in the face of climate change and diminishing resources (especially fresh water and oil). Considering these guidelines, what aspect of U.S. metro development stands out as the most ill-advised and risky? Short answer: exurban sprawl.

If the "Great Recession" taught us anything, it is that allowing the unrestrained sprawl of energy-inefficient communities and infrastructure is a now-bankrupt economic development strategy and constitutes a recipe for continued disaster on every level.

"Shy away from fringe places in the exurbs and places with long car commutes or where getting a quart of milk takes a 15-minute drive," was the warning the Urban Land Institute...

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0 0 votes Google adds bicycle directions to maps by DNairn on 03/10/2010 09:04   1 comment , 340 views Categories: Transportation, Future Technologies Tags: google maps, bicycle maps, national bike summit Cycling blogs are all over this already, but Google has released a "Grab Your Bike and Go" feature to give cycling directions for all maps. Google's Shannon Guymon is the opening plenary speaker at the National Bike Summit and she's expected to announce the new feature this morning and give a demonstration. Screenshot: from Jefferson's Rotunda to the Charlottesville Downtown Mall in 8 minutes The feature Identifies cycling facilities (for now in "hundreds of US cities") Shows which routes are considered safer than others, including paths that have limited or no driving Uses elevation grades to estimate times and recommend routes It shouldn't be too long before many localities and non-profit organizations are able to feed their information to Google. Unlike transit routes, there's nothing proprietary about safety recommendations. Right now Google lists the Charlottesville pedestrian mall as a recommended route, although its actually prohibited to cyclists. Google accepts feedback on all of these recommendations, so we can all take part in building the most ... read more >>
0 0 votes Pedestrian Survival Techniques by DNairn on 03/08/2010 08:38   1 comment , 325 views Categories: Transportation, Community Planning Tags: pedestrian safety, accesibility For the last few months, I've left my bike at home and made my way throughout town mostly on my own two feet. During this time, I've observed a clever strategy, used by countless walkers, for crossing two or three-lane streets. It's especially common among the regulars - the truckers of the pedestrian world - who have optimized their safety and efficiency by repeating the same trip over and over again. It's quite possibly the perfectly rational cross. The way it works is simple: As you're walking toward your destination, you remain constantly aware of the vehicular traffic coming from either direction. Once a clear break appears, you cross at that moment. There's no wait time, because you continue walking while you watch for the opening. It's highly safe, or at least you have maximum control over your own safety. Before "jaywalking" was stigmatized and banned through a campaign by automobile lobbies, this was a perfectly acceptable way to approach a typical dilemma. Walkers are now supposed to wait until they reach the intersection before crossing, but for obvious reasons they do not want to do this. Vehicles could be approaching from a number of directions... read more >>