The rest of the world has gone metric, and now it is time for Americans to move forward and make the transition. In 1988, federal law established the metric system as the preferred system of measurement in the United States and required its use in all federal procurements to the extent feasible by September 30, 1992. Last July, President Bush signed Executive Order 12770 which requires all federal agencies to develop specific timetables for conversion to the metric system.

The time has come for everyone to accept the change, including landscape architects. The actual differences in the systems just needs to be kept in perspective. After all, a meter is a little more than a yard and a liter is a lot like a quart. There is a growing body of metric design and construction information available to facilitate change for those in the industry. For more information contact the Construction Metrication Council at the National Institute of Building Sciences at 202-289-7800.