How Green is Green in Landscape Architecture? By Christine Rombouts, freelance writer, West Coast real estate industry The outdoor living space for this home in the new Alamo Creek development in Danville, Calif., San Francisco East Bay, is surrounded by locally sourced permeable cobbles (3/8" ?EUR??,,????'?????< All images courtesy of NUVIS landscape architecture and planning. |
What should landscape architects do when faced with the extreme challenge of planning and building a new community while significantly reducing the use of water that would normally be required for landscaping? From a sustainability point of view, efficient use of water can be achieved a number of ways, including use of drought resistant plants, strategic use of artificial turf, and technology.  The Alamo Creek community incorporates affordable senior housing, townhomes, an elementary school, community park, an aquatic center, a fire station, an artificial turf soccer complex, a bio-retention area, reclaimed and potable water tanks and an onsite weather station. Approximately 275 acres of open space was preserved. First a definition of a ?EUR??,,????'?????<
 A rugged look is achieved with locally sourced flagstone paving (Three Rivers) and boulders (6' plus ?EUR??,,????'?????< Using native plants is a key component to a sustainable landscape architecture plan, asserts Leslee Temple, FASLA, vice president of NUVIS, a landscape architecture and planning firm based in Costa Mesa, Calif., with offices in San Ramon, Calif., Las Vegas and Scottsdale, Ariz. Native plants can significantly reduce maintenance costs. To achieve important sustainable or ?EUR??,,????'?????<  Water elements are used sparingly and in key locations. The ?EUR??,,????'?????< Ms. Temple said that it?EUR??,,????'?????< Besides drought resistance landscaping, other water conversation measures include water-control devices on irrigation systems, water-efficient systems inside and outside the home. Toro Intelli-sense ?EUR??,,????'?????<  Water use calculations allowed only a limited number of pools for the community?EUR??,,????'?????< As water requirements vary, so does maintenance. Extra drainage may be required at certain times of the year, along with minimal overhead sprays. More subsurface or drip techniques are needed when irrigating. Subsurface drip line and drip irrigation eliminate any overspray, thus saving water. These irrigation methods also work well in windy areas providing uniform irrigation. With proper operation, subsurface and drip irrigation use about half of the water of an overhead system. Water is applied directly to the root zone and seasonal plant growth interference is eliminated. In the final analysis, each individual component of the landscape architecture plan?EUR??,,????'?????<  ?EUR??,,????'?????< Here are a few more key tips from NUVIS:
 A front lawn for each home in a new residential development used to be the norm, but the 600-acre Alamo Creek community developed by Shapell Homes had a pact with the East Bay Municipal Utility District of Contra Costa County to significantly reduce irrigation. Hardscapes and native plantings abound. Here there is slate paving (?EUR??,,????'?????< Alamo CreekAn example of where optimum ?EUR??,,????'?????< The solution, according to Ms. Temple, was to go where few landscape architecture firm had ever gone before?EUR??,,????'?????<  The outdoor dining space features a wood arbor and is accented by decorative terra cotta pottery planters and a water element of three prefabricated pots. The ?EUR??,,????'?????< Alamo Creek, which opened for home sale in October 2006, comprises 927 residences with a unique land plan that features an innovative water conservation pact with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) of Contra Costa County. To gain entitlement for the pioneering community, Shapell was required by EBMUD to substantially reduce water usage from levels that would normally be required by a community of Alamo Creek?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????<  The home celebrates the natural environment?EUR??,,????'?????< There are a lot of water districts that require water-efficiency, but not to this degree. It forced us to think creatively about landscape design yet at the same time meet market acceptance from home buyers.?EUR??,,????'?????< The program?EUR??,,????'?????<  Pottery, tile accents, and drought tolerant plants complement the architecture of the ?EUR??,,????'?????< Ms. Temple says the firm?EUR??,,????'?????<  To meet the zero-net impact on the water demand, front yards forego turf grass for such inviting colorful entries as these lavender varieties and Lagerstroemia trees. The sign reads: ?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????< Every home has a water budget that residents must honor; they can?EUR??,,????'?????<  A mix of boulders (?EUR??,,????'?????< Ric Hendricks, NUVIS principal and manager of its San Ramon office, which supervised the Alamo Creek project, notes that synthetic turf was used in one of the model home?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????<  Meandering sidewalks along the project let walkers enjoy the native species. Trees include Platanus racemosa, Lagerstroemia indica and Prunus c. krauter Vesuvius. Tulbaghia violacea, Abelia x grandiflora ?EUR??,,????'?????< All open spaces have been populated with native and regionally adaptive plant species, and will be on a temporary irrigation system that will be closed down once the plant material is established. Turf (native grasses and/or traditional turf) in the model home backyards are irrigated by a subsurface system. More subsurface or drip techniques are used for irrigating, and drip and subsurface irrigation has been designed in appropriate areas to offset water consumption. Subsurface drip line and drip irrigation eliminate any overspray, thus saving water. These irrigation methods also work well in windy areas, providing uniform irrigation. ?EUR??,,????'?????<  Some miss the country living amenity of a front porch. The Alamo development has front yard social areas, a nice deviation from those abrupt thresholds. Tile steps (4" x 8" ?EUR??,,????'?????< Ms. Temple says she expects other water districts to start requiring these types of tougher mandates. ?EUR??,,????'?????< The East Bay Municipal Utility District is now rewriting its ordinances to require the higher levels of sustainability for customers within its service area. Christine Rombouts is a freelance writer. She can be reached at crombouts@cc.rr.com. Alamo Creek, Danville, Calif.Developer/Builder Shapell Homes Landscape architect NUVIS Architecture Robert Hidey Architects Dahlin Group Interior Design Design Tec Creative Design Consultants Michael Trahan Design Design Line Interiors Engineers Civil Engineer: DK Associates Structural Engineer: Borm Associates for Cottonwood Structural Engineer: Gouvis Engineering for Magnolia, Savanna and Willow Development Master-planned community in Danville, Calif. of single-family and attached homes, mixed throughout the project. Total of 680 homes (630 Shapell Homes, 50 Ponderosa Homes). Project includes 127 affordable town homes and 120 affordable senior apartments. Lot sizes vary from 4,000 to 8,000 sq. ft. Ninety-five home lots are in excess of 15,000 sq. ft. Acreage 300 acres of developed space; 300 acres of open space and parks. Environmental Mitigation Approximately 275 acres of open space was preserved, including wetland habitat, enhancement of creek corridors and creation of fully-funded open space management plan for the endangered red legged frog, kit fox and tiger salamander. This open space is slated for preservation and management in perpetuity. Community Amenities New elementary school, parks, regional trails, community center building, with community pool and 10-acre soccer complex. Water Conversation Measures State-of-the-art water conservation community includes:
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