Green Complexes
Thomas J. McGill, Ph.D.
Much has been written recently about the incorporation of green building standards into new development and the potential for "green" laws and ordinances that affect everything from the use of internal climate controls to the types of plants used for landscaping. I have recently spoken to a number of developers who - particularly in the current economic climate - are wondering how they will be able to meet payroll while becoming green.
The good news is Southern California isn't Northern California. Unlike San Francisco where the city's goal is to reduce their CO2 footprint by over 50 percent, thus impacting every business from paint shops to gravel quarries to residential and commercial developers, Southern California cities seem to be more in touch with local economic realities, while still encouraging sustainable development in line with current and pending legislation.
The bad news is that these laws are getting more difficult to meet. Clearly, no one would like to see the return of "smog days," but how does someone realistically comply? Just considering the following simple steps will help you go a long ways towards integrating green concepts into your land planning decisions.
The first way is through preservation of the native plant communities on a proposed project site, where possible. This is most easily done by working with an arborist or biologist who can identify those natural environmental features which can be incorporated into your development footprint. These features should be chosen to enhance the visual appearance of your site and perhaps provide some amenities for the end user. Whereas the traditional approach is to design to develop or clear the entire proposed project site, then bring in ornamental vegetation and artificial water features, considering what is already in place can save developers considerable money and create ecologically-friendly, aesthetically-pleasing and, yes, appropriately green developed site.
Next, within the actual construction phase, substantial savings may be realized through the reuse of demolition materials for things such as the base of parking lots, using permeable paving materials to lessen water runoff, promoting the use of soil for natural filtration, and eliminating paints, stains and finishes that contain "volatile organic compounds" (VOCs) that excrete the gases that create smog and pollute indoor air. Numerous products are available on the market.
Southern California may never see construction like San Francisco's Federal Building which intentionally lacks both heating and air conditioning, has elevators that stop on every third floor so employees must traverse at least one flight of stairs, and has situated their cafeteria across the street to encourage walking, but, honestly, would we really want to? Incorporating principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship into your next project (such as encouraging your architect to design building placement that minimizes the impact the sun will make to lessen reliance on the artificial air-conditioning system that - especially here in the desert - you are still going to want to use) will result in a green project that you - and your accountant - can be proud of.
April 2008 Issue