Environment
In the United States, as in
most locations, environmental degradation has become a very,
very real
problem. Whereas past generations of designers were focused on social equity and justice,
many of our incoming
students are also environmentally motivated. They have recognized
that truly sustainable urban environments not only need to
preserve and remediate existing ecologies, but also need to
approach carbon-neutrality in their formative principles.
We
ask, " is
the design environmentally sensitive? Does it connect and
enhance existing ecosystems? Does it create new habitat? Does it
reduce our carbon footprint?
|
-
The market
for dense, walkable, mixed-use community configurations
surrounded by preserved natural open space is rapidly expanding
in the United States.
-
Recent
developments in LEED design guidelines reward environmentally
responsible design. Many of the guidelines promoted by LEED are
Landscape Architectural in nature:
including onsite
purification scenarios.
grey water systems.
control.
gradient differences between developed and
undeveloped areas and minimize their impact
on microclimate.
systems as well as
native and drought tolerant
plant materials.
-
Landscape Architecture can be used to create new, and link existing, wildlife habit thereby assisting biodiversity.
-
Landscape Architecture can be used to diminish urban runoff, thereby lessening erosion.
-
Landscape Architecture can be used to purify water and contaminated air.
-
Landscape Architecture can be used to create the comfortable urban microclimates.
-
Landscape Architecture can be an effective method of environmental education for the public.
|