The theme for the 2012 ASLA Annual Meeting & EXPO is Beyond Boundaries—Design, Leadership & Community. More than 5,000 landscape architecture professionals from across the country and around the world will gather in Phoenix, September 28 – October 1, to enjoy the fellowship of others from the profession and to reconnect with the fundamental elements of design. Key issues such as practice management, sustainability and stormwater management will be addressed by some of the country’s foremost experts in the field.

Each year, the ASLA Professional Awards program honors the best in landscape architecture from around the globe, while the Students Award program gives us a glimpse of the future of the profession. The ASLA Awards Ceremony will be at 12 p.m., October 1 in the Phoenix Convention Center. To learn more about the awards, click here.

Keep reading to see the collection of leading sustainability programs, free to the press:

Friday, Sept. 28

“Visual Impact Assessment: Wind Energy and the Maine Wind Energy Act” – A panel of wind energy experts will discuss Maine’s approach to evaluating the scenic impacts and use responses to these large-scale human interventions in natural environments. 8:30 - 10 a.m.

“Sustainable Site Pavement Systems” – The benefits of permeable segmental paving systems are both functional and aesthetic. Their use in landscape planning is widely recognized as a best practice. Panelists will discuss the sustainable-design benefits and installation fundamentals for implementing a range of permeable-pavement systems. 8:30 - 10 a.m.

“Sustainability Metrics: Measuring Landscape and Energy Performance at Various Scales” – This session will categorize and quantify sustainability measures for site-specific, campus-wide and multiple-brownfield development projects. The review will include various methodologies for developing and applying metrics to analyze the benefits of design approaches. 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

“Opportunities to Design and Build Sustainable Eco-Learning Labs on School Campuses” – Panelists will discuss the possibility of transforming schools into learning tools through the Environmental Laboratory for Sustainability and Ecological Education program, a pilot program for SITES. 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 29

“Winning a Sustainable Future: The Client Perspective” – This session will present a range of clients who have led thoughtful, sustainable park projects. A panel will discuss how one works with clients to create successful urban destinations. 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

“Green Wall Planting Design: Using Plants to Create a Living Work of Art” – Green wall systems are vital to the long-term health and sustainability of our environments, and can also be living works of art. Designers and installers of green wall systems will discuss aesthetics and pragmatics of bringing artistry and creativity to the green wall plant palette.  1:30 - 3 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 30

“Policy Design Collaboration: Sustainability in Action” – Panelists will look at the Croton Water Treatment Plant Above-Ground Buildings/Landscape, currently under construction in New York. This project embodies emerging sustainable practices in public works and speaks to the importance in sustainable-design political initiatives, how design can unite contradicting programs and how innovative solutions solve seeming insurmountable conflicts. 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 1

“Renewable Energy in an Urban Landscape” – Landscape architects can be more involved with issues that incorporate renewable energy systems. This panel will discuss opportunities for both large- and site-scale systems, trends, technology and financing opportunities. 8 - 9:30 a.m.

“Finding Green Infrastructure Solutions at the Right Scale” – More integrated, sustainable solutions will build momentum for efficient urban infrastructures. Panelists in this session will explore the interplay among scale, systems and infrastructure planning for the 21st century. 10 - 11:30 a.m.

 “Sustainable Development: The Making of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park” – London’s Olympic Park is a sustainable development that will be transformed into a mixed-use development for up to 20,000 residents. Speaker John C. Hopkins, ASLA, of the University of Pennsylvania will tell the story of turning a desolate, contaminated landscape into an Olympic sporting complex.  3:30 - 5 p.m.

“Urban and Sustainable Agriculture’s Role in Community Growth and Transformation” – Most communities are more becoming more aware of what they eat and where it came from. Experts will discuss the landscape architect’s role in improving this trend for a stronger sense of community. 3:30 - 5 p.m.

More great sustainability programming on tap at the 2012 ASLA Annual Meeting & EXPO:

• Successful Green Roof Design in Arid Regions, Sept. 28, 1:30 - 3 p.m.·     
  
• Phytotechnologies: Using Plants to Clean Up Contaminated Sites, Sept. 28, 3:30 - 5 p.m.
• Green Roof Planting Design: Learning from the Experts, Sept. 30, 1:30 - 3 p.m. 
• The Evolution of Green Infrastructure: NYC’s Green Infrastructure Plan and Program, Sept. 30, 1:30 - 3 p.m. 
• Energy-Producing Landscapes: Harvesting Power from the Urban Environment, Oct. 1, 1:30 - 3 p.m.
• The Cutting Edge of Creating Green Roads, Oct. 1, 1:30 - 3 p.m.
• Solar Powered Outdoor Lighting: Sustainable Solutions for Landscape Architects, Oct. 1, 3:30 - 5 p.m.

Working journalists attending the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO for editorial coverage are eligible to receive complimentary media credentials. The media credentials provide access to the EXPO floor, general sessions, education sessions, and the working press room with computers, internet access, and refreshments.

Media interested in attending should contact Karen Trimbath at ktrimbath@asla.org with their name, address, email, phone number, title, and media organization. Due to limited space, journalists are strongly encouraged to register well in advance. All requests are approved upon a case-by-case basis, and ASLA may require additional documentation for credentials. For any questions, contact Karen Trimbath.

About ASLA

Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing nearly 16,000 members in 48 professional chapters and 76 student chapters. The Society's mission is to lead, to educate and to participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning and artful design of our cultural and natural environments. Members of the Society use their “ASLA” suffix after their names to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Learn more about landscape architecture online at www.asla.org.