The SDD PPN continues to collaborate with and support the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI). Here are a few key updates, but make sure to visit the SSI web page for more information www.sustainablesites.org.
The SSI released the Preliminary Report on Standards and Guidelines November 1, 2007. The report gained a large amount of publicity through news releases and articles in a variety of magazines including Metropolis, Architect, Lawn and Landscape Magazine, and Earthtimes. For a full list of articles visit the articles page at http://sustainablesites.org/articles.html.
Feedback on the Report was received from almost 450 individuals by the Jan 11th deadline. A summary of feedback and responses was posted online at www.sustainablesites.org in March, 2008. Landscape architects represented 65% of the respondents to the online survey. Planners, horticulturalists, and academic researchers/teachers were also represented, comprising 8%, 4%, and 4% of the total respondents, respectively. A wide range of professionals contributed feedback, including: government employees, arborists, engineers, landscapers, public health professionals, and employees at non-profit organizations. On average, respondents felt the report presents information that is relevant to their work and easy to understand. However, respondents also identified areas where the report needs improvement, including identification of regionally relevant practices for sustainable sites.
Call for Case Studies
The Sustainable Sites Initiative would like to collect case studies that use sustainable land development and management practices. We invite you to submit projects that monitor and document the success or failure of sustainable land practices. It is not required that the project be a sustainable site in all respects but rather that it illustrate such sustainable practices as stormwater management, integrated design teams, water conservation, habitat restoration (soil, vegetation and wildlife), education, user health and wellbeing, materials selection and management and others.
Please visit www.sustainablesites.org for more information. The deadline for case studies submissions is May 1, 2008.