low impact development design competition
TRANSCRIPT
Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum
The Steering CommitteeThose with a ‘Vested Interest’
US GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL-HOUSTON AREA CHAPTER
INTERNATIONAL EROSION CONTROL ASSOCIATION-SOUTH CENTRAL CHAPTER
ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA-HOUSTON CHAPTER
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS-HOUSTON
HOUSTON COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS-HOUSTON
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS-HOUSTON/GULF COAST
TEXAS COASTAL WATERSHED PROGRAM
CITY OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS &
ENGINEERING
CITY OF HOUSTON MAYOR’S OFFICE
HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL
HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE DIVISION
HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT
BAYOU PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION
ENERGY CORRIDOR DISTRICT
GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
A Common Understanding↓Costs of traditional development are
soaring↓Developing ‘the way we’ve always done it’
is more and more counterproductive↓Costs of keeping pace with results of
traditional development becoming major problem
↓Change is inevitable↓Leadership role is better than the
alternative
“OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE, ENABLE AND INTEGRATE SUSTAINABLE USE OF LAND AND WATER FOR THE HOUSTON AREA'S CONTINUED GROWTH
AND ECONOMIC VITALITY."
Goal
Drive the widespread adoption, adaptation and implementation of sustainable development practices
Low Impact Development (LID)●
Green Infrastructure
Low Impact Development (LID)
• Hydrology as the organizing principal– Disconnect– Increase Time of Concentration– Infiltrate
• Reduce runoff• Mimic natural cycle– Clean storm water passively• Treat, infiltrate or use it on site
Low Impact Development (LID)
• Micro-scale, decentralized water management– 180° shift from centralized approach
• Water management in the landscape– Rain gardens (bioretention cell),
bioiswales, bio-filtration, etc. (unlimited IMPs)
A Gap that Needed to be Filled
Gaps between disciplines– Integrated design teams limited
Gaps in education– Focus on our soils, climate, topography
Focus on ‘nuts & bolts’ – Practical application rather than the
theoretical Driven by ‘enlightened self-interest’ – Inherent staying power
HLWSF Founded 2007• ‘True test’ of the Steering Committee• Programming on sustainable development– ‘Levelers’– Workshops– Local Case Histories
• Program facilities inevitably filled to capacity– 100 to 400 seat rooms
• Education is good, but ‘hands on’ is better– Getting to the next level
Making it Count• Require integrated design teams• Use real properties with challenging
conditions– Allows reusable design and viable LID
adaptations
• Require cost comparison of LID to Traditional design– Provides viable numbers for value comparison
• Use key ‘Drivers’ for Judges and Jury Panel– Educate key market players as part of the
process
Property Donors
CITY OF HOUS-TON
HARRIS COUNTY
DEVELOPERS
Competition Property Donors
Prize Donors
ARCHITECTSCIVILENGINEERS
DEVELOPERS
Competition Prize Donors
All the Key Players
CITY OF HOUS-TON
HARRIS COUNTY
DEVELOPERS
ARCHITECTSCIVILENGINEERS
DEVELOPERS
Competition Underwriters
Terry Hershey
Driving Participation• Use constituent groups’ drawing power• High-dollar cash prizes• Design Challenges that generate greatest
interest• Properties with owners who want LID• Name-value stage one Judges• Name-value finals Jury, predominantly
developers• Fast-paced, high-profile finals event, upscale
location
Expert JudgesStage One
CIVIL ENGINEERING Arthur L. Storey, PE
Executive Director, Harris County Public Infrastructure Division
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREDana Nunez Brown, ASLA
Principal, Brown + Danos Landdesign Inc. Baton Rouge, LA
LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENTLarry Coffman
President, Stormwater Services Group Chesapeake Beach, MD
ARCHITECTURE Greg Papay, FAIA
Principal, Lake|Flato ArchitectsSan Antonio, TX
HYDROLOGYStephen Costello, PE
Principal, Costello Inc. and City Councilman, Houston, TX
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTTed Nelson
Regional President, Newland Communities, Houston, TX
Participant Demographics• 22 submitting teams– 9 Green Roadway– 4 Urban Redevelopment– 9 Suburban Residential
• 230 design professionals– Architects, Civil Engineers, Landscape
Architects, Hydrologists, Urban Planners, Construction Consultants, Homebuilders, Environmentalists, Transportation Engineers, Irrigation Consultants
• 42 firms (TX, IL, NC, GA, CO, CA, KS)
Finals Event
• Presentation boards from all entries displayed
• Experienced emcee team• Networking time designed in to
proceedings• Finalists limited to 7 minute
‘lightning’ presentation• Highly orchestrated, quickly paced
Finals Jury PanelAmer Al-Nahhas
PresidentSpawGlass Civil Construction
Bill HuntsingerVice President-Planning
Metro National Corporation
Frank LiuPrincipal
Lovett Homes
Ian PowellPresident-Elect, AIA Houston
PBK Architects
Jimmy PappasPrincipal
Corinthian Development
Ralph DeLeonTIRZ 15 Program ManagerCity of Houston TIRZ 15
Richard JohnsonDirector of Sustainability
Rice University
Christopher GilbertProject/Construction Manager
General Growth Properties, Inc.
Dan GilbaneDevelopment Manager
Gilbane Building Company
Andrew SteffenProject ManagerHines Interests
Finals Jury PanelCommissioner Sylvia R. GarciaHarris County Precinct 2 Commissioner
Dov WeitmanChief, Nonpoint Source Control BranchU.S. Environmental Protection Agency
David Nussbaum Vice President-Development
Mischer Investments, LP
Terry HersheyBoard Member
Bayou Preservation Association
Mike Talbott Director
Harris County Flood Control District
John Blount Director of Architecture & Engineering
Harris County Public Infrastructure Dept.
Perry SennPrincipal
Peron Development
Ed WulfePresident
Wulfe & Company
David HightowerExec. VP & Chief Development Officer
The Wolff Companies
Carol Ellinger Haddock Sr. Asst. Director PW&E, City of Houston
American Society of Civil Engineers – Houston
Green RoadwayIndependence Parkway
The challenge is to design a new ‘green’ roadway section that
incorporates Low Impact Development techniques, reduces runoff, reduces storm water pollution through bio-
filtration or other means, and reduces long term maintenance costs.
Urban RedevelopmentBastrop Promenade
The proposed urban redevelopment, Bastrop Promenade, is located
adjacent to a proposed professional soccer stadium. It is conceived to be a 24/7 six-block pedestrian promenade
developed between the stadium and a proposed Sister City Garden at the end
opposite the stadium.
Suburban ResidentialVentana Lakes
The concept for this site is to develop a residential neighborhood with the look and feel of a master planned
community, using Low Impact Development to improve storm water
management, water quality and quality of life, and lower development
costs.
Counterintuitive Outcome?• Mimicking nature really works– Dramatic Water Quality improvements– Impressive reductions in runoff– Incredible cost savings when compared
to traditional development methods
• ‘Old school’ civil firms proselytize ‘green infrastructure’
• Results consistent across all categories and submittals
The Winning Designs
Simple●
Effective●
Can be permitted now with minimal variances
Notable Comments
• ‘We were surprised when we got the hydrology modeling, but when we saw the economics we were stunned. I called my guys in last Friday and told them that we’re pitching our new projects this way.’ Principal, one of Houston’s most prominent ‘old school’ Civil Engineering firms
Notable Comments• ‘I was one of the finalist judges down
there, and it ranks among the most exhilarating experiences of my 31-year career at EPA....I truly think that if we could replicate this event in every state, we could revolutionize development in this country….The most exciting part was that so many people involved had no background in LID prior and came out the other end believers and even proselytizers. Truly remarkable.’ Dov Weitman, Chief, Nonpoint Source Control Branch, EPA
Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum
www.houstonLWSforum.org