Land In Form + Function

Written by: D. Buckley on August 31, 2010 @ 4:39 pm

What would happen if we started applying sustainable design practices to the least aesthetic of places? Industry is zoned separately from residential areas. They are relegated to the status of an economically useful eyesore. Their close proximity is bound to reduce property values. Making them beautiful would be a challenge. But what if we were a little less ambitious and just made them “not so ugly”? And we could gain some additional benefits along the way.

Typical industrial building are utilitarian in appearance; no obligation to the eye of the beholder equals reduced cost in design fluff. There are two significant methods from the landscape architect’s design tool box that can minimize long-term cost: green roofs and native plants. There are others, but let’s start with these.

Green roofs have already been implemented in an industrial setting. Consider the Ford Dearborn Assembly Plant in Dearborn, Michigan. At 10.4 acres, it was, at one point, the largest green roof in the world.  The initial cost is higher than traditional roof installation. But the long-term costs can be less if designed well. The Michigan plant’s green roof was intended to be an iconic example of sustainable manufacturing. Some of the immediate goals were roof longevity and reducing the need for large retention ponds. The roof contains a mix of sedums chosen for their hardiness in a Michigan climate. Other green roofs can include varieties of native grasses, forbs, and wildflowers.  Plant selection will be determined by climate, average rainfall, structural load, among other factors.

Benefits of green roofs:

Stormwater filtration and reduction of runoff volume

Minimizing urban heat island effect

Increasing roof lifespan

Extra insulation in winter, reduced building cooling costs

Noise insulation

Another facet of many light industrial landscapes are vast expanses of irrigated turf and minimal landscaping. Initial costs may be less because of the simplicity of establishing a conventional turf field. A field of native plants can take longer to establish and can look messy if not designed well. But consider the long-term costs associated with lawn care. Conventional lawns require four things to maintain the “lawn aesthetic” expected by the public: irrigation, fertilizer, weed killers, and regular mowing. Over the years, the costs can be considerable, as well as the accumulative effect of the chemical additives. An alternative solution is a minimalistic landscape of native plants, preferably drought-tolerant. Once established, the maintenance is reduced from weekly or bi-weekly mowings to 2-5 days of upkeep a year, dependent of the varieties of chosen. Irrigation is significantly reduced. Since native plants thrive in their regions, the amount of fertilizer needed is reduced, if needed at all. The initial set-up costs, time to establish, and discarding of a cherished aesthetic seem to be the major hurdles. The pictures below show masses of grasses native to our dry Texas region, and adapted to require much less water. These examples are minimalistic in design, yet they provide an appealing naturalistic look.

North Texans must struggle with declining water capacity as our region continues to grow. The price of water will inevitably climb. Operating buildings in extreme weather can be costly. Adopting these sustainable design practices is a benefit for the region and for those commercial land owners who must foot those bills.

Catogories: Green Roofs, Industrial Landscapes, Native Habitat, Native Vegetation, Sustainable Design

2 Responses

1. zulutrade says:

   September 24, 2010 at 4:56 am

   Thanks for the sharing, it’s very useful

   Reply
2. Cildstift says:

   September 27, 2010 at 7:05 pm

   Hey Blogger,When you write some blogs and share with us,that is a hard work for you but share makes you
   happly right?
   good luck and cheers!

   Reply