Houston Land/Water /Sustainability Forum

Where We StartedWhere We Started

LID in Houston 2007LID in Houston 2007

It’ll never work here It ll never work here. Heavy clay soils, flat land, intense Heavy clay soils, flat land, intense

rain events and too much annual rainfall.

[‘Th d ’t h th diti [‘They don’t have these conditions anywhere else…’]

Gaps that Needed to be FilledGaps that Needed to be Filled

Gaps between disciplines– Use of integrated design teams limited

Gaps in educationGaps in education– Focus on our soils, climate, topography

Focus on ‘nuts & bolts’ Focus on nuts & bolts – Practical application rather than the theoretical

Individual constituent groups limited– Inherent tendency toward narrow focus

The Steering CommitteeA ‘V d I ’ i D lA ‘Vested Interest’ in Development

American Institute of ArchitectsHouston Chapter

Greater Houston Builders AssociationAmerican Institute of ArchitectsHouston Chapter

Greater Houston Builders AssociationHouston Chapter

American Society of Civil Engineers Houston Chapter

Harris CountyPublic Infrastructure Department

Harris County Flood Control District

Houston Chapter

American Society of Civil Engineers Houston Chapter

Harris CountyPublic Infrastructure Department

Harris County Flood Control DistrictAmerican Society of Landscape Architects Houston/Gulf Coast Section

Associated General Contractors

Houston Council of Engineering Companies

Houston-Galveston Area Council

American Society of Landscape Architects Houston/Gulf Coast Section

Associated General Contractors

Houston Council of Engineering Companies

Houston-Galveston Area CouncilHouston Chapter

Bayou Preservation Association

City of Houston

Houston-Galveston Area Council

International Erosion Control AssociationSouth Central Chapter

Houston Chapter

Bayou Preservation Association

City of Houston

Houston-Galveston Area Council

International Erosion Control AssociationSouth Central Chapter

City of Houston Public Works & Engineering

Energy Corridor District

Texas Department of Transportation

United States Green Building Council Houston Chapter

City of Houston Public Works & Engineering

Energy Corridor District

Texas Department of Transportation

United States Green Building Council Houston Chapter

A Common UnderstandingA Common Understanding↓Costs of traditional development are soaring↓Developing ‘the way we’ve always done it’ is

more and more counterproductivep↓For public agencies, the costs of keeping

pace with inevitable results of traditional pace with inevitable results of traditional development becoming major problem

↓Change is inevitable↓Change is inevitable↓Leadership role is better than the alternative

“OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE ENABLE AND INTEGRATE “OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE, ENABLE AND INTEGRATE SUSTAINABLE USE OF LAND AND WATER FOR THE HOUSTON

AREA'S CONTINUED GROWTH AND ECONOMIC VITALITY."

HLWSF Founded in 2007HLWSF Founded in 2007

• Programming on sustainable development Programming on sustainable development practices began February 2008– ‘Levelers’ Levelers – Workshops – Local Case Histories– Local Case Histories

• Program facilities inevitably filled to capacityEd i i d ‘ & b l ’ h k• Education is good, ‘nuts & bolts’ are the key

GoalGoal

Explore the adaptation & implementation of Explore the adaptation & implementation of sustainable development practices

LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT (LID)GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Do these practices make enough sense that they can be market-driven?they can be market driven?

EPA MANDATE LOOMS

What We LearnedWhat We Learned

Low Impact Development (LID)Low Impact Development (LID)

• Decentralized water managementDecentralized water management– Micro scale controls– 180° shift from centralized approach180 shift from centralized approach

• Toolbox that provides opportunities to make a developed property function hydrologically like developed property function hydrologically like an undeveloped property

Mimic nat re to achie e ater management goals– Mimic nature to achieve water management goals

LID PracticesLID Practices• Bioretention, Rain Gardens

Si fi i i• Site fingerprinting• Resource conservation • Flatter wider swales • Flatter, wider swales • Planter boxes• Longer flow pathsg p• Turf depression• Landscape island storage • Smaller culverts, pipes & inlets• Amended soils

LID PracticesLID Practices• Tree box filters

R i b l i• Rain barrels, cisterns• Vegetative swales• Bioswales • Bioswales • Porous pavement• Pervious paversp• Grass pavement• Green roofs• Green walls• Disconnection

Low Impact Development (LID)Low Impact Development (LID)• Hydrology as the organizing principal

– Disconnect– Increase Time of Concentration– Infiltration/Biofiltration– Reduce runoff

• Mimic natural hydrologic cycle– Clean storm water passivelyClean storm water passively

Pre-development vs. Post-developmentPre development vs. Post development

LID vs Traditional DesignLID vs. Traditional Design

Discharge ComparisionDischarge Comparision

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LID PracticesLID Practices

Learning by DoingLearning by Doing

Why a Design Competition?Why a Design Competition?

• Resolve the ‘chicken or the egg’ syndromegg y– How comfortable are you with proposing new

methodology if you’ve never used it?

• Prevent more ‘missed opportunities’ on LEED® project sitesp j– Sustainable elements in Green Buildings are

often all inside the building envelopeg p

Key Players had ‘skin in the game’

S bj t P ti P i MMischer 

Investments

Subject Properties Prize Money

City of Houston

Harris County

BayouASCE 

Houston

Architecture Center Houston

BayouPreservationAssociation

AIAHouston

What We Wanted To AccomplishWhat We Wanted To Accomplish

• Integrated design teams• Key to genuinely sustainable design

• Real properties with challenging conditionsp p g g– Enable knowledge transfer, viable LID adaptations

• Runoff reduction and attenuation• Post-construction hydrograph must be below pre-

developed condition for 5, 10 and 100 year events

• Cost comparison of LID to Traditional design– Is better and cheaper possible?

Design Challenge Properties Map

Bastrop Promenade

V t L k

Bastrop Promenade,City of Houston/TIRZ 15 Project

Ventana Lakes,Mischer

Investment Project

Independence ParkwayIndependence Parkway,Harris County/

Precinct 2 Roadway

Greater Houston Area

Competition JudgingCompetition Judging

Stage One - Expert Judging Stage One - Expert Judging Leaders in each applicable area of expertise

Stage Two - Finals JuryDevelopers and key County/City leadershipDevelopers and key County/City leadership

High-profile finals event

Expert JudgesStage One

CIVIL ENGINEERING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURECIVIL ENGINEERINGArthur 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 TXCouncilman, Houston, TX Houston, TX

Participant DemographicsParticipant Demographics• 22 submitting teams

– 9 Green Roadway– 4 Urban Redevelopment

9 S b b R id ti l– 9 Suburban Residential

• 42 firms (TX, IL, NC, GA, CO, CA, KS)230 d ig f i l• 230 design professionals– Architects, Civil Engineers, Landscape Architects,

Hydrologists Urban Planners Construction Hydrologists, Urban Planners, Construction Consultants, Homebuilders, Environmentalists, Transportation Engineers, Irrigation Consultants

Finals EventFinals Event

• Crystal Ballroom at the Rice filled to capacity Crystal Ballroom at the Rice filled to capacity (350+)

• Nine finalist presentations in three • Nine finalist presentations in three categoriesP i li i d 7 i ‘li h i ’ • Presentations limited to 7 minute ‘lightning’ format with auto-run .ppt

Finals Jury PanelFinals Jury PanelAmer Al-Nahhas

PresidentBill Huntsinger

Vice President PlanningPresidentSpawGlass Civil Construction

Vice President-PlanningMetro National Corporation

Frank LiuPrincipal

Lovett Homes

Ian PowellPresident-Elect, AIA Houston

PBK ArchitectsLovett Homes PBK Architects

Jimmy PappasPrincipal

Corinthian Development

Ralph DeLeonTIRZ 15 Program Manager

City of Houston TIRZ 15

Richard JohnsonDirector of Sustainability

Rice University

Christopher GilbertProject/Construction ManagerGeneral Growth Properties, Inc.

Dan Gilbane Andrew SteffenDan GilbaneDevelopment Manager

Gilbane Building Company

Andrew SteffenProject ManagerHines Interests

Finals Jury PanelFinals Jury PanelCommissioner Sylvia R. GarciaHarris Co nt Precinct 2 Commissioner

Dov WeitmanChief, Nonpoint Source Control Branch

Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner, p

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

David Nussbaum Vice President-Development

Mischer Investments, LP

Terry HersheyBoard Member

Bayou Preservation AssociationMischer Investments, LP 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 Hightower Carol Ellinger Haddock gExec. VP & Chief Development Officer

The Wolff Companies

gSr. Asst. Director PW&E, City of Houston

American Society of Civil Engineers – Houston

Green RoadwayIndependence Parkway

• Basis for new Basis for new ‘green’ roadway standard sectionstandard section

• Reduce runoff

R d • Reduce storm water pollutants

• Reduce costs

Urban RedevelopmentB t P dBastrop Promenade

• Accommodate Accommodate undersized infrastructureinfrastructure

• Reduce runoff

R d • Reduce storm water pollutants

• Reduce costs

Suburban ResidentialVentana Lakes

• Reduce runoffReduce runoff

• Reduce storm water pollutantswater pollutants

• Reduce costs

• Improve marketability

• Improve quality of life

Consistent OutcomeConsistent Outcome

• Mimicking nature really worksg y– Major reductions in runoff– Significant cost savings when compared to g g p

traditional development methods– Incomparable water quality benefitsp q y– Consistent results produced by all teams

• Conservative civil engineering firms Conservative civil engineering firms proselytize for ‘green infrastructure.’

Notable CommentsNotable Comments

‘I was one of the finalist judges down there, and it j granks among the most exhilarating experiences of my 31-year career at EPA.... 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

LessonsLessons

• LID is a superior design approach even when Water Quality is a secondary goal

• Regulatory pressure isn’t needed to make LID g y pthe dominant method of development

• The opportunity to learn for yourself is criticalThe opportunity to learn for yourself is critical• Sustainable design thrives in a collaborative

approach in designapproach in design

Implementation Interest Soars Implementation Interest Soars

How do we facilitate LID moving into the Market?

Expediting LID DevelopmentPermitting is Biggest Concern

• Collaborative LID Permitting Design Criteria Collaborative LID Permitting Design Criteria Workshops in June, July, August

Involved City and County staff design – Involved City and County staff, design community and developers (75)

– Objective is to get LID projects on the ground Objective is to get LID projects on the ground today without new code for now

– ‘Interim’ LID Design Guide developed from the Interim LID Design Guide developed from the results

Change is good butChange is good but…

What about maintenance?

Traditional PracticesTraditional Practices

Traditional PracticesTraditional Practices

Traditional PracticesTraditional Practices

Traditional PracticesTraditional Practices

Traditional PracticesTraditional Practices

Traditional PracticesTraditional Practices

Which practices are more likely to be maintained?

Where We Are TodayWhere We Are Today

LID in Houston 2010LID in Houston 2010

• “Interim period” model designed to build p gexperience and expertise by all parties– Future new code to be based on local Future new code to be based on local

experience– Monitoring program built in to processg p g p

• HLWSF draft “Interim LID Design Guide” under review by local agenciesunder review by local agencies– Informs collaborative permitting process

designed to expedite LID-based projectsdesigned to expedite LID based projects

LID in Houston 2010LID in Houston 2010

• Dozens of LID-based projects submitted for p jpermitting by City and County– Large suburban residential subdivisionsLarge suburban residential subdivisions– Large multi-use and office park developments – Sizable urban infill residentialSizable urban infill residential– Green roads

• Win Win Win• Win-Win-Win– Developer-Designer-Municipal Agency

ResourcesResources

www.houstonLWSforum.org

HLWSF 2011HLWSF 2011

• Local agency ‘Interim” period guidelines g y glaunch session

• LID Design Competition 1st Anniversary LID Design Competition 1 Anniversary gathering of participants

• Collaborative Workshop to provide guidance • Collaborative Workshop to provide guidance to landscape design for Green Roadways

D l i g LID b d j t t ki g • Developing LID-based project tracking system and clearinghouse for data

HLWSF 2011HLWSF 2011

• Traditional HLWSF educational programming Traditional HLWSF educational programming (Possibilities)

Specialized programming for developers– Specialized programming for developers

– Bioretention soils workshop

Specialized programming for MS4 staffs– Specialized programming for MS4 staffs

– Urban retrofit strategies and opportunities

ResourcesResources

www.houstonLWSforum.org

Edminster Hinshaw Russ | Davidson Landscape Architecture | Legend Homes

Edminster Hinshaw Russ | Davidson Landscape Architecture | Legend Homes

Edminster Hinshaw Russ | Davidson Landscape Architecture | Legend Homes

Edminster Hinshaw Russ | Davidson Landscape Architecture | Legend Homes

Edminster Hinshaw Russ | Davidson Landscape Architecture | Legend Homes

Edminster Hinshaw Russ | Davidson Landscape Architecture | Legend Homes