Rain Water Collection System In Peoria, Illinois

Former Roy-Fisher landscape designer, Bill Chambers, devised a rain water collection system at his company’s, Chamber & Sons Landscaping, headquarters in Peoria, Illinois. The inspiration came when he wanted to cultivate plants but could not, due to the lack of water infrastructure on the property.

He began by purchasing two standard sized garbage cans from the local home improvement store to setup as a test system. He used PVC pipes and fittings to connect the two. One can had the downspout from the building’s roof empty into it. The test system turned out to be a success, and it was time to expand.

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A local plumbing company (C.L. O’Brien Plumbing, Inc.) gave Bill several old water softener tanks to use as more rain barrels. But these aren’t standard garbage cans, these are much larger. With these new barrels the system went from a capacity of 64 gallons to 1,200+ gallons.

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Bill spent several weeks perfecting the rain barrel system. He installed a lower patio for the larger barrels and individual pedestals for each of the smaller containers to make sure the control water level would fill up 100% of each barrel and utilize 100% of the water collected by each barrel. The first barrel (one of the original two garbage cans) that the downspout empties into has screen filters that the water must pass through before entering the other barrels. All the barrels are connected with PVC pipe and fittings and waterproofed using large rubber washers. He installed a hose bib to the largest barrel and a 560 GPH submersible pump resides inside the large barrel as well. A drip irrigation hose was attached to the hose bib which also has an easy to clean out filter.

It rained for a couple of hours on Sunday, September 20^th, 2009, which was more than enough to fill the entire system to the brim. The overflow is piped into the adjacent corn field.

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On Tuesday, September 22^nd, 2009, the first part of the drip irrigation system was installed. At first small spray heads are being used to water trays of seedlings, but eventually each plant will be given its own bubbler if need be. After the system ran for ten minutes, no noticeable change was seen in the water level of the barrels. Currently, only three spray heads and four bubblers are hooked into the system, but it should take quite some time for the water level to decrease.

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Any questions or comments are greatly appreciated as this is an experimental rain collection system. Thus far it seems to be working wonderfully, but any ideas on how to improve it are greatly appreciated.

First do no harm

According to the AIA Guidelines for design and construction of Healthcare Facilities, 2006: “The built environment has a profound effect on health, productivity, and our natural environment. Health Care facilities shall be designed within a framework that recognizes the primary mission of health care (including “first, do no harm”) and that considers the larger context of enhanced patient environment, employee effectiveness and resource stewardship.” Environment of Care Section 1.2 in the AIA Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Healthcare Facilities 2006

Recent research has shown that healing gardens and healthcare site design can positively and negatively affect health outcomes. (Ulrich 1986, McLaughlin et al. 1996) Designing for healthcare facilities has a number of critical considerations that are above and beyond a typical design project. Hospital Administration or Facility Departments are often who we consider ‘our client’, since they are usually who hires us and pays for the design. We always have to keep in mind, however, that we are designing for the patient. There are a large variety of patient types and each has unique needs that the design must take into consideration in order to “do no harm”

Information is available on specific needs of different patient types in books, journals and on the web; talk to department clinicians regarding their patients’ needs as well. Research the growing body of information on how the design of the physical environment affects patients before you begin your design. Good sources for research are HERD, The American Horticultural Therapy Association’s Journal, The Center for Healthcare Design and Informedesign. If at all possible, attend one of the seminars that are offered all over the country on healing garden and healthcare site design. Find books specific to your patient type and study them. Be sure to interview Clinical Staff to make sure that you understand how your garden will fit into the facility. Coordinate focus groups with patients to better understand their perspective. Be sure to follow up after the project is completed to learn if any adjustments are needed to make the garden truly healing.

Healing Gardens

A large body of research has shown that views of gardens and landscapes lower blood pressure, help with quicker recoveries and reduce the need for pain medication after surgery . Roy-Fisher Associates thinks that well designed healing gardens and careful healthcare facility site design can be as important a tool in healing environments as medical equipment and drugs. This theme was evident over and over again at the recent symposium at the University of Georgia: “The Art and Science of Healing Gardens” that I was lucky enough to lecture at and attend.

Healing and restorative gardens fit in a variety of healthcare facilities: hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, outpatient facilities and drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities by providing venues for active and passive treatment modalities. In other words, by providing something as simple as a pleasant view of a green roof outside a hospital intensive care unit room, a spot for paralyzed spinal cord patients to regain some motor activity and a sense of worth through horticultural therapy, a means to calm agitated Alzheimer’s patients, a way for elderly residents to maintain activities of daily living or for stroke or injured patients to receive physical therapy in a garden.

The stress reduction provided by carefully designed gardens is important for patients, their families as well as the clinical staff. Studies have shown that fewer medical errors are made when staff stress is reduced. There are high amounts of stress associated with a loved one’s illness that compromise caregiver’s immune systems. Gardens can reduce that stress by providing a pleasant distraction, a place for social support and exercises as well as sense of control by providing an alternate to staying in hospital waiting rooms. Ulrich, 1984

GREEN ROOF IN LAKE WORTH

Hurrah! A successful, inexpensive Green Roof example exists in Lake Worth. The EcoCentre designed by John Szerdi, Living Designs has a variety of applications that work with the “Living Machine” concept that is the basis of the building design.

Planters are constructed of recycled plastic lumber and pond liner. They are placed directly on the flat roof. The planting media is LECA, an acronym for light expanded clay material. It is a light tan color. The media depth is about 10-12”. Some of the planters are unirrigated, some are irrigated by gray water collected from the building, condensate water or storm water collected in a cistern. Originally the planters were to be planted with sedges recommended to the architect by colleagues through past experiences in Virginia. Fortunately, the planting was changed to grasses native to Florida that we suggested while touring the building when it was under construction.

The planters have been in for about 6 months, both the irrigated and unirrigated planters are doing well.

  

LANDSCAPE AS A CRITICAL PART OF SCHOOL DESIGN: WHAT’S OUT WINDOW KEY TO BETTER GRADES?

 

From the Athens Banner- Herald on Friday, June 12, 2009: ‘Having green space around schools doesn’t just make the campus look better – students actually score better on tests when they can see trees and gardens outside their classroom windows, a University of Georgia professor has found.

“It’s hard to explain,” said Kenneth Tanner, head of the School Design and Planning Laboratory in the University of Georgia’s College of Education.

But research clearly shows that students who can look out at greenery do better on math, reading and some other achievement tests than students with views of walls and parking lots, said Tanner, who’s been studying the effects of school design on student achievement for more than a decade.

Tanner has his own theories on why looking at trees is better than looking at concrete.

“It’s this feeling of wellbeing,” a feeling that people get from looking at natural areas, he said. “If I’m looking into a wall I feel like I’m being blocked.”

Tanner’s most recent research examined the test scores of more than 10,000 Georgia fifth-graders. Even when Tanner statistically ruled out the effects of family income and other variables, the positive effects of natural window views stood out.’

For more research regarding trees and inner city kids doing better in schools, communities with lower violence rates because of trees and a variety of other studies that show how trees and landscape contribute to healthy populations visit the University of Illinois at Urbana’s website for a number of studies they have done. SPROUT!

Right Plant, Right Place

Photo Credit: American Orchid Society, Michiko Kurisu

Putting plants in the right place is the key to ensuring they survive and remain healthy in your landscape. You can reduce the need for water, fertilizer, pesticides and pruning if you plant Florida friendly plants.

Try the following things to Green your landscape:
· Understand the soil, sunlight and water conditions of the area you are planting.
· Plan grass areas to be functional and for easy maintenance.
· Learn about problem or invasive plants and avoid planting them at all cost.
· Plant a variety of Florida-friendly plants, including flowering and fruiting plants that attract butterflies, birds, beneficial insects and other wildlife.

Many Florida native plants are especially good at attracting wildlife. Florida-friendly plants will attract beneficial insects and butterflies to your yard and garden.

Source: http://www.floridayards.org/

Trashy breakfast – Please recycle!

Dear Hampton Inns:

I enjoy staying at your hotels and I especially enjoy getting up and eating breakfast. I’m ALWAYS disappointed , however, in the amount of trash that I generate at breakfast, especially the foam materials that do not degrade in our overflowing landfills. At the very least, I hope you will consider using recyclable products and recycling them. My family of 5 can generate a whole bag of trash at one sitting!

Love your coffee but try to remember to bring my own cup,

Connie Roy-Fisher

My husband is a Hampton Inn fan. On our trip to Athens to teach at the Art and Science of Healing Gardens Symposium, we stayed at, of course, Hampton Inn. If you have eaten breakfast at Hampton Inn, I hope you have noticed the amount of trash that you generate – EVERYTHING is packaged in plastic, they use foam plates, bowls and cups, plastic silverware and cups. NOTHING is recycled. I’m sending this letter. Please feel free to copy it and send it as well.

Should we Share?

This spring I had an intern from Florida Atlantic University that is excited about everything green. South Florida geography makes the LEED point requiring that materials be within a 500 mile radius challenging. Furthermore, many products indicate that they use recycled materials but do they meet LEED requirements regarding percentages and post vs. pre consumer waste? My dream has been to put together a list of materials that meet these requirements for South Florida. The materials I’m interested in as a Landscape Architect would be concrete, pavers, wood, irrigation equipment, light fixtures, outdoor furniture, metals, sealers and preservatives.

The intern took the project on and began researching on the web. She found a million products that claimed to be green. In order to focus her efforts, she contacted “green” consultants to see if they might have some sort of list from which she could start. These businesses wouldn’t help; she felt that they were unwilling to share.

I guess there could be a couple of reasons for this. The most obvious reason to a business person would be that they are getting paid for this service. Through the intern’s eyes, shouldn’t we be sharing this information for the better good? Couldn’t the ‘green ‘consultants get a percentage from the products they include on their list? Or – maybe these lists don’t exist at all.

What do you think? Are those lists out there? Should the information be shared?

RIVER OF GRASS CANOE/KAYAK EXPEDITION

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RIVER OF GRASS CANOE/KAYAK EXPEDITION

January 2-7th, 2010

Celebrating the Everglades Coalition's 25 Years of Activism

ARE YOU A HARDY SOUL, IN FIT CONDITION, AND AN EXPERIENCED PADDLER??

DO YOU LOVE OUR EVERGLADES??

ARE YOU A SCIENTIST? ARTIST? TEACHER? JOURNALIST? SPORTSPERSON? HEALTH PROFESSIONAL? PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONAL?

If you qualify in the first two categories and at least one of the professional categories in the third--the RIVER OF GRASS CANOE/KAYAK EXPEDITION January 2-7th, 2010 may be for you!!

This bold venture marks the 25th year of the Everglades Coalition's annual conference, and launches West Palm Beach's Year of the Everglades. West Palm is the host city this year for the Coalition's big event.

The 77 mile route begins at the point where the Kissimmee River flows into Lake Okeechobee, travels around the NE rim of the lake and South to the point where the L-8 Canal leaves the lake at Sand Cut, travels down the L-8 Canal to the junction with the M Canal, and then travels the M Canal to the Visitors Center at Grassy Waters where the expedition will be met by the 2010 Everglades Coalition Conference delegates on January 7, 2010.

The last leg, into Grassy Waters, is especially significant to the City of West Palm because it traces the city's water supply source from The Everglades flow system. There will be a Grand Finale Flotilla on this last leg, where all who wish to join in the paddling procession into Grassy Waters on January 7, 2010 are encouraged to join. More information on how to participate in the Grand Finale Flotilla will be available later.

For additional information, please EMAIL:

Joan Sterrenberg sterrenb@indiana.edu

To apply for the entire 77 mile, 5 day canoe expedition, scroll down to the application,print it out and send it by July 1, 2009 to:

Email to: PlantCypress@aol.com

Mail to: Arthur R. Marshall Foundation

2806 So. Dixie Hwy.

West Palm Beach, FL 33405

________________________________________________
Grassy Waters Canoe/Kayak Expedition

January 2-7, 2010

Application

Name:

Address:


Email:

Cell Phone:
Home/Office Phone:


Education:


Professional Affiliation(s):



Age: Gender:


List Any Health Issues:


Area(s) of Expertise: (Science, Education, Media, Arts, Recreation, Health & Safety)



Canoe/Kayak Experience:




Availability: January 2-7, 2010
If not available for the entire time, please specify dates you are.



Return Application by July 1, 2009:

Email questions to: Joan Sterrenburg - sterrenb@indiana.edu

LEED and Landscape Architects

I’ve been a LEED ap for three years now. Although I do a number of government projects and I’m active in USGBC, I have not done a LEED project yet. Why?

Part of it is that South Florida is way behind the rest of the country in LEED projects. The economy may have something to do with it as well.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen LEED projects for which a Landscape Architect was chosen that was not a LEED ap. It was apparent in the finished product that they were not familiar with what LEED was trying to accomplish. Why were they chosen for the project?

To me, the site and what happens on it are critical but it is often an afterthought to architects and civil engineers that are the project managers on these projects. Maybe they think anything that is planted is “green”. Maybe we, as Landscape Architects don’t care enough to learn about sustainable ways to do things successfully. Maybe we haven’t done a good job of educating project managers, explaining the benefits of our services enough.

Saving the earth should start with exactly that – making sure that we don’t compact the earth, we maintain or improve the quality of soil, we save or restore vegetation that cools temperatures and reduces carbon and we collect, preserve and clean water just to name a few. SPROUT!

Green Roof Update – Bulbine is the Bomb!

My apologies, I haven’t kept up my updates on our test strips. I also have not been able to add to our test strips as we had originally planned. It’s been a busy spring – putting together presentations and teaching on green roofs, evidence based design and healing gardens as well as working on the West Palm Beach Waterfront project.

Probably the most important thing we’ve learned is – put in an irrigation system with a moisture detector. Despite our best intentions to stay on top of rain events and water after 10 days of no rain the strips went through periods of neglect. Fortunately we have had a lot of rain the last couple of months, so I got brave and went up to see how things were doing.

In the 4 inch media depth everything was still alive. The bulbine actually looks great. The mimosa and perennial peanut are still there but struggling.

In the 8 inch media the equisetum had died and devils walking stick had taken over. Devil’s walking stick is usually considered a weed but is actually a great bee and butterfly plant so I’m leaving it. The grasses are hanging in there.

Sources for Sustainable Landscaping

Check out this months issue of Neighborhood Gardener. (link to your right) It's a great source of information on sustainable landscaping. This issue has an article on Florida Friendly landscaping with links to a plethora of information and an article on the latest irrigation controllers being tested by University of Florida.

Local Master Gardeners Program and Florida Yards and Neighborhoods, both run by IFAS (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) at the University of Florida educate South Florida residents in sustainable planting, maintenance and water preservation principles. To learn more, call the Extension Service at the Mounts Building in West Palm Beach, 561 233-1759.

Editorial

by Jake Fisher, Roy-Fisher Associates

Weinstein, Neil & Kloss, Christopher. The Implications of Section 438 for the Green Technology. Stormwater, March/April, pg 8.

In a recent editorial in Stormwater, experts Neil Weinstein and Christopher Kloss discussed the likely impact of Section 438 of the Energy Independence and Security Act. Weinstein and Kloss declare Section 438 requires federal facilities to meet predevelopment hydrology for new building construction over 5,000 square feet using planning and nonstructural and structural best management practices (BMPs) to the maximum extent technically feasible. The underlying goal is to protect and restore watersheds using technologies that make sense for the site and the targeted management goal thereby promoting the use and development of the most efficient technologies. Currently being produced (via an EPA Subcontract) is a guidance document which will create the framework for innovation and research needed to develop this high-performance approach.

Furthermore Weinstein and Kloss maintain Section 438’s representation of an “important next step toward improving the health of the nation’s waters and signifies Congress’ recognition of the work of the EPA and its partners advocating for greener stormwater controls.” Section 438 will bring increased green infrastructure at federal facilities. For example, vegetation will be used to intercept rainfall and evapotranspirate moisture back into the atmosphere, undisturbed or enhanced soils will allow natural infiltration, and water harvesting systems will collect and reuse rainfall on site. Green infrastructure, effective at reducing the volume, peak flow, and pollutant load of stormwater will be used to reduce the burden on existing infrastructure and to protect receiving streams. The new law allows the federal government to become the earliest innovators within the realm of sustainable infrastructure which can be used to provide numerous positive outcomes for the environment (and in so doing develop the federal government’s “economic and environmental sustainability”.

Weinstein and Kloss additionally assert the interconnectivity of water and energy stating “the transport, use, and disposal of water are energy intensive” and “integrated water management that recognizes the resource value of water will lead to improved energy efficiencies and conservation”.

“The federal government is the largest landholder in the US; the passage of the EISA, coupled with a renewed commitment to infrastructure investment, presents a unique opportunity to establish an improved infrastructure network”.

Glenn Acomb & UF Green Roof

Although your test plots are useful for general observations, I would caution you that they do not replicate green roof conditions very well.

Testing with container as small as these will yield results from which you cannot easily base conclusions.  The ambient temperature of a roof is a combination of the heat generated by direct and indirect means as well as the insulation provided by the plants and media.  The typical high temperature range for a Florida conventional roof is approximately 140+ degrees F, versus the high for a green roof at approximately 80 degrees F (UCF, Dr. Marty Wanielista, 6" planting media + 2" drainage media).  We have found our temperatures to be similar.

Your test plots will generate heat that is greater than normal and this will cause plants greater stress and lead you to believe that these conditions are typical of a green roof.  the heat will also distort the water balance by excessive drought and cause you to believe that you should irrigate more than you would in a green roof of a larger area.  The mortality you experienced is likely due to the heat and perhaps, drought. 

As I talk to many professionals that want to know my experience with the UF Green Roof, I find myself explaining that a green roof should not be seen too simplistically.  It is not as many believe, a mere planting of plants on a roof.  There is much more to consider.  It is an environment hotter and drier than a terrestrial landscape.  The media performs differently.  One must know much more about plants (growth rate, root depth, capacity to retain water, and more) as well as the water cycle/delivery and irrigation system for plant processing.

Your blog comments about plants and their appropriateness for certain media depths.  Please be careful with conclusions based from limited tests.  For example, I would NOT recommend Muhly Grass for even a 6" media depth.  It has not done well on the UF green roof, which is a 5" depth.  I would suggest at least 8" or 10" for a healthy plant.  If one wants to know for sure, pull up mature plants (from a similar soil and environmental condition) and measure their root system.  A depth of 4"-6" is not very much for most plants.  Further, with depths that shallow, the choices do not include many ornamental-like natives. 

In addition to the characteristic of media depth is another important issue of the media itself.  Most green roof product mixes are very well-drained shale-based (or similar type of well-drained soil) and the infiltration rates are much greater than soils in which we are accustomed for use in conventional terrestrial landscapes.  Infiltration is rapid and residual saturation is brief. 

I would recommend that you increase the plot size as large as you can to correctly base conclusions.  I am working on a paper that summarizes my experiences of the past year with the UF Perry Construction Yard Green Roof and it will summarize this and the plant material responses in a North Central Florida environment.  Many, but not all of the plants will easily adapt to a South Florida application. 

Glenn A. Acomb, ASLA

University of Florida
Department of Landscape Architecture and
The Program for Resource Efficient Communities

Attracting Wildlife

We are going to start a series of monthly green tip posts. These tips will reflect on a new way to help infuse your garden and life with green living!

Green Tip #1:

Attract Wildlife to your Garden

                                      Photo: Award winning Jacqueline Fiske Healing Garden                Photo Credit: Michiko Kurisu

Florida has a diverse wildlife population, but rapid growth throughout Florida is destroying native wildlife habitat. But, make some basic changes to your landscaping and you can create a yard that will provide habitat for a variety of birds, butterflies and beneficial insects.

• Increasing the variety of plants in your landscape design.
• Creating natural corridors with bordering properties to allow wildlife to move through the larger neighborhood.
• The easiest way to attract birds, butterflies and beneficial insects is to select and plant flowers, shrubs and trees that bear fruit, seeds or flowers that birds and other wildlife depend on for food.
• A birdbath, fountain or pond is an important source of fresh water that will attract birds. Constructed ponds provide important water resources for a variety of wildlife.
• Avoid using pesticides and other chemicals on a regular basis without reason. When necessary, choose the least toxic controls to minimize harm to birds, butterflies and beneficial insects in your landscape.

Source: www.Floridayards.org