Design for Environmental Sustainability

Carlo Vezzoli, Ezio Manzini “Design for Environmental Sustainability”

Publisher: Springer

Publication Date: 2008-07-09

ISBN: 1848001622

Number of pages: 303

Format: PDF

Size: 4.7 MB

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Book Description:

Design for Environmental Sustainability is a technical and operative contribution to the United Nations “Decade on Education for Sustainable Development” (2005-2014), aiding the development of a new generation of designers, responsible and able in the task of designing environmentally sustainable products.Design for Environmental Sustainabilityprovides a comprehensive framework and a practical tool to support the design process. The book offers an organic vision of methodologies, tools and strategies for the integration of environmental requirements into product development. Possible strategies and design guidelines are highlighted, accompanied by a large selection of high-quality environmentally-aware product design case studies.

Divided into four parts, the first part covers environmental sustainability and presents the general guidelines that can be followed to reach it. The second part examines the Life Cycle Design approach and the strategies to minimise consumption of resources, select low environmental impact resources, optimise product life span, extend the life of materials, and design for disassembly. The third part presents methods and tools to evaluate the environmental impact of products (e.g., Life Cycle Assessment) and other support tools for the integration of environmental requirements into real design processes. The fourth and final part describes the historical evolution of sustainability, both in design practice and research.Design for Environmental Sustainability is an important text for all students, designers and design engineers interested in product development processes.

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Planning and Installing Bioenergy Systems

Planning and Installing Bioenergy Systems: A Guide for Installers, Architects and Engineers
Publisher: earthscan.co.uk
ISBN: 9781844071326
Publication Date: 2004
Format: PDF
Number of page: 280
Size: 7 MB
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Book Description:
In short, this book describes the key features of different bioenergy technologies and offers professionals expert guidance for installation. Bioenergy is relied upon worldwide as a modern solution for local energy supply and waste managements. With clear technical details, data tables and illustrative pictures explaining the fundamentals of different bioenergy projects, this guide reviews the main technologies and offers relevant best-practice examples.
Beginning with an overview of the technologies and types of systems available, the guide is packed with essential ‘know-how’ on anaerobic digestion, bio-fuel, small-scale ovens, large-scale boilers and gasifiers. Each technology is explained by examining the overall system and its components, planning, operation, maintenance, installation and economics. Information is given on both heat and combined heat and power.
In addition, international legal framework and data on selected regional, national and international support programmes are provided.In short, this book describes the key features of different bioenergy technologies and offers professionals expert guidance forinstallation. It will be a cherished resource for engineers and architects alike who are working in new projects, farmers keen to explore this technology and practitioners or students with a specialized and practical interest in this field.
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A Thesis on the Integration of Indoor Climate Analysis in Architectural Design

Johannes Peter Den Hartog’sDesigning Indoor Climate: A Thesis on the Integration of Indoor Climate Analysis in Architectural Design

Publisher: Delft Univ Pr
ISBN: 9040724652
Publication Date: December 2003
Format: PDF
Number of pages: 229
Size: 5 MB
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Book Description:
This is a Ph.D. dissertation. In contemporary architecture education, indoor climate and building installations suffer from a lack of popularity. Students of architecture, filled with great expectations and awe for the famous designers of the 20th century, find inspiration in examples such as Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoy, Lloyd Wright’s falling water or the Rietveld’s Schroder house. Recognizable as this may be, great aesthetics constitute only a small part of creating architecture.
The process of designing and constructing buildings comprises the involvement of a multitude of skills such as creating clear functional layouts, designing solid structures and taking care healthy indoor climates. Most textbooks and magazines contemporary architecture do not cover the less attractive aspects of the indoor climate such as heating, ventilation and cooling unless these services form an important part of the buildings aesthetic identity.
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Building Pathology: Principles and Practice

David Watt “Building Pathology: Principles and Practice”
Publisher: Blackwell Science
Publication Date: 1999-10
ISBN: 0632048751
Number of pages: 277
Format: PDF
Size: 13.8 Mb
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Concentrating on the planning and design of cities

Mike Jenks, Nicola Dempsey

Publisher: Architectural Press

Publication Date: August 22, 2005

ISBN:075066309X

Number of pages: 456

Format: PDF

Size: 13 Mb

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Book Description:

Concentrating on the planning and design of cities, the three sections take a logical route through the discussion from the broad considerations at regional and city scale, to the larger city at high and lower densities through to design considerations on the smaller block scale. Key design issues such as access to facilities, access for sunlight, life cycle analyses, and the impact of communications on urban design are tackled, and in conclusion, the research is compared to large scale design examples that have been proposed and/or implemented over the past decade to give a vision for the future that might be achievable.

* Provides an accessible presentation of the latest research in sustainable urban planning and design

* Illustrates recent sustainable plans and schemes to show how they stand up against the latest research

* Offers architects, urban designers and planners a view of how urban forms can become more sustainable in the future

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Sustainable Facilities: Green Design, Construction and Operations

Sustainable Facilities: Green Design, Construction and Operations

Keith Moskow “Sustainable Facilities: Green Design, Construction and Operations”
Published by McGraw-Hill Professional | Publication date : March 2008 | ISBN: 007149474X | PDF | 250 pages | English | 45 MB
Authoritative and up-to-date, Sustainable Facilities now equips architects, engineers, and contractors with a state-of-the-art guide to green design, construction, and operations. The reference contains information on materials, methods, and costs that will enable them to take an integrated team approach to green design and building for facilities of all kinds.

A vital working tool for all building professionals interested in green architecture and construction, Sustainable Facilities presents an in-depth look at 20 facilities that were designed for environmental organizations and were constructed and now operate using green building methods and materials.

Written by award-winning architect Keith Moskow, together with a team of leading architects in green building, the book focuses on the unique challenges of each building – from planning through operations – covering new construction, energy-efficient design, operational cost savings, historic preservation, renovation and expansion, land conservation, and LEED ratings.

Featuring contributions by leading architects in green building, this expert resource examines each building from planning through operations, covering new construction, energy-efficient design, operational cost savings, historic preservation, renovation and expansion, land conservation, and LEED ratings.
Packed with 200 black & white and full-color illustrations, Sustainable Facilities takes readers through the Woods Hole Research Center, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Environmental Center, Conservation Law Foundation Headquarters, Marion Art and Environmental Center, Thoreau Center for Sustainability, California EPA Headquarters Building, Forestech Centre, Institute for Forestry and Nature Research and many other facilities.
This skills-building reference features:
• Discussions of 20 facilities from planning to operations
• Contributions by leading architects in green building
• Answers to FAQs about sustainable methods and materials
• Guidance on the advantages and obstacles involved with green projects
• Methods for weighing up-front costs against operating costs for facilities

Essential for architects, engineers, and contractors, Sustainable Facilities presents state-of-the-art guidance on all the materials, methods, and costs needed for success in green design and building.

Sustainable Facilities also explores the advantages and obstacles building teams face on green projects, and explains how to weigh up-front costs against operating costs for facilities.

In addition, this cutting-edge reference provides answers to many frequently asked questions about sustainable methods and materials such as:
• How did the design process differ from that of a conventional building?
• Has the building performed up to expectations?
• Were the initial building costs higher than conventional costs?
• What effect has the building had on its users?
• Has the building changed people’s perceptions of sustainability?

Filled with 200 outstanding black & white and full-color illustrations, Sustainable Facilities examines a wide range of noted green buildings in the U.S., Europe, and Australia, including:
• Woods Hole Research Center (Falmouth, MA)
• Conservation Law Foundation Headquarters (Boston, MA)
• Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Lodge (Crawford Notch, NH)
• Doyle Conservation Center, (Leominster, MA)
• Bay Education Center (Providence, RI)
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Philip Merrill Environmental Center (Annapolis, MD)
• PEEC Visitor Activity Center (Dingmans Ferry, PA)
• Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center (Gwinnett County, GA)
• World Birding Center (Rio Grande, TX)
• Kresge Foundation Building (Troy, MI)
• National Outdoor Leadership School Headquarters (Lander, WY)
• National Park Service, Carl T. Curtis Midwest Regional Headquarters (Omaha, NE)
• California Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters (Sacramento, CA)
• Thoreau Center for Sustainability (San Francisco, CA)
• IslandWood (Bainbridge Island, WA)
• Marion Art and Environmental Center (Marion, IA)
• The Robert Redford Building (Santa Monica, CA)
• Federal Environmental Agency Headquarters (Dessau, Germany)
• The Forestech Centre (East Gippsland, Australia)
• Institute for Forestry and Nature Research (Wageningen, Netherlands)

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Solar Technologies for Buildings

Ursula Eicker “Solar Technologies for Buildings”

Wiley | 2005-04-15 | ISBN: 047148637X | 336 pages | PDF | 5,7 Mb
A complete overview of solar technologies relevant to the built environment, includingsolar thermal energy for heating and cooling, passive solar energy for daylighting and heating supply, and photovoltaics for electricity production
Provides practical examples and calculations to enable component and system simulation e.g. Calculation of U-values, I-V curve parameters and radiance distribution modelling
Discusses the new trends in thermal energy use, including the architectural integration of collector systems, integrated ventilation photovoltaics facades and solar powered absorption cooling systems
Coverage of cutting-edge applications such as active and passive cooling techniques and results from ongoing research projects

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Building with Earth

Building with Earth: Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture
Birkhäuser Basel; 1 edition | 199 pages | May 5, 2006 | ISBN: 3764374772 | PDF | 22 MB
For a number of years, the healthy and environment-friendly building material clay, in common use for thousands of years, has been enjoying increasing popularity, including in industrialized nations. In hot dry and temperate climate zones, clay offers numerous advantages over other materials. Its particular texture and composition also holds great aesthetic appeal.

This handbook offers a practical systematic overview of the many uses of clay and techniques for processing it. Its properties and physical characteristics are described in informed and knowledgeable detail. The authors presentation reflects the rich and varied experiences gained over thirty years of building earth structures in Germany and abroad. Numerous photographs of construction sites and drawings show the concrete execution of clay architecture.

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Urban Design: Green Dimensions

J C Moughtin, Peter Shirley”Urban Design: Green Dimensions, Second Edition”Architectural Press | 272 pages | 2005-02-11 | ISBN:0750662077 | PDF | 10MB

In Green Dimensions, Cliff Moughtin relates sustainable development and green design to the realm of urban design and development. Examining regional and local frameworks for design and planning, this book shows how sustainable urban design can be implemented on every scale. Working from a strong theoretical base, the author uses case studies and discusses policy developments, in order to challenge the conventional wisdom on sustainable design. The book provides a rounded discussion of the application and suitability of current practice, and predicts future design needs. Updating the reader on topics such as energy efficiency, sustainable city forms and the culture of new urbanism, this completely revised and restructured second edition also includes brand new chapters on the Urban Park and Bio-diversity. · Sets sustainable urban design in a regional and political context, providing real life attainable guidance · Provides inspiration for planners worldwide through international examples and case studies · Includes latest hot topics in sustainability to give your designs the cutting edge 

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More Straw Bale Building

More Straw Bale Building :

A Complete Guide to Designing and Building with Straw

Requirement :

PDF Reader, 297 pages

Original File Size : 19317 KB

Compressed File Size : 18455 KB

Overview :

Straw bale houses are easy to build, affordable, super energy efficient, environmentally friendly, attractive, and can be designed to match the builder’s personal space needs, esthetics and budget. Despite mushrooming interest in the technique, however, most straw bale books focus on “selling” the dream of straw bale building, but don’t adequately address the most critical issues faced by bale house builders. Moreover, since many developments in this field are recent, few books are completely up to date with the latest techniques.

More Straw Bale Building is designed to fill this gap. A completely rewritten edition of the 20,000 copy best selling original, it leads the potential builder through the entire process of building a bale structure, tackling all the practical issues: finding and choosing bales; developing sound building plans; roofing; electrical, plumbing, and heating systems; building code compliance; and special concerns for builders in northern climates.

New material includes:

• more extensive sections on electric wiring and plumbing
• updated sections on bale finishes and finishing
• a section on prefabricated straw bale walls
• a wider selection of case studies, photographs and illustrations
• a section on common mistakes
• budgeting for low-, medium- and high-cost projects, and new testing data that is in no other straw bale book.

Down-to earth and complete, More Straw Bale Building makes the remarkable benefits of straw bale building available in the most comprehensive and practical book on the subject to date.

The authors, Chris Magwood and Peter Mack, are professional straw bale house builders and consultants who have constructed over 40 straw bale structures and have taught workshops and seminars in several countries.

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Autodesk® Revit® Structure

Autodesk® Revit® Structure building information modeling (BIM) software for structural engineering provides purpose-built tools for structural design and analysis. With the advantage of BIM, Revit Structure helps to improve multi-discipline coordination of structural design documentation, minimize errors, and enhance collaboration between structural engineering and architecture teams.

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Revit Structure 2011

The Civil Engineer as a LEED Lead

By Julian Dodge, P.E., Principal Engineer, Civil Projects

Yikes! Me, a Site Civil Engineer. You know, the guy who designs the outside of the building suddenly wakes up in a cold sweat to find he is the one responsible for getting a project LEED certified. How did this happen?

Okay. I am exaggerating the situation, but it was a first for me, and I don’t think there are many engineers out there that have filled the role of a building project’s “LEED lead.”  This role is typically held by the project architect, not the site civil engineer – and it’s not actually called the LEED lead.  The LEED lead’s official name, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Project Team Administrator.

I landed this responsibility through Reid Middleton’s on-call contract (IDIQ) with the Navy. We often get awarded contracts for new buildings and remodel projects, regularly managing multi-discipline teams. This particular LEED certified project is a new 35,000-square-foot industrial building at Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor in Kitsap County, Washington.

While preparing the fee proposal, I had a continuing dialogue with the project architect Phil Lane of Schreiber Starling and Lane. Because Reid Middleton was the prime consultant, we decided Reid Middleton would also manage the LEED effort. Phil graciously let me take this on and promised to mentor me through the process. I thought, after all, I am a LEED Accredited Professional, and I’ve worked on the Sustainable Sites credits in the past. I was soon to find out that this experience, although helpful, did not fully prepare me for what was to come. 

Some of the challenges I faced included getting owner and team members’ commitments to meeting LEED criteria during the design phase. I had to work diligently at convincing team members not to give up on credits and remind them how important the credits were to getting certified. Another complication came when the contractor’s LEED manager left the project and the company before substantial completion. Although I had met with him during construction and inspected his documentation, I was informed that his replacement was having problems locating the files. This was finally resolved.

The building was certified at the Silver level after two reviews and one appeal. This was an accomplishment for an industrial building with specific design criteria that restricted the designers’ creativity. Going through the complex LEED certification process was personally challenging and rewarding. Most importantly, I gained new insight into the difficulties architects contend with being the LEED lead and getting projects certified.

About Our Author – Julian Dodge, PE, is a LEED® accredited professional and civil engineer with 29 years of experience managing sustainable site development and utility projects. He has expertise in all phases of new site design and infrastructure redevelopment projects encompassing the elements of grading, paving, stormwater management, water distribution, sanitary sewer, alignment, and erosion control. Julian joined Reid Middleton in 1990.

The Truth about LEED

You may have already heard, but there's a lawsuit pending against the USGBC. The plaintiffs claim that they are “losing customers because USGBC's false advertisements mislead the consumer into believing that obtaining LEED certification incorporates construction techniques that achieve energy-efficiency.”  If you're looking for an article that jumps on that train, you're in the wrong place.  I think this lawsuit is seriously misguided, and draws attention away from all of the positive consequences of the USGBC's work. 


The truth is that LEED is flawed and imperfect, but I don't think that the USGBC ever claimed it was perfect or the end all of green buildings.  What the USGBC did/does say is that they want LEED to encourage market transformation, which I think they have already achieved.  I have been involved with the USGBC and LEED on several levels and here is what I know and believe about LEED.  

1. It has created AWARENESS - I don't think that there is any doubt that LEED and the USGBC have brought widespread awareness to green buildings.  Does a building have to be LEED certified to be green - of course not.  Nor does certification guarantee that a building is more green than another which is not, but it does carry weight.  They may call it LEEDS, but in general LEED has brought more visibility to the green building market than anything else I can think of.  And that's a positive thing - the more we can get people talking and thinking about green buildings and sustainability, the better off we are.
2. It has generated INVOLVEMENT - The USGBC and LEED have brought individuals and groups to the green building table that would not have participated in the absence of LEED.  Whether they like it or not most design and construction professionals have recognized that LEED is here to stay and as a result have jumped on board.  They might not be enthusiastic about green buildings at first, but  becoming involved usually allows them to see the value and sense in green building.
3. It has provided a framework for EDUCATION - The USGBC in and of itself has done a tremendous job of educating the building and design industry about sustainable design and green buildings.  But even beyond that, the LEED rating system provides a great framework for others to use in educating.  I believe strongly in education as advocacy, and I have found that we can use LEED as a tool to educate others about what can be done to make our built environment more sustainable and green.
4. It encourages INTEGRATED DESIGN - I think that most professionals would agree that an integrated approach to design and construction is best.  However, that doesn't mean that it's standard practice.  In my experience the goal of LEED certification forces the project team to come together earlier and more often than in projects that aren't seeking certification.  When project team members collaborate early and often it almost always results in a better project than when each of the team members operates independently.
5. It generates BETTER BUILDINGS  - Hopefully, I won't be next on the list of lawsuits for saying this, but I believe that LEED has generated better buildings.  Design teams and owners seeking LEED certification have been accused of "point chasing" and I can attest that it does happen.  However, what I've often found is that there are good practices that are implemented for the sake of LEED that would not otherwise been done, which can result in better buildings.  On projects that I am involved with I try to encourage the team to pursue points and practices that have some value beyond LEED, but in some cases points are pursued only to achieve certification.  And although that bothers me a little, what I have come to realize is, if it makes for a better building then the motivation for doing it doesn't make it a bad thing.

The USGBC and LEED are always changing and improving and I think that each iteration of the LEED system brings improvements with it.  However, it will always be imperfect and we need to be careful to not let perfect be the enemy of good.  I believe that the USGBC has transformed the market for the better and while there is always room for improvement, the TRUTH is that the building industry is better because of it.

Sustainable Site Planning Basics

One of the most important and effective ways to create sustainable designs is taking a collaborative approach.  Ideally all of the project stakeholders (owner, architect, engineers, contractors, etc) are brought together before design begins and the design process can be a completely collaborative process where all parties are able to provide valuable input based on their expertise. The reality, however, is that this rarely happens, especially on smaller scale projects. In my experience the typical process involves the owner hiring an architect who later hires the engineers and finally the contractor is brought on board late in design or after the design is completed. Often the architect creates preliminary designs for the project including site layout, building location and orientation, elevations, floor plans etc. Sometimes this occurs with little or no input from the engineers. When the engineer comes on board the opportunity for collaboration and changes to the design is diminished. However, I realize there a lot of reasons that the process can evolve this way and I understand that it will continue to work that way on many projects.

After years of trying to shoehorn LID and green practices into site layouts created by architects I decided that providing some framework for creating sustainable site designs was the best approach to take. In doing that I created a presentation that I take on the road to architects. This post is that presentation in distilled form. The intent of both the presentation and this post is to provide architects and other design professionals with a toolbox for sustainable site planning and therefore facilitate better site designs. Below I have included 7 brief topics on sustainable site design.

What is a sustainable site plan?
My definition - "A site plan that has the least environmental impact while still meeting the client's project goals." It's not sustainable if it only parks half the cars that the project needs and costs twice as much as budgeted. Just like any other design it has to be framed within the typical project parameters, but it also includes consideration of the environmental impacts.

Site Selection
Site selection can have a significant impact on the environmental impact of a project site. Some specific paramters to consider when selecting a site include:

• Avoid flood plains - continued development in natural flood plain areas has contributed to increased flooding, decreased flooding and increased soil loss.
• Provide buffers for bodies of water - Development around bodies of water such as streams and wetlands should be limited and include buffers of undisturbed areas of 50'-100' or more.
• Avoid greenfields - greyfields and brownfields are often less expensive to develop, place less stress on infrastructure and limit the environmental impact of developing previously undeveloped sites.
• Transportation - the impact that transportation of people and goods to a site has can be significant. Try to select sites that encourage the use of public and non-motorized transportation.

Site/Building Layout
The simple act of proper building orientation can create energy savings of up to 25%. As little as 8 degrees of rotation can have an impact. Consider the following when siting and orienting buildings.

• Elongate the plan on the east/west axis
• Maximize north and south exposure for daylighting
• Minimize east and west facing windows
• Orient most populated areas to the north and south

The above items are good general guidelines but keep in mind that extreme climates may warrant different practices. For instance in extremely cold climates limiting windows on the north side may create energy savings that outweigh the benefits of the daylighting that they provide.

Impervious Surfaces
Increasing the imperviousness of a site can have a tremendous effect on the water cycle. Impervious surfaces limit groundwater recharge, increase pollutant loads and runoff and create a heat island effect.    Its important to limit the impervious areas on site to the minimum. Doing this often improves the aesthetic of the site, reduces the environmental impact and saves money.  Below are some things to consider in order to reduce site imperviousness.

• Minimize parking areas
• Zoning code minimum or less
• Incorporate compact car spaces when possible
• Reduce lane sizes
• Provide plantings in and around parking areas
• Implement Green Roofs
• Implement pervious paving options
• Pervious pavement/asphalt
• Pervious concrete
• Permeable pavers
• Grasspave systems

Grading Considerations
The environmental impacts of mass grading a development or building site is often overlooked.  Site grading destroys the natural ecosystem present within the soil.  This ecosystem provides systems to break down pollutants, provide nutrients for biota, support insect and animal life and numerous other benefits.  It takes many years for the soil to recover from mass grading and sometimes it never does.  There is also the temporary or permanent impact of soil erosion which pollutes waterways and washes valuable soil off site.  Whenever possible we should try to limit grading operations to the distances beyond constructed items as shown below.

• < 10 feet beyond surface walkways, patios, surface parking, and utilities
• < 40 feet beyond the building perimeter
• < 15 feet beyond primary roadway curbs
• < 25 feet beyond constructed areas with permeable surfaces (pervious paving, stormwater  detention, and playing fields)

Stormwater Management
Stormwater runoff is one of the most significant environmental impacts of a developed site. But it also provides one of the greatest opportunities for sustainable design.  All of the items listed above help to limit the amount and speed of stormwater leaving the property and also contribute to improving the water quality as well.   However, developing a site can significantly alter the hydrologic cycle for the property and surrounding area.  Steps can and should be taken to maintain the pre-development hydrology or even to improve it.  Many municipal regulations require that the post-development runoff rate does not exceed the pre-development rate, but do not address runoff quantity.  These regulations are largely flood control based and do not address groundwater recharge and the hydrologic cycle.  The Low Impact Development techniques shown below can be used to mimic the pre-development hydrology.

• Raingardens/Bioretention
• 6"-12" deep
• 8%-10% of site area
• <1/2 acre drainage area
• up to 2 acres possible
• landscape islands
• 4'-10'+ between parking rows
• 8'-10' for double loaded rows

• Wetlands
• 6"-12" deep
• large drainage areas (often > 25 acres)
• minimum 6”-18” permanent pool depth
• excellent water quality control
• provides wildlife habitat

• Grass swales/infiltration trenches
• up to 5 acres drainage areas
• 1%-4% slopes
• low maintenance
• improves stormwater quality

• Green roofs
• well suited for urban and ultra urban areas
• intensive and extensive types
• < 20% roof slope
• improves stormwater quality
• intercepts and stores rainfall (up to 50%)

Landscape Design
Landscape design is often ignored in the initial planning stages and is tacked on at the end of the project.  This is unfortunate and discounts the many benefits that proper landscape design can have beyond aesthetics.  On the other hand, improper landscape design can have significant negative effects such as excessive potable water use and erosion.  Listed below are a number of items to consider during the site planning phase and throughout the design process.

• Limit potable water use
• Use Native Species
• Place landscape areas to receive runoff
• Use captured rainwater
• Shade large hardscapes
• Shade buildings in summer, allow sunlight in during winter 
• Place and design landscape areas to filter and clean stormwater
• Raingardens in parking areas
• Bioretention rather than retention ponds

Resources
Below are some excellent resources for additional and supporting information about sustainable sites.

1. The Sustainable Sites Initiative
2. The United States Green Building Council
3. Portland Sustainable Stormwater Management Program
4. US EPA 
1. Stormwater management
2. LID Techniques
5. The Center for Watershed Protection
6. Prince Georges County Maryland - Division of Environmental Protection

Slides from my Sustainable Site Planning Basics Presentation

All of the techniques listed above are just items to consider when performing site planning.  As you can see the items impact the architect, civil engineer, MEP engineers, contractor and owners.  Ultimately, the best way to produce sustainable site plans is to get the entire design and construction team together early and often in the development process.