The Role of Landscapes
Existing design and construction environmental rating systems provide little recognition for the benefits of sustainable landscape and site design.  While carbon-neutral performance remains the holy grail for green buildings, sustainable landscapes can move beyond a do-no-harm approach by sequestering carbon, cleaning the air, and water, increasing energy efficiency restoring habitats, and ultimately “giving back” through significant economic, social and environmental benefits never fully measured until now. 

The Sustainable Sites InitiativeTM (SITESTM) is an interdisciplinary partnership led by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin and the United States Botanic Garden to transform land development and management practices through the nation’s first voluntary guidelines and rating system for sustainable landscapes, with our without buildings. The SITES rating system represents four years of work by dozens of the country’s leading sustainability experts, scientists, and design professionals as well as public input from hundreds of individuals and dozens of organizations to create this essential missing link in green design.  As a stakeholder in the Initiative, the U. S. Green Building Council anticipates incorporating SITES guidelines and performance benchmarks into future iterations of its LEED® Green Building Rating System TM.

Modeled after LEED®, SITES works on a 250-point scale, with levels of achievement for obtaining 40, 50, 60 or 80 percent of the available points, respectively.  If the prerequisites are met, points are awarded through the 51 credits covering areas such as the use of greenfields, brownfields or greyfields; materials; soils and vegetation; and construction and maintenance. These credits can apply to projects ranging from corporate campuses to transportation corridors, from public parks to single-family residences.

Learning Objectives
Participants will:
• Understand the role of the landscape within the context of Green Buildings
• Gain a basic understanding of the SITES Rating System
• Be able to identify landscape opportunities that enhance a project’s overall sustainability
• Understand the relationship between SITES and LEED

Lisa Cowan, Maine Licensed Landscape Architect, is known for her work in the landscape and ecological restoration field in Maine, since the early 1990’s.  Her depth of experience in permitting, design, construction oversight, post construction monitoring - has given her the insight and skills for advocating and implementing sustainable design for more traditional projects and clients.

Lisa’s collaboration with other disciplines – such as hydrologists, wetland scientists, and botanists -  has helped shape her understanding that sustainable sites require a multi-disciplinary approach.  In 2003 she started studioverde landscape architecture + design  - a team of successful senior level practitioners offering services in sustainable design, green site reviews, green value engineering and staff training.

Steven Ribble, ASLA, LEED-AP, is a Maine Licensed Landscape Architect that specializes in integrating development into the context of its place. Beginning with a bio-engineering interest in 1994, Steve’s work in large multi-state full service A/E/C firms allowed him to understand the perspectives of the various allied land development disciplines and apply his environmental stewardship design intent to a broad variety of projects.  In a logical sequence of events, Steve became a LEED-AP and has followed the creation of SITES from its inception.  Steve is the Principal behind Context By Design, Landscape Architecture/Planning in Bangor.

About Green Eggs and To Register:
Green Eggs is the Chapter's monthly breakfast forum featuring a speaker and topic relevant to green buildings. Networking and breakfast (featuring pastries, fruit salad, coffee and juice) will take place from 7:30 - 8:00 followed by a 45 minute presentation and a 15 minute question, answer & discussion period. Attendance is limited and pre-registration with payment is recommended. Attendance is $10 for members and $15 for non members. To register for the event, pay below with PayPal or e-mail programs@maineusgbc.org to reserve your spot.