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 COASTAL CURRENTS |
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| Summer 2009 |
Engineering News and Information |
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Looking at Sustainable Development on Cape Cod
A quick Google search pulls up 35 million hits on the term "sustainable development." With so much buzz on the subject coming from all corners of the globe, can we put sustainable development to work in our own backyards - especially in an ecologically sensitive area like Cape Cod?
Yes, we most certainly can, but we must first look at what sustainability is; what can be done to achieve it; and why sustainable initiatives are beneficial, both economically and ecologically.
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Defining sustainable development
The term, which was originally coined in the Brundtland Commission Report issued in 1987, refers to any development with a goal of preserving environmental quality, natural resources, and livability for present and future generations.
Sustainable development involves balancing environmental preservation and economic prosperity.
Sustainable development means working with project proponents, regulators, and others to balance environmental preservation and economic prosperity. This dynamic is particularly important on the Cape, where striking a balance is often difficult because conflicting priorities may emerge during the development of a project. On one hand, there is a need to control development to minimize the impact upon the environment. On the other, there is a need for the jobs, tax revenues, and other benefits from residential and commercial development. | |
 How to achieve sustainable development
Sustainable development considers a project's environmental and economic impacts from start to finish - from initial concept; through design, engineering, material selection, and construction; and into the ongoing operation and maintenance of a facility.
Project designers and developers must look at a variety of impact factors such as energy and water use, waste output, greenhouse gas emissions, as well as potential effects on animal habitats and ecosystems. This impact analysis forms the basis for the project's green building technologies. |
"LEEDing" the way
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system of the U.S. Green Building Council is the process for certifying a "green" building. Under this certification process, a new or renovated commercial building achieves credits in different design areas, such as sustainable sites (SS), water efficiency (WE), or energy and atmosphere (EA). A LEED-certified building is nationally recognized as environmentally responsible, and a healthy place to live and work.
The LEED rating system certifies buildings and accredits design professionals.
 In addition, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) administers a credentialing program for engineers, architects, and other design professionals. A LEED AP receives accreditation after demonstrating a thorough understanding of green building techniques, the LEED rating system, and the certification process. |
 Why undertake "sustainable initiatives"?
Sustainable initiatives work to ensure the efficient use of resources. Creative, responsible use and management of our natural resources are critical to assuring healthy and vital communities for generations to come.
Sustainable initiatives address the commonly-referred to 3P's (or 3 pillars) of sustainability:
- People - social issues;
- Planet - environmental issues; and
- Profit - economic issues.
The "people" benefits of sustainability involve improved health and comfort, and increased productivity from better air quality and more light. The "planet" benefits involve less greenhouse emissions, and reuse or better disposal of waste. The "profit" benefits involve reduced operating and energy costs, and enhanced building marketability.
Through sustainable initiatives, by optimizing resource efficiency and acting environmentally responsibly today, we won't risk compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. |
Building "Greener" Homes
Green building techniques are not just for commercial enterprises, but have applications for residences as well. The LEED for Homes program promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. As of February 2009, this residential program had registered almost 9,000 homes and certified over 1,500 nationwide. The reas0ns most often cited by homeowners for these green home initiatives were: concern for their next generation, increasing energy costs, our reliance on foreign oil, and global warming.
Government agencies and utility companies offer incentives for green homes.
The "consumer" benefits to living in a greener home include:
lower energy and water bills;
reduced greenhouse gas emissions; and
a healthier, more comfortable indoor environment.
In addition, many government agencies and utility companies offer tax breaks, rebates, and other incentives for building green - or for undertaking a green makeover ("regreening"). In the long run, with these benefits and incentives, it can cost less to operate a LEED home than a comparable conventional home. |
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A local homeowner goes greener
Green construction technology does not just apply to new construction. For example, a homeowner on Oyster Pond in Chatham wanted to incorporate green building design elements when renovating an existing house structure and grounds on the property.
So, the new home was designed to be super-insulated, and includes a roof runoff collection system to harvest rain water for irrigation. An innovative/alternative FAST wastewater treatment system was installed to replace the existing septic system, and drought-resistant, organic vegetable and herb gardens were planted around the house. Also, the location of the house was moved back from the top of the existing coastal bank - with native grasses planted to further stabilize the bank and provide wildlife habitat. | |
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