Sustainable Building Technical Manual - Etn-presco.net

– Introduce structures and plantings that provide shelterfrom harsh elements and highlight desirable features.Modulation of tree-canopy heights and inclusion ofwater fountains and other built structures can fine-tunean exterior site by accelerating or decelerating site winds,casting shadows, or cooling by evapotranspiration orevaporative cooling.❑ Consider sustainable site materials for public amenities.Materials should be recycled, if possible, and have a lowlife-cycle cost. Albido (solar reflectance index attributed tocolor) should also be considered when choosing site materials(see Chapter 7, “Site Materials and Equipment”).BIO C L I M ATIC SITING WITHINCONTEXT OF NORT H E R N, S O U T H E R N,OR EASTERN SITE ENTRANCEConstruction Methods❑ Specify sustainable site construction methods.The construction methods employed should ensure thateach step of the building process is focused on eliminatingunnecessary site disruption (e.g., excessive grading, blasting,clearing) and resource degradation (e.g., stream siltation,groundwater contamination, air-quality loss). Thestrategies can harness features such as ventilating breezes,solar gain, and microclimates, and can mitigate unfavorablefeatures such as cold, moist air drainage; desiccatingwinds; and increased stormwater runoff.❑ Develop sequential staging to minimize site disruption.The building process should be strategically charted instages to avoid unnecessary site disruption, and to achievean orderly construction sequence from site clearing to sitefinish. Such a strategy reduces costs and damage to the site.It requires close coordination between all sub-contractors.(See Chapter 7, “Site Materials and Equipment,” andChapter 19, “Environmental Construction Guidelines”.)I➜ R E S O U R C E SIArchitects’ First Source for Products. Atlanta: 1995. A comprehensiveillustrated product catalog of professional organizationsthat may be useful for further information and siteand building products.Groesbeck, Wesley A., and Jan Stiefel, ASLA. The ResourceGuide to Sustainable Landscapes. Salt Lake City:Environmental Resources, Inc., 1994. A specific compilationof specification language tied to a ConstructionSpecification Institute (CSI) format with a comprehensivelisting of manufacturers specializing in environmentallyfriendly products, devices, and processes.U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design. Denver: GPO, 1993.A useful general introduction to sustainable design factorsaffecting site planning and architecture from the perspectiveof those charged with stewardship of public lands. Itcontains useful charts and diagrams with regard to siteselection, assessment, and design.Figure 5