WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 8, 2014 -- On Wednesday, Sept. 3, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) launched a new online guide explaining the many benefits of green infrastructure.
Part of ASLA's series of sustainable design resource guides and toolkits, the new guide (found here) includes hundreds of news articles, research studies by leading scientists and case studies on innovative uses of green infrastructure.
The guide includes sections on forests and nature preserves; wildlife habitat and corridors, cities, constructed wetlands, green streets, and green roofs and walls. It also includes descriptions of the many types of green infrastructure, their quantifiable benefits, and the role of landscape architects in creating these systems.
Resources are organized into seven sections that expand from large scale (the region, the city) to small scale (constructed wetlands, green streets and green roofs and walls).
These green infrastructure systems help communities manage stormwater and reduce flooding, mitigate the urban heat island effect, and improve air and water quality, which underpin human and environmental health.
Green infrastructure also absorbs and sequesters atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02); filters air and water pollutants; stabilizes soil to prevent or reduce erosion; provides wildlife habitat; decreases solar heat gain; lowers the public cost of stormwater management infrastructure and provides flood control; and reduces energy usage through passive heating and cooling.
See also:
"Green infrastructure solutions touted in new report"
"Blue Infrastructure Helps Mitigate Rift Between Green, Gray Development"
About the American Society of Landscape Architects
Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 15,000 members in 49 professional chapters and 72 student chapters. Members of the Society use "ASLA" after their names to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Landscape architects lead the stewardship, planning, and design of our built and natural environments; the Society's mission is to advance landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education, and fellowship. For more information, visit www.asla.org.
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