The Green Soup to Tree Nuts of Sustainable Community Design

Purpose:To present to our WEF membership and guests, insight at the leading edge of today's implemented and in-place sustainability solutions. The presentation's focus will be on planning for green building development (including application of LEED principles) and including what is often neglected in the application of principles of sustainable green buildings and the surrounding building sites, before, during, and after construction. This approach not only limits impacts to the natural environment and its waters, but improves ecosystem functions. The inclusion of alternative energy, restoration of historical habitats, stakeholder/community partnerships, water quality improvement, and enhancing ecological community dynamics were and will be increasingly important challenges. Example projects include but are not limited to:The MIT Stata Center, Cambridge, MA (gray, storm)INS U.S. Border Patrol Stations, ME (storm)The Lexington Massachusetts Department of Public Works Project, MA (gray, storm)Cambridge Water Department suite of work (drinking)Goals:Present the concept of holistic, interdisciplinary team involvement at the planning and concept design stagesIntroduce commonly presented solutions to today's existing water challenges: drinking, waste, gray, and stormPresent perceptions and experiences related to community acceptance of new technologiesBy the end of this presentation participants should be able to:Experience the passion and energy that exists in today's sustainability leadersExposure to the environmental answers to today's and tomorrow's challengesGrasp the freedom to discover, invent and implement visionary solutions to current and future challenges when the traditionally accepted constraints of today's scientists, inventors and engineers are removed.