Amercian Society of Landscape Architects

The American Society of Landscape Architets works to increase the public’s awareness of and appreciation for the profession of landscape architecture and its contributions to quality of life. ASLA is an active advocate for the profession at the local, state, and national levels on public policy involving licensure, the environment and sustainable design, livable communities, surface transportation, historic preservation, and storm-water management issues, among others.

The Sustainable Sites Initiative is a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin, the United States Botanic Garden, and a diverse group of stakeholder organizations to develop guidelines and standards for landscape sustainability.

About Sustainable Sites. Started in 2005, the Sustainable Sites Initiative is a five-year project that will include pilot sites and will develop three products: Standards and Guidelines, a Rating System, and a Reference Guide. Designed to address landscapes of all types, including public, commercial and residential projects, the initiative will provide the necessary tools to those who design, construct, operate and maintain landscapes, including but not limited to planners, landscape architects, engineers, developers, builders, maintenance crews, horticulturists, governments, land stewards and organizations offering building standards. It will also set the framework for those who influence land development and management practices to address increasingly urgent global concerns such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, and resource depletion. The U.S. Green Building Council is participating in the project and anticipates incorporating the final Sustainable Sites standards and guidelines into the next iteration of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™.

Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks. Currently in progress is the development of the first product, the Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks report. These guidelines will compile current research, technology, and best practices and provide technical guidance for the construction and maintenance of sustainable sites. The Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks report is expected in fall 2009.

Rating System. Once finalized, the Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks will be used to construct a ranking system with specific site performance goals. These ratings will recognize performance in achieving a sustainable site, much as the LEED® standards recognize sustainable buildings. Credits will be assigned for meeting performance goals so that each site can be rated.

Pilot Projects. Working with 75 to 200 diverse projects across the country, the consortium will test how well the rating system applies to design construction and maintenance practices. Using data from the projects, the rating system will be refined.

Reference Guide. This will be a user guide describing how various pilot projects achieved sustainability goals. It will document the practices that worked in solving site problems as well as evaluations of each project.