did you know that the first park in the united states to be awarded a LEED certification is right in our backyards? me neither, but virginia avenue park in santa monica was awarded a silver rating from the u.s. green building council for it's 9.5 acre addition in 2005.
one may think that it would be a cinch for a park to get a LEED award for environmental sustainability...it's green right? but many traditional parks are constructed and operated using wasteful systems such as grading and demolition, over-irrigation, and chemical fertilizers. even the plants that are chosen have a big impact on the "greenness" of a landscape plan.
koning eizenberg architecture of santa monica and spurlock poirier landscape architects of san diego obviously understood this in their design process for the urban park. the park at virginia avenue took advantage of sustainable techniques such as rainwater capture and use, construction waste recycling, efficient irrigation and electricity (all energy is supplied by renewable power), drought tolerant plantings, natural ventilation, and four recharching stations for alternative fuel vehicles. also, all paint, wood, and carpet materials were specified sans volatile compounds or formaldehyde.
LEED certified building is getting a lot of press (and rightfully so) but it's great to see parks joining in the mix.
(via garden design magazine nov 2006)
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