{"39662":{"#nid":"39662","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Plan Keeps Green Space, Water Conservation Efforts Moving Forward","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAlthough Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue announced on June 10 the state drought was over, Georgia Tech will continue its path of conservation, both by continuing landscaping projects to increase the Institute\u0027s green space and expanding upon new water conservation and reclamation methods.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThese projects-the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons (CULC), the Challenge Course, the Marcus Nanotechnology Building, the Old Civil Engineering building and Tech\u0027s Eco-Commons-fall under the Institute\u0027s Landscape Master Plan.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EProposed in 2004 and established in 2006, Tech\u0027s Plan goes beyond that of most universities and organizations, striving to develop \u0022an integrated, ecologically based landscape and open space system that helps Tech achieve its goal of environmental sustainability; a landscape that enhances the living, working and learning environment; and a landscape that unifies the campus and gives it a distinct sense of place.\u0022 \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESpecific goals include reclaiming impervious surfaces-parking lots and paved areas-for green space and establishing the goal of 55 percent tree canopy and 22 percent woodlands coverage around the campus.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022It\u0027s a very unique feature,\u0022 said Landscape Architect and Master Planner Anne Boykin-Smith. \u0022Most campuses cite their outdoor furniture-benches, accessories, that sort of thing. Ours explains how we treat the soil in different zones of campus before we plant, and what plants are preferred.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to separating the campus into zones, Boykin-Smith says the plan defines campus \u0022design corridors,\u0022 to establish a consistent style among streetscapes throughout campus. The document also aids with Landscape Services in Facilities to maintain what has been planned, planted and built. The Campus Tree Care Plan, required to be named a Tree Campus USA (for which Tech was nationally recognized in 2008), was established as a collaborative effort between Facilities and Campus Planning \u0026amp; Space Management.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring the planning process in 2004 for the Campus Master Plan, CPSM hired landscape architect and Institute consultant Rob Fisher of Robinson Fisher Associates of Athens, Georgia to craft the Landscape Master Plan. Now in its third year, the plan will be updated in the coming months to include lessons learned and other long-range project opportunities. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We\u0027re really just cutting our teeth on it,\u0022 she said. \u0022Many projects-[landscaping at] Klaus, Old CE and others-were well under way when we started the Plan. The CULC is one of the first buildings [started] under the plan.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring the nearly two-year drought, Tech has continues to move toward more sustainable solutions for irrigation, such as using cisterns for capturing rain water and air-conditioning condensate, as well as using an underground aquifer for watering the stadium. With the plan, Boykin-Smith and CPSM Director Howard Wertheimer are taking a more strategic look at cistern locations around campus, both above and below ground. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022During the drought, Georgia Tech developed and implemented numerous campus-wide water conservation strategies to reduce our reliance on potable water,\u0022 Wertheimer said. \u0022As such, we will continue on our existing course of water conservation, while looking for even greater opportunities to develop new water conservation strategies. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022One such strategy is the development and implementation of a Geographic Information Systems\u0026mdash;based Cistern Master Plan where we will systematically capture rainwater and building condensation to meet our landscape irrigation needs and for campus water features, combined with computerized irrigation water management systems that control and monitor real-time environmental conditions such as flows, daily weather and soil moisture content.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe current campus approach places cisterns near buildings as they are constructed or renovated. Boykin-Smith says that the strategic plan, utilizing the College of Architecture\u0027s Center for Geographic Information Systems (CGIS) mapping technology, will place cisterns more regionally, rather than within the limits of a typical building project. Cisterns placed near CULC, for instance, will help water more than just the building-specific landscaping. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The ultimate goal is to fully eliminate the Institute\u0027s use of potable water to manage our irrigation needs,\u0022 Wertheimer said.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrent projects\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ELandscaping for the Old Civil Engineering Building and the Marcus Nanotechnology Building, as well as the Atlantic Drive Promenade streetscape, has been completed. On West Campus, work has been completed on Alumni Park, allowing for better use of the two sand volleyball courts. \u0022We solved the drainage problems and made it larger,\u0022 Boykin-Smith said.\n\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhile utility work is ongoing for the planned CULC, CPSM is currently working with Facilities on the building\u0027s planned hardscaping, (paving and walkway surfaces).\n\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EConstruction continues on the Institute\u0027s Challenge Course, with a completion anticipated in early August.\n\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA cantilevered concrete deck is being constructed behind the Molecular Science and Engineering building, overlooking the proposed Institute Eco-Commons. Expected completion is late July.\n\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUpcoming projects\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETech\u0027s Eco-Commons is a storm-water management and green space reclamation project, with the primary basin stretching from Couch Park to the President\u0027s Glade. A prominent water feature near the overlook at the Molecular Science and Engineering building and a network of shade trees will help manage the storm water runoff better. \u0022Water that goes into cisterns or into trees doesn\u0027t go into pipes,\u0022 Boykin-Smith said. In addition to providing storm water management and a wooded area for campus, a main affect of the Eco-Commons is to reduce Tech\u0027s contribution to the city\u0027s combined sewer system, thereby reducing the quantity of water that must be chemically treated.\n\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETech Green, the open area west of the CULC, will be graded into more of an open-field space, Boykin-Smith said. The Current Campus Master Plan identifies a frontal addition to the Van Leer building, which will eventually form a steps-and-stage area at the northern end of Tech Green.\n\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"The Institute\u0027s unique Landscape Master Plan keeps Tech on track in its efforts of green space reclamation and campus water conservation.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s landscaping sustainability governed by master pl"}],"uid":"27191","created_gmt":"2009-06-24 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:01:25","author":"Robert Nesmith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2009-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2009-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"39663":{"id":"39663","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Eco-Commons, a storm-wate management","body":null,"created":"1449174110","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:21:50","changed":"1475894260","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:37:40","alt":"Georgia Tech Eco-Commons, a storm-wate management","file":{"fid":"189678","name":"tay68280.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tay68280.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tay68280.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":317713,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tay68280.jpg?itok=bZyotxRF"}}},"media_ids":["39663"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.space.gatech.edu\/LMP\/","title":"Georgia Tech Landscape Master Plan"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.space.gatech.edu\/","title":"Capital Planning and Space Management"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"112","name":"green space"},{"id":"113","name":"landscape"},{"id":"111","name":"Landscape Master Plan"},{"id":"114","name":"master plan"},{"id":"115","name":"water conservation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAnne Boykin-Smith\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECapital Planning \u0026amp; Space Management\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:anne.smith@spaceplan.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EContact Anne Boykin-Smith\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-5511\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["anne.smith@spaceplan.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}