Green Water Infrastructure

Posts Tagged ‘Rain Gardens’

Green Construction

Green construction is one of America’s fastest growing trends. The United States Green Building Council(USGBC) reports that green construction accounts for nearly one-third of all new construction. Over the next five years green construction will grow to more than one-half of all construction. By 2013, green buildings will support nearly 8 million workers across the U.S. Many businesses are trying to capitalize on this trend. Many companies are promoting products and services with an environmentally friendly sales pitch. We do not often think of gas stations and convenience stores as models of sustainability but Iowa based Kum & Go is making a commitment in a big way.

 Kum & Go – The ONLY Convenience Store in America Going ‘Green’

Kum & Go, a privately owned Iowa-base company, is the only convenience store chain in America participating in the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. All new concept stores for Kum & Go are being submitted for LEED Certification. In 2012 Kum & Go is anticipating investing over $2 million in ‘green’ improvements. Look at the features at the Kum & Go in Fairfield, Iowa:

Single-Stream Recycling

The store pays for single-stream recycling, keeping valuable resources from ending up in landfills.

LED Lighting

Kum & Go uses highly-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) fixtures inside the coolers, about the gas pumps, around the parking lot, and in interior applications. LEDs use less electricity, give off less heat, and the light is more focused.

Water-Saving Fixtures

Low-flow sink, toilet, and urinal fixtures are used in the store. These fixtures use at least 20% less water then conventional fixtures.

Renewable Fuels

Whenever available, each of Kum & Go’s new stores sells premium, no-lead and ethanol-blended fuels, including E10 and E85. The Kum & Go in Fairfield is one of the few convenience stores offering bio-diesel.

Sustainable Materials

The majority of the construction materials used to build the store were manufactured regionally, containing raw materials sourced from within 500 miles. Over 50% of all wood materials are FSC certified. Additionally, the steel and concrete contain high percentages of recycled content.

Reflective Concrete

The store’s parking lot is treated with a high-reflective white coating that reflects the sun’s heat. This reduces the “heat-island effect” by reducing the parking lot temperatures. Normally, pavement, dark-colored roofs, and similar surfaces absorb more sunlight, trap heat, and increase local temperatures. The reduction of the temperature helps save energy used to cool the building and reduces surface level ozone.

Bike Rack & Changing Rooms

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station behind the Kum & Go, Fairfield, Iowa

The store design provides bicycle racks for associates and customers, as well as locking restroom facilities for changing. Alternative forms of transportation reduce traffic congestion.

High Efficiency Heating and Air Conditioning

The heating and air conditioning systems at this store have a high efficiency rating. The store has an optimized direct digital control (DDC) and a high-level filtration system that maintains excellent indoor air quality for customers and associates. Additionally, most refrigeration equipment used inside the store is Energy Star certified.

Day Lighting (Prismatic Skylights)

Honeycomb-shaped prisms in the roof, called Solatubes, reduce glare and refract daylight into the building. Natural lighting enhances colors and saves electricity.

Reflective Roof

The roof of the store is covered with a white rubber finish that reflects the sun’s heat. Similar to the reflective concrete used on the parking lot, This decreases heat transfer to the store interior, reducing the amount of energy needed to cool the building.

Electric Car Charging Station

Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station is behind the store and looks like an air station. This device supplies electricity for recharging plug-in electric vehicles, including all-electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

Rain Gardens & Bioswales

Rain Garden at a Kum & Go Gas Station, Fairfield, Iowa

There are three interconnected bioswales on this site. These bioswales effectively filter and detain all of the rainwater produced by the impermeable surfaces on the site. Specifically, Kum & Go wanted to protect the headwaters of the Indian Creek watershed from hydrocarbon runoff. The bioswales prevent any hydrocarbon runoff while reducing the water velocity that is destructive to local streams.

Scott Timm said, “We are very happy  and fortunate to work with Kum & Go  to protect the headwaters of Indian Creek.” Scott Timm is the Iowa State University Extension program specialist who is helping move Fairfield’s Go Green strategic plan from concept to reality. Scott said the Fairfield, Iowa Kum & Go went well above and beyond what they typically do. “We are very very pleased with the team effort.”

Click here to read more about Fairfield, Iowa’s Go Green Strategic Plan

The new Kum & Go in Fairfield, Iowa is an outstanding example of how green construction not only benefits patrons, business owners, and employee but also benefits an entire community – especially our water quality.

In January of 2012, the Windridge Condominium Board of Directors commissioned Fischer Design LLC to conduct a comprehensive stormwater study. This a presentation of the findings and possible green infrastructure solutions.

The presentation to  Windridge Condominium Board of Directors and interested homeowners on the Ravine Stormwater Presentation went extremely well last night.

The highlights of the presentation are:

• There is a lot of water falling in a one inch rainfall event. The largest stormwater basin is almost sixty acres and receives over 1.6 million gallons of water in a one inch rain. This is the equivalent of allowing your kitchen sink to run fully open 24 four hours a day for 225 days continuously.

• Going upstream to fix the stormwater issue will provide the greatest return in mitigating the current stormwater issues.

• The majority of the stormwater problems experienced by the Windridge property owners is coming from the adjacent properties. Developing a cooperative plan with the adjacent property owners will have a large impact on the Windridge ravine erosion issue.

Here is a copy of the presentation:

Economic Recovery Investments for Clean and Reliable Water

As many of you who have heard me speak, you know my passion for developing sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions to our nation’s water infrastructure. Stormwater from rainfall events are the biggest source of pollution in America. The civil engineers call it non-point source pollution.

In 2006, the American Society of Civil Engineers graded our nation’s water infrastructure D-. The lowest grade of all the infrastructure categories examined. Although this grade is unacceptably low, the next  lowest grade is F – Failure. An “F” is simply unacceptable. Without access to clean, sanitary water supplies people perish. Click here to see the 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.

American Rivers, funded by the Park Foundation, the Kresege Foundation, the William Penn Foundation, Keith Campbel Foundation, and the Turner Foundation, has created report which examines the efforts of nineteen states with “bright green” projects. Here are some key findings:

• The demand for funding is far, far greater than currently provided on both the Federal and state level.
• Future funding should be targeted to “bright green” projects. “Bright green” project types includes:
• Bioswales
• Green Roofs
• Permeable Paving
• Rain Gardens
• Riparian Habitate Resotoration
• Wetlands Restoration
• States must act quickly to remove barriers, eg. statutes, regulation, and policies, that are roadblocks to integrated approaches to our communities’ implementation of infrastructure improvements.
• An integrated approach is necessary to understand the complete benefit of green infrastructure.

For me, the most important elements are the job creation and economic output.

A $10 billion investment in water efficient projects would produce a total economic output of $25-28 billion and create 150,000 to 220,000 jobs.

For every dollar invested the return is $2.65. It doesn’t take a financial wizard to understand this concept. Investing in green infrastructure is good for the economy, the environment and the communities in which we live.

There is a tremendous opportunity to combine our existing gray infrastructure with newer green infrastructure creating sustainable communities.

Click here to download the report, “Putting Green to Work.”

Windridge Condominium Homes to Build Eco-Friendly Rain Garden 

Indianapolis, Indiana—Windridge Condominium Homes, located in the Emerson and Fall Creek Parkway area, has announced that it will build a groundbreaking rain garden. Not only will this garden be beautiful, it will also help to alleviate existing flooding and moisture issues in the neighborhood.

Originally built more than 30 years ago, challenges associated with stormwater drainage have confronted Windridge from its inception.  While the original developers installed traditional storm drains and conveyance systems in the neighborhood, ongoing development in the surrounding area has increased the frequency and volume of stormwater flow around and through Windridge.  While various solutions have been implemented over the years to control flooding and standing water issues, the neighborhood’s infrastructure has been unable to handle the more than 91 million  gallons of rain water that fall on the neighborhood annually.

The rain garden will not only reduce runoff into nearby Fall Creek, it will also improve local water quality by capturing pollution that normally contributes to algae growth, and improve the overall ecology of the local water systems.

 “Rain gardens are a green way to solve many traditional storm water problems,” said Tom Barrett, owner of Green Water Infrastructure and a consultant on the project. “They’re also a great retrofit for many older, more established communities with persistent drainage issues.”

Fischer Design, an Indianapolis-based landscape architecture firm, will design the rain garden. Green Water Infrastructure in Westfield will provide green consulting. TERRA Site Development in Westfield will provide the civil engineering for the project. The project is expected to break ground in September 2011.

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About Windridge Condominiums:

The Windridge community is a unique collection of two hundred and twenty one homes located in a natural setting along Fall Creek in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Touring the property one easily recognizes our respect for the natural environment.  You will see a number of wild animals, birds, countless plants, and trees.  The Windridge community takes pride in maintaining our natural surroundings.

About Fischer Design, LLC:

Fischer Design is a landscape architecture design firm focused on the creative integration of man-made and natural environments promoting environmentally responsible, sustainable, functional, and aesthetically beautiful design solutions. For additional information about Fischer Design, please visit www.fischerdesignllc.com.

About Green Water Infrastructure:

Green Water Infrastructure is a consulting company that integrates water resources for sustainable site development. Their goal is to utilize one hundred percent of the on-site water resources at a site. Green Water saves communities money by combining green infrastructure with gray infrastructure and new technology with existing technology to create sustainable growth — environmentally and socially. For more information, please visit www.thinkgwi.com.

About TERRA Site Development, Inc.:

TERRA Site Development, Inc. (TERRA) is a site development consulting firm that provides specialized investigation, engineering design, and testing services for property and projects in all aspects of development.  Assisting clients regardless of what stage their project is in – TERRA provides environmental and geotechnical assessment before property is purchased, civil engineering design and permitting assistance prior to construction, and materials testing and inspection during buildout.  Located in Westfield and Indianapolis, additional information about TERRA can be found at www.terrasitedev.com.

April 23, 2011 (Brownburg, Indiana)

Frazee Gardens hosted a special presentation on the need for rain gardens in our community. Kathy Dillon, Wastewater Superintendent for the Town of Brownsburg gave an update on the the City’s stormwater plans.

Below are the three presentations.

Cleaning up the Dirty Truth about Water

Tom Barrett of Green Water Infrastructure began by sharing with you the dirty facts about what happens to surrounding Indianapolis waterways almost every time it rains. After you understand the limitations we are faced with relying on our current storm drain system, you will begin to see why rain gardens are such a vital necessity in our urban landscape.

Here is a copy of Tom’s Presentation on Stormwater and Rain Gardens:

Native Plants for Rain Gardens

Ronda Fischer of Fischer Design, LLC will followed with a discussion about the benefits of using native plants in rain gardens. Native plants are already adapted to Indiana’s extremes in temperature and precipitation requiring less maintenance. They also improve infiltration, drainage and water retention while providing important wildlife habitat.

Here is a copy of Ronda’s Presentation on Native Plants for use in Rain Gardens:

Constructing Rain Gardens

Frazee Gardens installed a rain garden on site for homeowners to view as well as native plants that work best in rain gardens for our area.

Here is a copy of the Frazee Gardens’ Presentation on Constructing their Rain Garden:

Green Infrastructure: Creating Sustainable Sites & Livable Communities

Tom’s next presentation, entitled “Green Infrastructure: Creating Sustainable Sites & Livable Communities” is May 12th at the Chicago Center for Green Technology. There is no charge for this presention. You can Click Here to Register.

Orlando, Florida

Febraury 4, 2011

The water we use to irrigate our crops is vital and still we as a nation continue to practice inefficient irrigation methods. Current irrigation practices waste an exorbitant amount of money and water using our current process.

Commercial and residential outdoor water use in the United States accounts for more than seven billion gallons of water each day, mainly for landscape irrigation.”

—U.S. Environmental Protection Agency