A tidal wave of change is reshaping design and construction strategies and methods because it is recognized that the inclusion of sound ecological strategies is not only environmentally correct but can improve the bottom line and long-term sustainability of many projects. This shift in thinking can potentially affect the way design professionals and construction managers improve the environmental integrity of their projects, including the designation of sustainably sourced materials, selecting native plant materials, reducing energy use, creating viable habitat, and incorporating sustainable water management principles. Of these, water management is perhaps the most commonly recurring theme in urban design projects. While water issues have been addressed for centuries, adding an ecological layer to water solutions can limit flooding, sewer overflows, erosion, sedimentation, pollution, and habitat loss. Our firm (GEE) has specialized in the design and implementation of sustainable water practices in urban sites for nearly a decade. Using two case studies, we discuss some of the issues and solutions, execution, and results of employing environmentally sustainable water strategies. The first (Brooklyn Bridge Park), will review some urban water issues and the innovative solutions proposed. The second (Sheldrake River Restoration), will illustrate the implementation and outcome of a successful stream restoration in a New York City suburb.

Urban Water Issues and Proposed Solutions — Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, N.Y.

The design of Brooklyn Bridge Park, located on the post-industrial East River Waterfront of Brooklyn, N.Y., presents a complex set of water related opportunities. When complete, the eighty-six acre park will provide open space, sport fields, panoramic views, and environmental education opportunities to New Yorkers. The park will affect the site’s hydrology in two major ways. First, the introduction of landforms and pathways, which will be designed in place of former buildings and asphalt surfaces, will provide opportunities to sustainably manage storm water runoff. Second, the alteration of the site’s East River waterfront edge provides allows the team to replace hard, engineered bulkhead structures, and rip rap slopes with natural, more desireable softened habitat features.

A multi-disciplinary design team led by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, with support from GEE and several other team members, was assembled to take advantage of the hydrological opportunities of the waterfront site through a series of ecological habitat solutions. The primary goal of these proposed solutions was to turn water related issues into design opportunities. Additionally, since the park will be accessible to the public, opportunities to provide education, and conservation for park-goers were evaluated. The design team proposed a series of habitat features that creatively utilized the site’s storm water runoff and tidally influenced waters of the East River. These proposed habitat features reference regional ecosystems and include emergent freshwater and saltwater marshes, and rocky intertidal shoreline. In addition to providing habitat, each of the proposed habitat features will aid in the management of water. Emergent marshes would double as retention basins, collecting runoff from storms and slowly moving it across the site, while facilitating the removal of nutrients in the form of applied fertilizers, from the surrounding park landscapes. Salt marsh located on the footprint of shipping piers, allow suspended particulate matter to settle, and nutrients to be removed by saltmarsh plants and ribbed mussels. The proposed rocky intertidal zones would armor the shoreline from wave energy from the harbor’s heavy boat traffic. As a site-wide system, these proposed features would collectively create habitat for urban wildlife species, and also lower the amount of water entering the city’s sewer system. Finally, all water features would be designed to demonstrate sustainable water management for park patrons. The proposed water features would be functional and environmentally educational. Most importantly, it is natural, extremely inexpensive, will increase long-term sustainability, while providing water management and sedimentation control.

Implementation and Results — Sheldrake River, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

The Sheldrake River in Mamaroneck, N.Y., highlights the implementation and outcome of a successful water management project. The Sheldrake River was impacted by two common urban watershed issues. First, up-stream runoff from residential communities’ impervious cover exacerbated flash flooding of the small stream. Next, a section passing through a golf course was regularly subjected to storm water runoff carrying fertilizers and pesticides. GEE designed and implemented several sustainable design strategies to help mitigate these problems. First, the eroded stream bank was altered using small, earth moving equipment to gradually grade the existing, steep stream banks. We stabilized slopes using woven coconut fiber coir logs and blankets rolled out from the channel bottom to the top of the floodplain. Coir logs were staked at the toe of the slope over coir blankets, and planted with native riparian zone species sourced from local, native plant nurseries. During the planning and design process we coordinated all planting locations and species with the golf course, due to their need to limit tall-growing plants outside of fairway sight lines. The plantings have now been accepted by the players as part of the golf course landscape, enhancing aesthetics while creating a buffer zone from fertilizers, pesticides, and mowing. We removed and stock-piled boulders and stones during the grading of the stream banks for re-use as in-stream structures. This reuse of local stone material was cost effective and limited the amount of emissions spent transporting stone to the site. Three different in-stream rock structures were created that increased aquatic habitat and diversity, reduced scouring and deposition, and stabilized slopes to reduce erosion. In its third year, the resulting restored stream corridor is thriving.

All design and construction projects must consider the management of water. These two projects demonstrate how ecological principals can influence design and construction — ranging from large urban infrastructure projects to small habitat enhancements. In both cases, design and construction professionals were eager to incorporate the ecological approach to their projects and sites. In our experience, this is a trend that is not only going to continue, but will accelerate as urban areas continue to expand and more practitioners embrace sustainable design and construction.