Tridens flavus, the purpletop tridens, is a large, robust perennial bunchgrass native to eastern North America Administered by the GBCI (Green Business Certification), the Sustainable Sites Initiative’s SITESv2 is the rating system that aligns land development and management with innovative sustainable design. And, unlike… [Read More]
News + Blog
SITES: How to Create New Energy Around Green Design
Pictured here left to right: Danielle Pieranunzi , GBCI; Will Howard, PLA, and Krisjan Hiner, Stack Rock Group; Steve Birch, Hewlett-Packard; Hunter Beckham, PLA; Lisa Cowan, SITES AP, Studioverde. We attended GreenBuild 2017 in Boston and as a GreenBuild first timers, we were not sure… [Read More]
Studioverde Leads Colby College Launch of SITES Certification Process
Getting started on any project can be daunting, but working with experts can make the process smoother. Colby College reached out for insight on the multi-year SITES certification process for its $200 million Athletic Complex. As the SITES expert and advisor on the project team,… [Read More]
NYU SITES Guest Lecture: A Teachable Moment that Worked Both Ways
Teaching a new land design and development rating system (SITESv2 or “LEED for Land ) to fourteen diverse, motivated, yet possibly sleepy urban design students in 45 minutes might be a challenge. But as an evening guest lecturer at NYU’s Urban Design and Architecture Studies (NYU UDAS),… [Read More]
SITES AP Brings the Design for Resiliency Focus to the Land
Two of the newest and most exciting developments to promote high performance and sustainability are the SITES v2 rating system, (released in June 2015) and the SITES AP professional credential . For decades, the focus of green, sustainable and resilient design has been on buildings…. [Read More]
Integrating Sustainability with Your Higher Education Mission
Many institutions put off decisions around sustainability because it can seem complex and – to be frank – not as pressing as focusing on their core business or mission. An article in the Journal of Sustainability Education by Stephen Mulkey, former President of Unity College… [Read More]
SITES Certification Helps College Stand Out for Sustainability
There is a lot of sustainability talk in the higher education community, but who is delivering on the promise? Prospective students (and prospective donors) are bombarded with marketing pitches that tout sustainability in food and waste recycling, energy-saving buildings, and more, but the standard sustainability… [Read More]
Trends in Sustainable Landscapes: A New England Conference Perspective
Lisa Cowan, Studioverde Principal, and Irene Brady Barber of Greenscapes, a Studioverde collaborator, partnered on a talk to kickoff the 2016 University of Connecticut’s Sustainable Landscapes Conference in Storrs, CT. The talk, titled “Ecological Design Approaches for Tough Urban Spaces” featured a case study of… [Read More]
Learning from Non-Traditional Landscapes: The Integrated Team Approach Makes Sense
Designing sites and outdoor areas for sustainability and then “building it right the first time” may seem like no-brainer goals for site development or ecological restoration, but that doesn’t mean that it is being done on most projects, much less being done well. Why is… [Read More]
7 Reasons You Should be Using SITES v2 for Ecological Restoration
Although the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES™) Rating System may first appear to be just another green rating system, SITES can be a valuable resource for ecological site restoration projects (even if you are not going for certification). For those who have not familiarized themselves with… [Read More]