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]
News + Blog
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: 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]
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]
The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES v2) Rating System is Here!
The most comprehensive system for developing sustainable landscapes, the SITES v2 Rating System, has been officially released by the Sustainable Sites Initiative™ (SITES™) program. The SITES Rating System provides guidance for sustainable land design, development and land management practices that provide Triple Bottom Line benefits –… [Read More]
30 and Counting: SITES Certified Pilot Project List Grows
Studioverde has been involved with the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES™) through outreach and education since 2009. We are very excited to see that the number of SITES certified Pilot Projects recently grew to 30, including two educational facilities: an elementary school that created outdoor classrooms to enhance outdoor… [Read More]
Think Blue II and Economic Benefits of Green Infrastructure
Martha Sheils, Program Manager at the New England Environmental Finance Center and founding partner at Studioverde also spoke at the November, 2013 Think Blue Maine stormwater conference in South Portland about how municipalities are reducing their implementation and long term costs through strategic use of… [Read More]
Think Blue
Lisa Cowan spoke at a workshop session of the 2013 Think Blue Maine stormwater conference on the subject of green infrastructure, aesthetics and social engagement titled “Green Infrastructure: The Bad, the Ugly and Why Looks Matter”. The conference was held to promote practical strategies to… [Read More]
Changing the Conversation on Stormwater Management Part I
Recent destructive storm events have focused public attention on climate change, sustainable site design, and resiliency. As ecological design practitioners, we have an opportunity to build on this paradigm shift and take the lead in promoting a more sustainable approach to water management. To help… [Read More]
Salvaged Granite and Partnerships Featured on Downeast Scenic Overlook Project
Studioverde teamed with Terra Magna Services, Inc., Engineers, to create a recreational destination and scenic overlook in the Town of Trenton under the Maine DOT’s scenic enhancement program. Early on, the team realized that the community stakeholders were committed to the creation of a beautiful… [Read More]