Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide To Green Building Outdoors (Paperback)

by J. William Thompson (Author), Kim Sorvig (Author) "Every site resembles a living organism, and like organisms, sites vary in health..." (more)
Key Phrases: embodied energy research, sustainable landscape construction, landform grading, United States, Kim Sorvig, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Sustainable Landscape Construction re-evaluates the assumption that all built landscapes are environmentally sound, and offers practical, professional alternatives for more sustainable landscape construction, design, an d maintenance. Packed with clear concepts and never-before-compiled resources on "green" landscape work, the book is an inspiring overview of important practices and concerns.

Organized around ten key principles of sustainability, the book offers specific methods that can help accomplish those principles. Techniques and materials of landscape construction - both alternative and conventional - are evaluated, using criteria such as energy savings or non-toxicity and renewability in manufacture. Topics covered include:

• keeping healthy sites healthy
• constructing for and with plants
• working with a site's water regime
• reducing the impacts of paving
• using local, salvaged, or recycled materials
• estimating energy costs over time
• respecting the need for darkness and quiet
• evaluating the resource costs of conventional landscape maintenance
• and more

More than 100 projects from around the world are described and illustrated, proving that sustainable methods are viable today - economically, functionally, and aesthetically. The book's extensive lists of resources for further information are an invaluable tool for implementing the ideas discussed, and for adapting them to local and regional conditions.

Sustainable Landscape Construction will be an important complement to basic landscape construction texts, and is a one-of-a-kind reference for professionals in landscape architecture, construction, and maintenance; students in landscape construction and related design courses; and landowners, community groups, and others concerned with the health of specific sites.

About the Author

J. William Thompson is story editor for Landscape Architecture, the magazine

of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

 

Kim Sorvig is a research assistant professor at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of New Mexico, and co-author of the Sustainable Building Technical Manual, published by the U.S. Green Building Council.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Island Press; 1 edition (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559636467
• ISBN-13: 978-1559636469
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #470,221 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Textbook style yet very interesting and engaging, April 21, 2008

By	BanditoJose (Warwick, RI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors, Second Edition (Paperback)

This book is very lengthy and full of information, but unlike typical textbooks, it is not overly 'heady' nor boring... Each chapter is quite long (50 pages approx.) and the words are quite small, yet you can sit there for four hours straight and still be interested in what is on the next page!? The only thing that would make this book better would probably be color pictures (there are a good amount of informative pictures, yet they are all black and white). Great book for anyone in the construction industry...very interesting!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most comprehensive books on sustainable landscape construction, December 25, 2007

By	Gang Chen "LEEDSeries.com, Bestselling Author... (http://www.ArchiteG.com/) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors, Second Edition (Paperback)

Time has changed. A few years ago, few people knew about sustainable design and construction, green buildings or LEED. Today, sustainable design and construction has gone mainstream. How do we know? We actually have clients asking us to design a LEED certified building or do a sustainable landscape design. Architecture and landscape architecture are knowledge-based, service-oriented professions. Architects and landscape architects have to catch up and become experts in sustainable design and construction, green buildings and LEED to be able to provide the necessary professional service to the clients.

"Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors" is one of the best books on sustainable design and construction. It covers 10 principles of sustainable landscape construction: keep healthy sites healthy (preserve topsoils and existing trees, minimize construction damages, etc.), heal injured sites, favor living, flexible materials, respect the waters of life (understand, protect and restore wetlands, restore rivers and streams to full health, collect and conserve water, reuse gray water, etc.), pave less (reduce paving, reduce runoff from paving, use porous paving, etc.), consider origin and fate of materials (Use local, salvaged or recycled materials, avoid toxic and non-renewable materials, etc.), know the cost of energy over time, celebrate light, respect darkness (lighting efficiency and light pollution control), quietly defend silence (various ways of noise control), and maintain to sustain (alternate to mowing, bio-based maintenance products, etc.). Each principle is demonstrated with case studies and followed by resources for further studies.

"Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors" has 416 pages and many line drawings and interior black-and-white photos. It is one of the most comprehensive books on sustainable landscape construction.

Gang Chen, Author of "LEED AP Exam Guide" & "Planting Design Illustrated," LEED AP, AIA

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellant comprehensive book, July 4, 2009

By	TASART "TAS" (San Francisco USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors, Second Edition (Paperback)

Comprehensive and up to date. It leaves no stone unturned. Despite the textbook style it is a pleasure to read. An excellent reference.