Sustainable Sites Initiative
Updates
The Meadows Foundation renews its support for SITES
The Meadows Foundation recently renewed its support of the Sustainable Sites Initiative with a $100,000 grant. This support from the Meadows Foundation will help SITES publish the new SITES v2 Rating System and Reference Guide and transition to operating its third-party certification program.
The Dallas-based Meadows Foundation showed early support for SITES with an initial gift in 2006 that helped get the effort off the ground.
What's Next for SITES?
Public Comment Period Closed
SITES recently closed a two-month public comment period which seeked input on the proposed 2013 Prerequisites and Credits. This incorporates feedback received during the two-year pilot program and additional research from SITES staff and technical advisors. The public comment period was open from September 26 - November 26, 2012. The complete SITES v2 will be finalized and released in the fall of 2013, at which time open enrollment will being for any project to pursue certification.
Pilot Program Closes
The Pilot Program which spanned two years (June 2010 - June2012) has come to an end. Over 150 pilot projects tested various aspects of the Sustainable Sites Initative Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009. Feedback from the pilot projects will be used to revise the final rating system and inform the technical reference guide that is slated for release in the fall of 2013.
SITES Impacts:
Landscape for Life
Landscape For Life is based on the principles Sustainable Sites Initiative and shows you how to work with nature in your garden, no matter where you live, whether you garden on a city or suburban lot, a 20–acre farm, or the common area of your condominium.
The Sustainable Sites Handbook
A new SITES-inspired reference, The Sustainable Sites Handbook, has been released. The handbook contains detailed information on strategies, technologies, tools and best practices to improve the sustainability of any landscape project.
Federal Guidelines
The White House Council on Environmental Quality issued the Guidance for Federal Agencies on Sustainable Practices for Designed Landscapes based in part on SITES.
SITES on the National Mall
The National Park Services has committed to implementation of SITES best practices in revitalizing the iconic National Mall. Click here for more information.
Waller Creek Design Competition
An international design competition currently underway to reimagine a vital section of downtown Austin has included SITES in its principles. Click here for more information.
PBS Documentary, Water Blues, Green Solutions
SITES is an outreach collaborator for the forthcoming documentary that will look at a green infrastructure solutions - systems inspired by the natural world. View the trailer or click here for more information.
SITES in the News:
Read the latest about some of the SITES Pilot Projects in World Architecture News and The Washington Post. The Sustainable SITES Initiative was also recently featured in ASLA's The Dirt and Living Green Magazine.
Click here for our archive of press releases and news items.
Stay Tuned:
Stay up-to-date on SITES progress by signing up for e-mail updates here and joining us on LinkedIn.