Category Archives: Environment

Environment

War Over Cool Pavement Heats Up

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As cool roofs spread to cut urban heat, the asphalt industry is fighting hard to stop cool pavements.

By Arthur Allen

At the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's cool pavement showcase, research associate Jordan Woods measures solar reflection levels with an albedometer. Credit Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Roy Kaltschmidt
At the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s cool pavement showcase, research associate Jordan Woods measures solar reflection levels with an albedometer. Credit Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Roy Kaltschmidt.

At the Greenbuild conference in Philadelphia in November, the National Asphalt Pavement Association booth featured a provocative report, packaged as a little booklet by three engineers at Arizona State University. Continue reading War Over Cool Pavement Heats Up →

Environment, Plants

Mesquite: Texas Stubborn

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The indomitable will of the mesquite tree is a source of Lone Star State pride and consternation.

By Constance Casey

SPECIES: Mesquite Trees, Christine Ten Eyck.
Mesquite Trees, Christine Ten Eyck. Adam Barbe, ASLA/Courtesy Ten Eyck Landscape Architects.

“I could ask for no better monument over my grave than a good mesquite tree, its roots down deep like those of people who belong to the soil, its hardy branches, leaves, and fruit holding memories of the soil.” Continue reading Mesquite: Texas Stubborn →

Environment, Parks

The Bay Area Park Squeeze

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Around San Francisco Bay, land is scarce and costly. And people have opinions.

By Peter Harnik and Ryan Donahue

Doyle Hollis Park. Courtesy Trust for Public Land.
Doyle Hollis Park. Courtesy Trust for Public Land.

Emeryville, California, squeezed between Oakland, Berkeley, and the San Francisco Bay Bridge, has 10,000 residents and 20,000 daytime workers on only 1.2 square miles of land. For most of the 20th century it was an industrial center, known for meatpacking plants and a Sherwin-Williams paint factory. It has since evolved into a shopping destination and a hub for biotech and software. Continue reading The Bay Area Park Squeeze →

Awards, Climate, Education, Environment, Planning, Soil

Dredge in Many Flavors

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An award-winning student project shows off dredged materials’ potential to restore habitats and reconnect the city.

Edison Park Site Proposal: A raised circulation system embraces a contained dredge production facility. Images courtesy of Matthew D. Moffitt.
Edison Park Site Proposal: A raised circulation system embraces a contained dredge production facility. Images courtesy of Matthew D. Moffitt.

The Penn State undergraduate Matthew Moffitt won the 2013 ASLA Student Award of Excellence in General Design by showing that not all dredge is created equal. Continue reading Dredge in Many Flavors →

Climate, Environment

Backstage at Rebuild by Design

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The Institute for Public Knowledge will run the second phase of the design competition.

By Adam Regn Arvidson, FASLA

Ten teams convened for education sessions as part of the Rebuild by Design competition.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development and its partners this past summer announced the 10 finalist teams for Rebuild by Design (RBD), a multistage competition to rethink development in the New York City area after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. Continue reading Backstage at Rebuild by Design →