Green Infrastructure

Cold water creek with marsh marigolds
Greenseams Program – Wisconsin
The program makes voluntary purchases of undeveloped, privately owned properties in areas expected to have major growth in the next 20 years and open space along streams, shorelines and wetlands.

According to Kevin Lagan, the dramatic change in site characteristics meant rainwater runoff had to be captured to maintain a before development hydrologic regime, if the project was to avoid downstream impacts.

“Right now the Lower Mainland of British Columbia leads any other region in both Canada and the United States in reversing the rush to global climate collapse. It is therefore up to a new generation to coalesce around a common vision for the future — a common vision deeply grounded in the pioneering efforts of the previous generation,” states Patrick Condon.

CRD Headquarters Building
In the Autumn of 2007, the CRD Headquarters Building Phase Two was awarded the Canadian Green Building Council’s prestigious LEED®: Gold designation.

“Climate change significantly raises the risk of rain-generated floods and infrastructure failure. To maintain current levels of service, drainage infrastructure will need to be modified and upgraded,” says Chris Jensen.

“It's altogether clear that the way we make our buildings and the way we arrange them, one in relation to the next, is responsible for at least 50 per cent of the greenhouse gas production currently,” states Patrick Condon.

Summary report shows communities and local authorities how well-planned and managed green infrastructure can deliver multiple benefits to themselves and businesses.

“In any journey, it helps to start with a look back from where we once came. Various historical starting points could be studied, but the end of the Second World War marks the time after which cities changed the most. Many compelling reasons drove the crucial choices we made at that time,” writes Patrick Condon.

The policy goal is to take low-impact development strategies and turn them from quaint oddities to ponder and admire into the standard, business-as-usual approach to building the region's communities.

Chris Jensen (120p) – Feb 2010
Climate change significantly raises the risk of rain-generated floods and infrastructure failure. To maintain current levels of service, drainage infrastructure will need to be modified and upgraded.