Community-Scale Green Infrastructure: Bringing the Green Infrastructure Charette Program to CitiesAlive in Philadelphia
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and the Green Infrastructure Foundation are pleased to announce the Green Infrastructure Charrette Program on Wed. Oct. 19th at CitiesAlive conference. Working with the City of Philadelphia, the Charrete will offer a limited number of participants the opportunity to re-design several sites in Philadelphia with various forms of living green infrastructure.
The redesign will be a legacy project for the city. The new designs will be combined with a cost-benefit analysis and hopefully provide the momentum required to move towards implementation. If you are a designer, pleae sign up for the Charette here.
Living Green Infrastructure provides significant, measurable benefits in multiple areas, including Water Management, Energy Conservation/ Climate Adaptation, Urban Ecology, Regenerative Agriculture, Economic Opportunities, Health, Well-Being, and Equity.
Yet, Green Infrastructure (GI) remains the exception rather than the norm in most building, site, and public infrastructure development/redevelopment projects throughout North America.
The Green Infrastructure Foundation (GIF) has created the Green Infrastructure Charrette Program to help designers, developers and government officials better understand the monetary benefits of green infrastructure, visualize the potential for its widespread application of best green infrastructure practices at a community scale.
This program includes:
A one day design charrette featuring multidisciplinary experts and local stakeholders, where 2-3 sites are re-designed using green infrastructure
The application of a cost-benefit matrix, developed by GIF, that allows us to create an aggregate order-of magnitude economic analysis of the re-designs.
The combination of visuals generated through the charrette and the cost benefit analysis creates a strong case for green infrastructure investment. This program offers brilliant green visions to communities - visions that can set the stage for further green infrastructure planning and implementation. Charrettes have been completed in communities throughout North America, including New York, Washington, Massachusetts, and Ontario.
Who is involved?
GIF staff and experienced practitioners from around the country will facilitate the charrette, conduct the cost-benefit analysis, refine visuals, and assemble all the components into a final report with recommendations.
GIF has been collaborating with Philadelphia-based partners and others to help set local priorities, select sites, build local support, and assist with recruitment of charrette participants- a mix of architects, landscape architects, developers, business owners, engineers, community members, planners and policy makers. (also promoted as part of the CitiesAlive conference).
The findings of the final report will be widely disseminated through multiple local, regional, and national avenues.
How can you participate?
Come to Cities Alive in Philadelphia, and stay for the GI Charette on Wednesday Oct. 19th (or sign up for the Charrette event only) - Help sponsor the GI Charrette in Philadelphia (some sponsorship levels are still available)
Partner with GIF to conduct a GI Charrette in your community
As climate adaptation policies and programs become an increasingly more significant driver of community infrastructure investment and practice, the GI Charrette Program can be adapted to help communities build upon latest best practices and align staff, elected officials, and the public they serve towards holistic solutions that create the greatest value for the community in the long term.
Sign up for the Charette here.
CitiesAlive 2022 will be a multidisciplinary conference where we will be highlighting innovative green roof designs, groundbreaking policies, and the best products and services in the green infrastructure industry, specifically focusing on green roofs and walls. The conference is approved for up to 18.5 Continuing Education Credits for ASLA, AIA, BOMI, IIBEC, and GRP. See the detailed agenda here, and register here.
This event is sponsored by ARUP.
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About Us:
The Green Infrastructure Foundation (GIF) partners with communities to shape healthy, resilient, and sustainable places using living GI. The summary reports from the GI Charrettes and other resources are all accessible on GIF’s website.
Read the recent article about the GI Charette Program in the Summer 2022 edition of the Living Architecture Monitor
To learn more about how GIF and the Green Infrastructure Charrette Program can help your community to advance with GI practices, contact GIF Board Chair David Yocca.
Green Roofs for Healthy Citiesis a non-profit 501(c)(6) professional industry association working to grow the green roof and wall industry throughout North America since 1999. Our mission is to develop and protect the market by increasing the awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roofs, green walls, and other forms of living architecture through education, advocacy, professional development, and celebrations of excellence. We offer The Living Architecture Monitor, with a mission to increase awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roofs, walls and other forms of living architecture. We also offer The Living Architecture Academy, dedicated to bringing you the best, most up to date professional training information on design, installation and maintenance practices.
From the Living Architecture Monitor
