Final Exam Study Guide Flashcards
What is sustainability?
Capacity to maintain, support, and endure
What are the four pillars of sustainability?
Environmental
Site
Social
Cultural
What is environmental sustainability?
Responsibility to conserve natural resources to support health and wellbeing of ecosystems
What is site sustainability?
Promote land development and sustainable management practices (less waste, energy, water, natural resources)
What is site sustainability?
Sustainable successful places that promote wellbeing of individuals and community by understanding what people need from places they live, work, play
What is cultural sustainability?
Protecting and sustaining cultural heritage to preserve the cultural experiences and traditions we enjoy today for future generations
What is a naturalized design?
Organic
Responsible to environment and site
Variety of plant species
Suitable for 4 seasons
Attract and encourage local wildlife
Adapt to local biophysical conditions
Successful succession without compatibility without human intervention (less maintenance, water, fertilizer)
What is an ecosystem approach to design?
Allows integration and cooperation of biophysical factors
What are biophysical factors?
Biotic and abiotic components surrounding population or organism influencing the survival, development and evolution of the population
How does topography impact design?
Influences site physiology
- Run off, erosion
- Vegetative communities
- Sun exposure
- Land function
How does geomorphology and soil impact design?
Unconsolidated mineral matter on immediate surface serves as medium for land growing plants
- Drainage
- Saturation
- Slope
How do microclimates impact design?
Wind
Sun
Temperature
Precipitation
Infiltration
Wind direction/velocity
Humidity
(Think terrariums)
What are two examples of microclimates?
Urban environments (wind/sun/temperature/how rain may affect areas/urban heat island etc.)
Terrariums
How does vegetation impact design?
Gauge for overall health and trend within a landscape with functional role
- runoff, erosion, slope stability, noise control, influences pedestrian behaviours, frames spaces
How does hydrology impact design?
Movement of water in relation to land
- ground water, water table, oceans, Rivers, streams, precipitation, radiative exchanges, condensation, evaporation, runoff, water management, vapour, clouds etc.
How do fish and wildlife habitats impact design?
People live on the edge of land and water
Wetlands form an ecosystem for aquatic and land species (integral filter of hydrologic system for water quality, quantity, usage etc.)
How do cultural and history factors impact design?
Community needs
Human history
Demographics
Land use
Landscape as living entity (people, other living beings, physical region)
What is a green roof?
Vegetative roof structure that has a waterproof membrane, soil medium and plants
What is the purpose of a green roof?
More greenspace
Pretty
Additional habitat opportunities
Reduce urban heat island effect
Reduce stormwater runoff
Improve air quality
Save energy
What is albedo?
Measure of how much solar energy is reflected by a material
What is an extensive green roof?
Shallow in depth, requires no irrigation and has small plants
What is a semi intensive green roof?
Deeper, requires some irrigation, has larger plants
What are intensive green roofs?
Deepest type of green roof with high capacity of irrigation and can hold large plants
What are some structural considerations of green roofs?
Structure
Roof pitch
Maintenance requirements
Irrigation type (spray, drip, drainage layer)
Wind
What is a green facade?
Wall completely/partially covered in vegetation
What is a living wall?
Living walls usually contain potted plants
What is the purpose of a green facade?
Pretty
Additional habitat opportunities
Acoustic buffering
Increase thermal insulation
Improve air quality
What is a drip irrigation method?
Rows of emitters water the planters or a sheet of absorbent material in the wall
What is flood irrigation?
Reservoirs in containers are filled periodically
What is recirculating irrigation?
Emitters at the top of the wall are constantly on
Water flows through the wall to a reservoir at the bottom in a constant cycle
What is stormwater?
Rainfall/snowmelt that infiltrates into soil profile or runs off land into storm sewers, lake, rivers
What is stormwater management?
Planning, designing and implementation of systems to mitigate and control the impacts of human influence on runoff and hydrological cycle
What are the goals of effective stormwater management?
Maintain the health of our aquatic ecosystems, lake, rivers and oceans
Maintain hydrological cycle
Prevent risk of flooding from runoff
Prevent stream erosion
Protect water quality
What is a watershed?
Area of land that drains or captures water from specific water bodies delineated by topography not regional boundaries or property. lines
What is a floodplain?
Flat area of land next to a river that floods naturally in a heavy storm event and is often is rich in nutrients and soil as sediment is deposited in heavy storm events
What are some stormwater management strategies?
Soakaway pits/infiltration trenches
Grassed swales/bioswales
Dry ponds
Wet ponds
Filters (runoff filters through sand and media)
Infiltration basins
What is a dry pond?
Detention basin designed to temporarily store collected stormwater runoff and release at controlled rate through an outlet
What are wet ponds?
Permanent pool of water designed to temporarily store collected stormwater runoff and release at controlled rate
What is a bioswale?
Long channeled depression that receives runoff and contains vegetation to help slow water infiltration, filter pollutants and directs water to outlet or sewer
(needs porous soils and vegetative material that tolerates wet conditions)
What is xeriscaping?
Landscaping technique promoting water efficiency to reduce water consumption
What are the principles of xericscaping?
Planning and design
Soil preparation
Water wise plants
Appropriate turf
Mulch
Efficient irrigation
Maintenance
What are some features of water wise plants?
Long taproots
Fuzzy waxy leaves
Succulent leaves or stems
What is an urban forest?
Network of woodlands, groups of trees of individual trees located in urban areas
What are some benefits of urban forests?
Improve air quality
Reduce air pollution
Improve physical wellbeing
Climate change contributions (temper severe weather)
Contribute to wildlife
Improve water quality
Reduce potential for soil erosion
Providing profitable by products
Reduce greenspace maintenance costs
What are the elements of design?
Line
Form
Texture
Colour
What are the principles of design?
Proportion (human scale)
Order and balance (asymmetrical vs. symmetrical)
Repetition
Unity
Why are trees used in the landscape?
Privacy
Shade
Fruit
Wind and noise buffers
Animal habitat
Aesthetics, focal point and interest
Soil stabilization
Oxygen
Filters pollutants
Health
What existing site conditions should one be mindful for when selecting plants?
Location
Hardiness
Soil texture and pH
Microclimates
Growing space
Light availability
Desired function of plant
Heat and drought tolerance
Growth rate
Form
Insect and disease
What are the steps of the design process?
Project accepteance
Research and analysis
Design
Construction drawings
Implementation
Post construction evaluation
Maintenance
What is a program?
Summary and synthesis of the inventory and analysis and client interview
Reminds designer what needs to be done and included in the design solution
What is included in the design package?
Cover page
Inventory
Analysis
Photographic analysis
Program
Functional drawings
Concept plan
Master plan
Grading plan
Planting plan
Presentation plan
Details
What is the site inventory?
Facts of the sites allowing design to understand circulation patterns indoors and outdoors
Graphic representation of challenges on the site
Use professional observations on site as well as the clients discussion
(First step)
What is the analysis?
Offers opportunity to evaluate facts and make judgements about how the information should inform and shape the design
Interprets the inventory giving an impression of what needs to be done on site to create the design
What is included in the site inventory?
Graphic that looks at:
Location/geography
Hydrology
Microclimates
Users
Vegetation
Pedestrian and vehicle traaffic
Sun/shade
Noise
Structures
Utilities
What is included in the planting plan?
Explains planting scheme
Quantity of plant
Common name
Botanical name
Size to purchase
Condition of root ball on purchase
Any additional notes
