landfill remediation project - student redesigns: land use sustainable development

UConn Landfill Remediation and Wetland Mitigation Project

A Partnership for Demonstrating Sustainable Land Use and Open Space

Design Practices.


Partnership •CT Department of Environmental Protection

•Office of Environmental Policy at UCONN

•EPAC – Environmental Policy Advisory Council

•LUSD subcommittee members – Land Use and Sustainable Development

•University Administrators/Faculty – Architectural & Engineering Services

•Professors/Students – Landscape Architecture, EEB

•Contractors- Haley & Aldrich, O&G

•Subcontractors – Mason & Associates

•Town of Mansfield – Parks and Recreation Department


Our Agenda• Extend the potential of this project to demonstrate leadership, provide academic

integration & create positive open space

• Respond to immediate site and contextual site conditions & opportunities

• Support the university’s endeavor to maintain responsible management and growth that ensures environmental sustainability & protects public health, safety & welfare

(Adopted from: Environmental Policy Statement, April 22, 2004)

• Apply strategies established by the university’s Sustainable Design Guidelines & goals set by the preliminary campus Master Plan

• Use Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects (LEED-NC) rating system as project benchmark

• Address implementation and maintenance cost concerns


Site Orientation

Wooded Area

North

Hillsid

e

Rd

Celeron Apts.

Rt.44 Trailer Homes

Offices and Facilities

Landfill


Site Conditions

Residence

Great Heron Rookery

Wooded Historic Walls

Tennis Courts

Forested Wetland

Upland Forest

Offices and Facilities


Wetlands, Uplands, Vernal Pools

WetlandUplandPavementGrassBuildingsVernal Pools


Affected Wetlands


Ownership of Land


Project Limits


Current Plan•Mitigate contaminated areas- Cap landfill and remediate wetlands

•Provide a remote parking lot

•Provide an educational footpath with viewing decks

Invasive Species Control Area

Proposed Expansion to Open Space Preservation Area


How Can We Expand on Demonstrating Sustainable

Land Use?• Support the Campus Master Plan’s objectives• Follow Campus Sustainability Guidelines• LEED certification• Connect to Mansfield’s and UConn’s open

spaces, and existing bicycles routes and trails• Learn from case studies• Respond to site opportunities and constraints


• Embrace the spirit of the Campus Master Plan as a blueprint for unified and integrated development:

MASTER PLAN GOALS– Establish a clear organization concept– Develop and articulated hierarchy of spaces and

paths– Create a humane campus in scale, function and

materials– Provide a flexible framework to accommodate future

university needs

Campus Master Plan Goals


Campus Masterplan• Establish a remote parking lot as part of the landfill remediation effort


UConn’s Sustainability Guidelines

1. Planning Sustainable Sites2. Safeguarding Water3. Conserving Materials and Resources4. Improving Energy Efficiency5. Enhancing Indoor Environmental Quality


LEEDWhat is LEED?

•Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design

•National standard set by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)

•Environmental goal setting and assessment tool:

Defines “green” by providing a standard for measurement

Benchmark illustrating an ambitious range of environmental strategies

•Market driver: A way to increase the demand for sustainable products and systems


LEED at UCONN

•Implements goals of the Campus Sustainable Design Guidelines

•Supports the university’s Environmental Policy Statement:

“…to maintain responsible management and growth that ensures environmental sustainability & protects public health, safety & welfare.”

•Comprises collective Campus measures or discrete building project:

Burton/Shenkman Facility


This site as a potential LEED certified project

LEED-NC: Geared towards building structures :

LEED-ND (a pilot program):

Focuses on sites (with or without buildings) and their neighborhoods

“To Encourage developers and community leaders to revitalize existing urban areas, reduce land consumption, reduce automobile dependence, promote pedestrian activity, improve air quality, decrease polluted storm water runoff, and build more livable, sustainable, enduring communities for people of all income levels.”


University and Mansfield Open Space •Connect to

Mansfeild and UConn’s open spaces adjacent to site

•Create a continuous pedestrian/bicycle route that circulates to and throughout our site and back into campus

•Create an accessible, usable open space for the surrounding residents

Nipmuck Trail

Willi R.Greenway

Bike ImprovementBike Routes

Campus RoadsCampus CoreUConn Forest

Mansfield Parklands


Case Studies•University of Maine, Orono Bog and Boardwalk

•Wickham Park Wetland Boardwalk, Manchester, CT

•Ohio State University, Olentangy River Wetland Research Park


Case Studies

•Close proximity to University of Maine, Orono

•Accessible by bus, vehicle, or foot

•Connects to the Bangor State Forest

•Provides habitat research and

education through a unifying boardwalk with

interpretive signage

•An opportunity for recreational use

•A positive usable open space for both the University and the local community


This boardwalk was built by the Maine Conservation Corp and local volunteers


Case Studies•Wickham Park in Manchester, CT has at least 5 different themed gardens, the newest being the Wetland Boardwalk Garden built in 2005

•This was funded by the CT Department of Transportation

•Provides the public an opportunity to learn about the importance of wetlands

•Offers recreational opportunities


Case Studies

Ohio State University* Olentangy River Wetland Research Park

•Wetlands create a research and recreational park for the University and community


Student Work

•PLSC 268: Planting Design- Senior Landscape Architect studio, Professor: Kristin Schwab

•Our role was to take this information and create a landscape architectural/planting plan that provides for human use and vegetative

restoration/enhancement of the area.

•Four Masterplan Concepts

•Individual site concepts of a 300’ x 300’ area relating back

to their group’s overall concept


Summary of Goals1. Trail Connectivity-

Hiking (Dirt, Boardwalk), Sidewalks/Biking, Car (Parking Access)

2. Open Space Connectivity- Connect Mansfield and UConn’s open spaces

3. More Useful Open Space as: Conservation, Scenic Value, and Recreation Demonstration, Education and Research of sustainable practices Interpretative information- Concrete vs. Abstract Point of Entries/Visibility Access More active recreation

4. Mitigate/Integrate Parking- Visually and Ecollogically (Detention and Banks)

5. Integrate All Site Elements to Create a Unified Site


Survey of Proposed Site Elements

• As you are taking in these projects, identify overall design concepts and site elements that seem both compelling and feasible


Hillside Exploration & Education Park

Zones:Interpretive Gathering- Areas for changing installations that interpret the site artistically and visuallyResearch/Rec- Areas for ongoing research and outside learning labsEducation- Areas that reveal the site’s history and expose its functions in the siteFormal Recreation-Defined areas for active and passive recreation

Propono: Reveal Human’s Impact on the Ecosystem


Interpretative GatheringExisting Conditions Plan:

Historic stonewalls exist and interpret the site


Education through Revealing: Composting and Waste Treatment

•Create a campus compost pile usuable by dinning hall facilities/Landscape Services…etc….

•Educate people about waste, and recycling through demonstration


Site Elements

•Use fragrant native plants to mask the odor from the sewage treatment

•Use a series of composting bins to separate waste and reveal the process


Amphitheatre Park and View Area

•Create a viewing and educational gathering area

•Use recycled tires as planters for raised plantings

•Create a pedestrian walk to and throughout the parking lot


•Create an educational display wall showing the timeline/history of this unique site for the pedestrian to view

Site Elements


Storm Water Management Education

•Create a point of entry with the black pines to visually signal the trail

•Educate through demonstration storm water runoff

•Terrace the land with concrete and earthen terraces


Invasive Plant ResearchExisting

Proposed

•Create several types of research plots on invasive plant control•Collect seed from existing natives to propagate plugs


Wetland Park-ingShowcasing different types of wetlands in both form and function through

design and plant material selection: Integrate and Enhance park and parking uses

= Point of Entry


Enhancement

Using phytoremediation techniques, these affected wetlands can be regenerated through experimentation and research


Creation: Ecological Parking Lot

•Regenerate the methane gas as renewable energy

•Create a pedestrian walk with a viewing deck


Site Elements


Creation: Erosion Control with Native Plants

•Using native plants as a slope stabilizer experimentation


Preservation and Restoration: Contrast between natural and human form


Creation: Access Point through Forested Wetland

Shelter Falls

Shelter Falls

•Create an access point for surrounding residents and public

•Accessible by foot or vehicle


Site Elements: BMP Practices

Tulip TreeBoardw

alk

Retention Island

Parking

Example of Signage


Indecent Exposure

•The site will provide a recreational and educational setting that incorporates varying ecological systems and habitats, trail systems and gathering areas

The Contrast between Engineered and Natural Human Interventions


Entrance

•Draw pedestrians up the hill with the use of plants and stonewalls

•Introduce the history of what this site was with interpretative sculpture


Formal and Natural Intervention: Planting Pattern Design

•With the use of native plants, demonstrate a contrast between the formal grid (the landfill) intervening on the organic form (natural site)

•Creating pedestrian movement through what was once the landfill and is now a Park


Natural Restoration Process: Transect

Different uses of wetlands in the ecosystem:•Water quality

•Promote diversity

•Shade and Cover

•Preservation of wetlands


Engineered Restoration Process: Visual Interpretive Viewing Area

•Uses a constructed dam to signify man vs. nature

•Provides a viewing of both man and nature

•Uses plantings to enhance the viewing the area


•Create a rain garden to reduce erosion and flow of storm water

•Reveal the water flow, and provide a viewing area into the site

Engineered Water Management Education


Wetland Education: Pedestrian Viewing and Learning Environment

•Create a viewing and educational area to learn about wetlands

•Possible location for outdoor classes


CrossingsConnect Areas of Active and Passive Recreation to

Create a Unified Site•Trail/Passive Recreation- Redirect trail system, trail improvements, creating trail heads

•Active Recreation- Playfield areas for nearby residents, Use plantings to accent and connect the fields

•Viewing of the Wetlands- Trails running along wetlands and gathering spots for teaching

•Connections- Connections to and from parking lot Create important entry points into the site


Improved Streetscape: New Gateway to Campus •Use plantings to

enhance the new entry to campus

•Use a contrast of free formed trees and formal pyramidal trees to signal transitions

•Create a series of mounds to act as gateways into the site representing the form of the landfill

North Hillside Rd

1

1


Trail Improvements

•Add plantings to enhance trail entry

•Provide seating along the path

•Improve trail treatment


Active Recreation

•Leave existing field stonewalls and foundation and incorporate a passive Frisbee Golf Course

•Create active recreation opportunities behind Celeron Apts.

•Use plantings to enhance and signal these actvities


Access to Trails and StreetScape

•Connecting pedestrians and vehicles to improved streetscape

•Creating green space and pedestrian connections through trails and boardwalk


• Fulfill our Land Grant ResponsibilityProvide accessible outdoor recreational

and learning opportunities for both sides of campus

• Activate the SpaceSafety

Visual Interest, Stimulation• Link University and Mansfield Communities• Transform a “negative” into a “positive”

Rationale


Implementation

• Determine whether to move forward with supplemental master plan elements

• If so, involve Architecture and Engineering Services, Building and Grounds, Master Plan Committee to designate as an identifiable project

• Library Exhibit and American Society of Landscape Architects Student Award Submissions Spring ‘06


Sources•Town of Mansfield website: www.mansfieldct.org

•Ecohusky website: www.ecohusky.uconn.edu

•U.S. Green Building Council website: www.usgbc.org

•University of Maine – Orono Bog boardwalk: www.oronobogwalk.org

•Ohio State University – Wetlands Research Park: http://swamp.ag.ohio-state.edu/ORW.html

•Wickham Park

•Smith Group JJR – LEED V2.1 Audit

http://www.mansfieldct.org/

http://www.ecohusky.uconn.edu/

http://www.usgbc.org/

http://www.oronobogwalk.org/

http://swamp.ag.ohio-state.edu/ORW.html


Thank You•CT Department of Environmental Protection, Brian Golembiewski

& Sara Yates

•Office of Environmental Policy at UCONN, Director Rich Miller

•Architectural & Engineering Services, Project Manager Jim Pietrzak

•Landscape Architecture Department, Professor Kristin Schwab &

undergraduate interns: Serena Epstein, Andrea Vassallo, Jacalyn Chnowski,

& Linda Tasko

•Town of Mansfield: Planning and Zoning Commission,

Parks and Recreation Department

•Haley & Aldrich

•Mason & Associates, President, owner & Principal Scientist Chris Mason

landfill remediation project - student redesigns: land use sustainable development

Technology