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Sustainable Maryland

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Sus Md 1024x293 Sustainable Maryland

Maryland has begun the process of creating a rating system for Green initiatives and programs by its 157 municipalities.  This is an initiative through the Environmental Finance Center, which has partnered with the Maryland Municipal League on a new initiative called Sustainable Maryland Certified.  It is an effort to develop a sustainable certification framework based on a pilot program in New Jersey:  www.sustainablejersey.com.

The EFC has organized various Task Forces centered on a specific aspect of sustainability that will determine the framework for certifying municipalities as sustainable in various areas of green building and living.  The task forces are as follows:

- Natural Resources

- Community Action

- Social Equity

- Health & Wellness

- Local Economics

- Agriculture

- Planning & Built Environment

This is designed to be a free and voluntary program that will help communities choose a direction for their greening efforts, provide help with program tools and case studies, and be recognized for their accomplishments.  A Mayor’s Advisory Council and Executive Committee made up of mayors from eleven cities and towns throughout Maryland including Aberdeen, College Park & Chestertown among others will meet to review the progress of the certification efforts as they proceed through the refinement process during the few months.

This program began in the fall of 2010 with a stakeholders meeting and review of New Jersey’s program and is currently working through the task forces to refine and develop the criteria for the certification system by spring of 2011.  Frederick Ward Associates is eager to help Sustainable Maryland get off the ground and make a difference in our community. The ultimate goal is to take registration by the summer of 2011.

KSmall   Sustainability
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Multi-User Community Campus Case Study – Bel Air Campus

Friday, August 27th, 2010

winter07 BelAir HS 1 Multi User Community Campus Case Study Bel Air Campus

While it is nearly September and the start of school has already begun, you may notice the changes that have been completed at Bel Air High School.  Work was started in 2007 on the athletic fields as part of the replacement of the aging facility.

While the school provides a space for education, it also functions as much more in the Bel Air community. It is a source of recreation, offering walking trails, playgrounds, gathering spaces and land for passive recreation. The whole campus serves as a meeting place, pedestrian corridor, and a green island in the semi-urban area.

The Plan

When started, goals were set to replace the high school and elementary school. Key challenges arose in the planning process of the multi-use campus.

  1. Parking Issues
  2. Circulation of Pedestrians and Vehicles
  3. Operation of Facilities while Construction was underway.

Overcoming Issues

The vision became clear: alternating green space and built elements allowed for several problems to be addressed. Parking could be shared, green areas were created to serve as transition space, and smaller parking areas were created to provide for space for important features , like the athletic fields or other park elements.

Construction

Construction commenced on the new high school while keeping the existing one open, while construction for the new elementary school is not yet scheduled.

Overall Outcome

The planning presented several challenges, but the combination of proper communication and cooperation allowed for these problems to become opportunities. Unique solutions were discovered to create a distinct character for the overall campus.

KSmall   Case Study

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