 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||
Flickr Photostream
Archive for the ‘Sustainability’ Category
Newer Entries »Frederick Ward Associates Hosts Sustainability Seminars
Friday, September 17th, 2010
Note: The Sustainability Seminars have now been postponed until Spring 2011. Stay tuned – in the spring, we’ll have all the information about how to register for these classes.
Frederick Ward Associates will soon be hosting a series of Sustainability Seminars at Harford Community College. The first series of “green” seminars will take place September 30, with the informative events continuing through November 11.
The courses will cover the latest in green strategies, tax credits for green initiatives, green residential design, updates on Maryland storm water management regulations, and plenty more diverse topics that can help you incorporate sustainability into your business. Chuck Cooper, Kevin Small, and Gerry Powell, all knowledgeable members of the sustainable design community, will be presenting the four seminars. There are also plans for a second series of seminars that will run through Spring of 2011, featuring hands-on demonstrations such as how to build a rain garden, do’s and don’ts of composting, and use of rain barrels. Other topics will include green advocacy and community involvement, and renewable energy.
The events include opportunities for networking and a continental breakfast. It’s a perfect opportunity for development professionals, realtors, attorneys, environmental activists, bankers, builders, contractors and anyone interested in the future of energy efficient building. You can register for the series here.
CCooper
Community, Frederick Ward, Sustainability
Community, Frederick Ward Associates, Sustainability
No Comments »
Dishing Up Maryland
Monday, July 26th, 2010
Local, sustainable, food has become an important pillar of the green culture and the explosion and growth of farmer’s markets all around Maryland and the entire country is evidence to its popularity. A new, must-have, addition to your sustainable library is Dishing Up Maryland by Lucie L. Snodgrass, a Harford County writer and farmer (and wife of green roof guru Ed Snodgrass).
Dishing Up Maryland is a beautifully designed and photographed book which is a cook book of local favorites, but also tells the stories of farmers, farms, waterman, and restaurants across Maryland that have embraced the sustainable, organic, and local philosophy of food. Recipes are also organized by season which enhances the emphasis on eating what is fresh and available throughout the year.
Many northeast Maryland businesses are featured including Broom’s Bloom dairy (try their lamb stew recipe), the Fair Hill Inn (quail with oyster stuffing), Spring Valley Farm (blueberry fruit kuchen), and One Straw Farm (fattoush salad), the oldest and largest organic produce farm in Maryland.
This book is a winner – check it out.
CWard
Community, Sustainability
Dishing Up Maryland, green culture, local food, Lucie L. Snodgrass, Sustainability
No Comments »
Imagine 2060
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
The Baltimore Metropolitan Council is currently organizing a long range planning effort, entitled “Imagine 2060,” which is a look at transportation in the Baltimore region for the next 20 to 50 years. Imagine 2060 grew out of an effort to work with community leaders to develop a plan to improve and promote livable and sustainable communities throughout the region.
The focus of this 7-step vision is to develop an integrated multi-modual regional network of transportation options that supports greater mobility and accessibility, livable communities, environmental stewardship and economic prosperity.
A key element of the initiative is facilitating dialogue about how transportation will look to future generations in the Baltimore region through a large scale public engagement campaign. The Council is inviting the public who live and work in the Baltimore region to give input through a series of workshops or an online values survey. Frederick Ward Associates participated in the latest town hall style meeting, giving our input to help shape transportation in Baltimore’s future.
“Imagine 2060 is a creative visioning process to help prioritize our transportation investments for the future. How and where should public transportation dollars be directed? Looking 50 years in the future brings an interesting new perspective to the questions,” said Craig Ward, President of Fredrick Ward Associates.
The project’s final vision and long-range transportation plan will be in place by November 2011.
Get involved with the project, and find out more about Imagine 2060!
CWard
Community, Sustainability
Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Imagine 2060, public transportation
No Comments »
Frederick Ward Volunteers for Habitat for Humanity
Friday, July 16th, 2010
This June, Frederick Ward Associates participated in a second Habitat for Humanity LEED home. FWA partnered with Harford Tech High School by providing Architectural, Civil Engineering and Surveying support for this “green” housing project.
Volunteering with Harford Habitat for Humanity is an excellent opportunity to combine the team’s passion for volunteering and helping the local community, with our expertise in architecture, engineering, planning and surveying.
This home was built for the Shanka family, and is located in Joppa, Maryland. FWA has also worked with Habitat as their LEED for Homes consultant, and this project is on track to achieve LEED Platinum status.
See Frederick Ward Associates’ involvement with Habitat. Visit Harford Habitat for Humanity to volunteer for upcoming projects, donate, or learn more about the organization.
CCooper
Community, Frederick Ward, Sustainability
Community, Frederick Ward Associates, Habitat for Humanity Harford County, Sustainable Living
No Comments »
Maryland Green Registry
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
Building a smarter, greener, more sustainable Maryland is as easy as putting proactive environmental practices to work right in your own organization. The Maryland Green Registry is a voluntary, self-certification program offering tips and resources to help organizations set and meet their own goals on the path to sustainability. Being a member has its benefits.
Membership Benefits:
-
- Maryland Green Registry window decal to display at your facility
- Use of the Maryland Green Registry logo
- The posting of your environmental profile, as approved by you, on the Maryland Green Registry website
- Free technical and informational assistance to help members implement environmental best practices
- Information about upcoming webinars and conferences
- Eligibility for annual Maryland Green Registry Leadership Awards.
The Green Registry and Frederick Ward Associates
Frederick Ward Associates was just formally accepted to the Registry. We are one of the first architecture and engineering firms in Maryland to join and are proud to be a part.
Visit the Frederick Ward Associates profile at The Green Registry.
CCooper
Community, Frederick Ward, Sustainability
Community, Frederick Ward, Maryland, Maryland Green Registry, Sustainability
No Comments »
Frederick Ward Associates Clean Up Plumtree Run
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
Here at Frederick Ward Associates, we believe in investing in our community, and have recently adopted a stream for clean up. On May 22, we walked the Plumtree Run streambed to remove accessible trash and debris, with the permission of all the landowners and with support from the Town of Bel Air Public Works.
Plumtree Run originates in downtown Bel Air and meanders through the community to Atkisson Reservoir in Harford Glen. We have adopted the segment between George Street and the Upper Chesapeake Medical Campus.
This is the first stream adoption in our area, which uses similar principles as the Adopt-a-Highway and SWAT programs for roadside cleanup. The Frederick Ward Associate Environmental and Sustainability teams have coordinated this effort.
ESteere
Community, Frederick Ward, Sustainability
Environmental and Sustainability teams, Frederick Ward, Plumtree Run
No Comments »
Solar Incentives in Maryland
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
There has been no better time than now to look at solar energy as a potential source of power for your home or business. A number of factors, like the rising cost of energy in the Mid-Atlantic, or the green jobs push from the Obama administration, have led us to consider alternate energy options like solar energy.
If you are interested in solar energy for your home or business, a solid starting point is to visit the Maryland Energy Administration’s website. There, you will find a wealth of data and information regarding a number of energy resources, including solar energy. Additionally, the site has information on overall energy efficiency, renewable energy, and conventional energy sources. Information on incentives, grant programs, and federal grant opportunities are available. They’ve also got residential case studies and a variety of relevant links at your disposal, like consumer’s guides to solar thermal heating, buyer’s guides to solar systems, and guides on zero energy homes.
Frederick Ward Associates is pleased to be working on multiple solar projects for the City of Bowie, as well as a residential system with Harford Habitat for Humanity / Harford Technical High School and Astrum Solar for the 2nd Annual “Habi-Tech” Modular LEED Home.
Feel free to contact us if you need any advice on how to integrate solar energy into your existing structure or new project. We can offer site analysis, solar shading diagrams / modeling, roof analysis, and more.
CCooper
Community, Frederick Ward, Sustainability
Frederick Ward, Maryland, Solar Incentives, Sustianability
2 Comments »
Baltimore Releases Its First Annual Sustainability Report
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Just over a year ago, The City of Baltimore passed the Sustainability Plan with good intentions of making progress in the way of sustainability. And while that passage was a crucial step, it was merely the first step. In the past year, a number of organizations, businesses, and communities have worked to implement the goals of the plan.
And while the first year marks great strides toward a more sustainable city, work continually needs to be done. We are proud to say that Frederick Ward Associates is behind Baltimore’s mandate for sustainability. The goals in the plan are in line with Frederick Ward Associates’ goals. In fact, we are already working with other smaller municipalities like Perryville and the Town of Bel Air on similar initiatives.
And while we continue to work with these municipalities to increase efforts toward sustainability, we are happy to see the City of Baltimore taking strides for other municipalities to follow.
CCooper
Sustainability
Baltimore, Sustainability Report, Sustianability
No Comments »
Smart Growth in Maryland
Friday, May 7th, 2010
Maryland is moving into it’s second generation of “Smart Growth”.
A brainchild of the late 1990′s, Smart Growth was Maryland’s plan to increase the sustainability of the region through a variety of government program changes and alterations. Ten years later, Smart Growth has been deemed a “flop” after its energetic beginning under Governor Glendening.
Following numerous changes under the Ehrlich and O”Malley administrations the program has taken an ultimate turn into something refurbished, called “Smart, Green, and Growing.” This program has a renewed emphasis on new energy. The plans are much bigger than the original Smart Growth program, as they are incorporated at much higher levels in the state government and in new laws. Amongst the new plans, counties have a higher responsibility for meeting new, stricter preservation goals and encouragement of sustainable communities.
While the progress and impact of this program is still being made, the recession has hit the plans in an unforeseen way. Regardless, the future will show if this new efforts will meet with more success than those of the past. This article, reprinted from the March 2010 issue of “Planning” outlines the structure and charge of the new Smart Growth Program in Maryland.
CWard
Frederick Ward, Sustainability
Smart Growth MD, Sustainability
No Comments »
Sustainable Road Systems
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
State highway Administrations, Public Works Agencies, developments, contractors, and engineers can now pursue an official sustainability certification for highway projects. A new rating system has been developed for sustainable roadway design and construction called “Greenroads.”
Greenroads’ goal is to create measurable sustainability benefits to the general public, highway managers, and of course, the environment. The program is designed to serve to improve safety, reduce the use of raw materials, and extend the life cycle of the highway, among other benefits.
Greenroads is structured on a rating system which is used as a sustainability performance metric for both roadway design and construction. Points are awarded for positive sustainability choices, which are broken down into two categories: required and voluntary practices.
Required practices must be performed in order for a roadway to be considered a Greenroad, while voluntary practices are optional with extra points being awarded depending on the impact of sustainability.
Futhermore, each Greenroad project earns a certification, of which there are four levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Evergreen. Each requires specific minimum requirements.
The Greenroads creators have attempted to develop a system that is fair, easy to understand, and most importantly, beneficial. Learn more about Greenroads.
TPierce
Frederick Ward, Infrastructure, Sustainability
Frederick Ward, Green Roads, Sustainability, Sustainable Roads
No Comments »
