Sustainable development in Drainage Design

[tsli001]

Hi guys,

I have a interesting question when one of my friend from oversea has questioning me on the sustainable development in drainage design in united states. I kind of bring up the Stomrwater management policy guildline from DEP, and the LEED design standard. What do you think on the sustainable development practice for the drainage design in U.S? And, very often people has mix up sustainable development with Environmental issue. Can someone have a good example to tell the different?

tsli091

 

[brandonbw]

Most everything we have to do to follow local guidelines in Los Angeles overlaps with what LEED gives points for. We will be doing a green charette shortly so if anything has changed I will know then.

If these things are being installed and maintained then it should be better in the future. An example is infiltration of the first 3/4" storm. If you capture and filter that and recharge the land that seems good. But if you don't maintain the filters then you are recharging the land with dirty water. Another item are planter boxes. They don't infiltrate. A certain amount of the storm is percolating into the boxes and then overflows out to the public storm drain system.

I still wonder does the overall impact of building and maintaining all of this stuff outweigh not building it. Sort of like is a hybrid car really better for the overall environment than a pure gas/diesel car.

B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer

http://bwengr.com

 

[tsli001]

Hi guys,

brandonbw brought up some good point, and I would like to thank you his opioion. I would like to ask that how is everything opinion on the drainage
design system sustainability aspect in U.S.? Would everyone think that it have been full develop? The design life to our design can be consider sustainable?

tsli001