[Greenbuilding] Eco-Utopia and Stormwater management

Mon Apr 7 11:53:22 CDT 2014

I've read the stormwater regulations. I was just wondering how you put
things into practice when you're working on a building or remodeling
project.  I know there are some dedicated professionals on the list, and I
was wondering if there are any tools or techniques they prefer to control
water flow while working on a project.   I'm sure you have experience
protecting sensitive watersheds from building impact, or with rain in urban
areas or just mitigating against potential muddy run-off problems. 

An aside:  I have rain-barrels in a small lot in Portland. I tried them out
last year, even though the math said that they were impractical, but I found
that even a super small scale system helped 'tide the garden over' between
infrequent rain events. 

Erin Rasmussen

erin at trmiles.com 

From: Greenbuilding [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]
On Behalf Of Michael O'Brien
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 8:18 AM
To: Green Building
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Eco-Utopia and Stormwater management

Hi, Erin--

A very good question, and as Marian points out, one with many potential
answers depending on the site, building design, regulations and so on.

Here in Portland the city is subdivided into lots, which limits your
options--all your stormwater must be managed on 5 or 6,000 square feet--so
must be integrated into the building itself and/or in the yard spaces. City
regulations now require on-site solutions unless not feasible for reasons
beyond your control.

In our case, we put an 800 SF ecoroof on the sloped roof over a one-story
part of our house. It is readily accessible from a terrace on the second
floor, without having to get up on a ladder. After seven years, it's been
pretty easy, I am feeding it this spring for the first time. The soil has
settled but seems to be staying in place on the slope. The roof is very
pretty when all the sedums bloom.

The eave gutters drain into two dry wells, so that water helps replenish
groundwater.

We thought about burying a large cistern to store rainwater, but it would
have added substantial cost to the house foundations--there was no yard
space on a 5000 SF lot where a tank would not have affected the foundations.
Rain barrels would fit, but they don't hold enough water to make much of a
difference.

Sometimes it is possible to create a bioswale on the surface, depending on
area available and soil conditions. There are native plants that like to
grow in seasonal marshes which thrive in bioswales.

Best,

Mike

Mike O'Brien Photography

mikeoregon.zenfolio.com

On Apr 7, 2014, at 6:22 AM, marian dombroski <mdombros at gmail.com> wrote:

"Cope" is a difficult word for me when discussing SWM issues.  First step to
"coping" is to acknowledge that water is a precious resource delivered to
most of us primarily as rain.  We have a responsibility to make that a
central part of planning and design. 

As far as details go, LID and ESD are pretty good roadmaps to a functional
design.  There are an increasing number of projects that go beyond function.
Details of materials and techniques are generally readily accessible on a
project by project basis.

Please excuse me if this sounds preachy.  SWM regs are pretty dry documents
which are difficult to plow through and make sense of. Every site has unique
features.  Every design has specific issues to address. Consulting with
folks who are known for successful projects and are willing to study the
site is an effective and efficient way to achieve what it sounds like you
are looking for. 

Marian

On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 1:46 PM, Erin Rasmussen <erin at trmiles.com> wrote:

Good morning Greenbuilding list, 

I thought I'd annoy you with pretty drawings of eco-utopian buildings  ;) 

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3027132/this-eco-village-is-an-environmentalists
-dream

I have a more serious question though - what's your favorite way of coping
with stormwater compliance when you're building/remodeling etc? Favorite
practices, products, guidelines? 

Erin Rasmussen

TR Miles Technical Consultants Inc.   http://www.trmiles.com/

and BioEnergy Discussion Lists   http://www.bioenergylists.org/

erin at trmiles.com

Erin Rasmussen

TR Miles Technical Consultants Inc.   http://www.trmiles.com/

and BioEnergy Discussion Lists   http://www.bioenergylists.org/

erin at trmiles.com

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-- 
Marian Dombroski, RA, LEED AP

301.775.1191

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