Design on Flooding Landscape Architecture

Question: Discuss about the Design on Flooding for Landscape Architecture. Answer: Introduction: Looking into this century and forward into the next century, scientists and leaders of the world concur with the prediction of massive environmental challenges to unimaginable scope and scales. Climatic changes due to human activities on the phase of the earth have posed great environmental challenges that have left the earth in a state of instability and unbalance. Landscape architecture plays a fundamental role in ensuring the challenges are brought to a control and their effects kept under constant check(Davoudi, 2009). As a landscape architect of the 21st century, I would like to design an environment which is harmless to the occupants and the elements interacting with it and sustainable that ensures minimum or no emission of compounds to the environment that increase global warming rates. In this aspect, the environment would remain livable for a long time both for the present and the future generation(Fetzer, 2014). Among the environmental concerns which if I would address in my design would be rapid urbanization, climatic change and its impacts and change of land use as experienced in the current century due to rapid population growth. Water efficient: As a result of the continued increase in the temperatures of the surface of the earth, there is a drastic change in the hydrological cycle of the climate as well as water, movement of water between oceans, land surface and atmosphere. Flooding during rainy seasons may lead to overloading of storm and transportation of pollutants into the water bodies. The higher temperatures and decrease in precipitation create risks of limited access to fresh water and drought. The changing climatic patterns call for water management strategies geared towards reusing, retaining and recycling water(Watson, 2010). Energy efficiency: Using simple energy efficient measures can reduce energy consumption by up to 20%. The owners of the buildings can take a few low-cost steps to help them in diverting the trend. Among such steps include making the inside of the buildings insulated better hence more energy efficient. Use of renewable sources of energy is a classic strategy in ensuring an efficient way of improving the energy performance of the environment and the built structures(Mertens, 2010). Recycling of materials- It is recommendable that designers and manufacturers of various items specify on recycled and local materials to help curb construction wastes that end up in landfills. It is estimated that out of over 250 million tons of waste produced in the USA every year, less than 30% is recycled translating to massive landfill depositions which are a further strain on the environment(Sheppard, 2012). Reduction of heat island effects: There is a significant rise in the temperature of the urban set up compared to the neighboring rural areas to as high as averagely seven degrees Farenheight(Deming, 2011). This unique rise in the temperature not only creates a worry among the city dwellers but also contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases from the high demand of artificial cooling especially during peak summer hours. The overall effect is a further increase in global warming. The heavy structures used in the urban regions generate a lot of heat in which these structures consume and re-radiate the solar radiations. The anthropogenic sources of heat among them power plants, vehicles and air conditioner also release additional heat to the already overstretched environment. Alternative travel encouragement: Carbon dioxide released from combustion of fuels in automobiles contributes to a significant percentage of the gases which promote global warming. There would, therefore, be a need to rethink and take appropriate measures that as far as commuting is concerned. How to achieve my aims Water efficiency: I would advocate for and design approaches that would appropriately respond to higher water efficiency needs. Through such designs as permeable pavers, bioswales, rain gardens, rooftop gardens and constructed wetlands, stormwater and rainwater can be made to penetrate into the ground as opposed to running on the surfaces. These designs would make it possible to collect the water and even store it for future use as the need may dictate(Simin, 2010). Important to note is that these designed features not only minimize the use of water but also provide green spaces that are more environmental. I will help in the device of water reuse and recycling systems which building wastewater in the maintenance of the designed landscapes. With regard to energy efficiency and use of renewable sources of energy, I would incorporate green roofs on residential structures to help check on usage of energy during winter and summer. Incorporation of green walls in design would provide insulation during winter and limit direct sunlight onto the walls during summer. These would as well facilitate energy usage reduction. These strategies would help in cooling the temperature of the air by more than ten degrees. I would offer various proposals to include renewable energy generation and maximization in the built structures(Mertens, 2010). I would salvage and reuse on-site materials in my design and proposals to reduce landfill wastes and also improve the air quality. The reuse would also old growth products of timber including posts, architectural trimmings and support beams which are seldom to find when new. I would as well change these on-site materials into artwork of varying uniqueness or reform them into design features. This step would bring more hope in the realization of sustainability as well as promote originality in design. To help reduce heat islands effects, I will introduce urban trees, paving materials of light color, open green spaces, photovoltaic canopy shades and roof+ wall systems in my design. Urban trees lower urban temperatures by bringing about shading coverage which shelter buildings as well as condition the air. Findings have it that shaded regions are up to 25 degrees cooler than the non-shaded regions in the same climate. Still, the urban trees significantly mitigate changes in the climate by sequestering and storing carbon dioxide and as through evapotranspiration. Green roofs also contribute to measurable benefits of evapotranspiration(Deming, 2011). By designing complete streets i.e. inclusive of sidewalks, trails, bike paths, and bus stations will encourage the use of sustainable travel modes. In each of the designs, I would ensure harmony with and acceptance by the community to ensure they are used by the target users appropriately. References Davoudi, S. (2009). Planning for Climate Change: Strategies for Mitigation and Adaptation for Spatial Planners. Athens: Earthscan. Deming, M. E. (2011). Landscape Architectural Research: Inquiry, Strategy, Design. Kansas: John Wiley Sons. Fetzer. (2014). Knowledge Building in Landscape Architecture: A pedagogical action research study with international online seminars. Manitowoc: kassel university press GmbH. Kanaani, M. (2015). The Routledge Companion for Architecture Design and Practice: Established and Emerging Trends. Bogota: Routledge. Mertens, E. (2010). Visualizing Landscape Architecture: Functions, Concepts, Strategies. Chicago: Walter de Gruyter. Sheppard, S. R. (2012). Visualizing Climate Change: A Guide to Visual Communication of Climate Change and Developing Local Solutions. Talcahuano: Routledge. Simin, D. (2010). Forecasting Forest Futures: A Hybrid Modelling Approach to the Assessment of Sustainability of Forest Ecosystems and Their Values. New York: Earthscan. Watson, D. (2010). Design for Flooding: Architecture, Landscape, and Urban Design for Resilience to Climate Change. London: John Wiley Sons.