Green Infrastructure Benefits

View of the green roof at the ASLA headquarters in Washington DC.
Photo © ASLA

Green infrastructure techniques like green roofs, permeable pavers, rain gardens and other design approaches can provide significant economic and ecological benefits for communities facing overburdened and crumbling infrastructure, according to David Yocca, FASLA, who testified before US Congress on behalf of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

Green infrastructure, which utilizes the natural systems of trees, plants and soil to clean and store stormwater, can provide a cost-effective alternative to installing and repairing grey infrastructure techniques like traditional pipes and sewers.

“Integrated green infrastructure strategies combine leading-edge, living technology with local design, craft and skill to restore our neighborhoods and cities, to be healthier, more beautiful and ultimately more economically and ecologically sustainable over time,” said Yocca.

In addition, Yocca’s testimony during a hearing before the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee described how green infrastructure transformed the City of Chicago.

“What we are seeing in Chicago is the creation of an industry that did not exist 10 years ago. We’re not only creating sustainable buildings, alleys, streets and neighborhoods, we are creating good paying local jobs that capitalize on the talents and expertise of local workers,” said Yocca. “Today, the City of Chicago is currently one of the shining examples of how greening a city has yielded tremendous ecological and economic benefits.”

Why is green infrastructure important:

• Many communities around the country face a growing problem of old, deteriorating infrastructure such as the pipes and sewers used to manage rainwater.
• Communities can save millions of dollars each year by utilizing techniques like green roofs and tree-planting.
• Plants and microbes in the soil can break down many of the pollutants found in runoff, keeping chemicals out of our drinking water and watershed areas.
• Additional green space can help mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce energy consumption.
• Green infrastructure also improves air quality, human health and even property values.

To learn more about green infrastructure, visit www.asla.org to read more about the Campaign for Green Infrastructure:
www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=27316

Further Information:
American Society of Landscape Architects ASLA
636 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3736 • USA
Tel.: +1-202 898-2444
Fax: +1-202 898-1185
eMail: info@asla.org
web: www.asla.org