memorandum - texas a&m universitycbe.tamu.edu/data/sites/1/allouruploads/...7. the simpson drill...
TRANSCRIPT
COUNCIL FOR THE BUlL T ENVIRONMENT
Co-Chairs: Dr. Karan L. Watson, Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Jerry R. Strawser, Vice President for Finance and Administration
January 4, 2016
MEMORANDUM
TO: President Michael K. Young President, Texas A&M University
SUBJECT: CBE Recommendation: Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center
The Council for the Built Environment (CBE) received a request from the College of Architecture for the installation of the Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center. If approved, the project will be funded by a $61 ,500 grant from the Aggie Green Fund. The request and reports from the Design Review, Facilities Utilization and Planning, and Technical sub-councils are attached.
The Design Review sub-council (DRsc) members unanimously voted to recommend approval of the Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center project as proposed at conceptual design with the following caveats:
• Further design details are presented to the DRsc at a later date, including details regarding plant material, grading of the site, rainwater collection/capture systems.
• Request alternative solutions to the rainwater funnels. • Request simplification of the terrace area. • Further refinement of the courtyard design to maximize access to the outdoor area and
make more public, including consideration of a seating area to tie in with the Azimuth dining facility.
• Coordination with Transportation Services to confirm that the project is in alignment with the redesign of Parking Lot 54.
• Investigate the possibility of reordering the phases due to potential conflict with reconfiguration and construction of Parking Lot 54.
• Request coordination with the College of Architecture to confirm the proper removal process for the wooden sculpture.
The Facilities Utilization and Planning (FUPsc) sub-council voted to recommend the request for the Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center.
Jack K Wtlltams Administration Bulidtng. Sutte 100 1248 TAMU College Statton TX 77843-1248 USA
Tel. +1 979.845.4016 Fax. +1 979.845 6994 http//cbe.tarnu .edu/
January 4, 2016 CBE Recommendation: Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center Page 2
The Technical Review sub-council (TRsc) supports the proposed request to approve the execution of an Aggie Green Fund project and recommends approval , provided the following issues/concerns are addressed and funded.
• The design team should continue to ensure that the project does not increase the rate of storm runoff into local creeks.
• The project team should coordinate with Grounds Management for landscaping and irrigation concerns.
• Adequate lighting is required for the improvements so that it is safe after hours. • The project should address ADA accessibility as a component of the planning.
The CBE voted to recommend, with noted caveats, the President's approval ofthe execution of the Aggie Green Fund Project, The Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center.
TZaran L. Watson Date Provost and Executive Vice President Co-Chair, Council for the Built Environment
Approved:
Michael K. Young President
l -(, -1 & Date
9"1~ 1/4/11 Jerry R. Strawser Date Vice President for Finance & Administration Co-Chair, Council for the Built Environment
cc: Sub-Council Chairs, Council for the Built Environment Dr. Jorge A. Vanegas, Dean, College of Architecture
!COLLEGE!OF!ARCHITECTURE!!DEAN’S!OFFICE!!Dr.$Jorge$A.$Vanegas$ $Dean!
!!Langford!Architecture!Center!A202!3137!TAMU! !College!Station,!TX!77843J3137!!Tel.!979.845.1222!!!Fax!979.845.4491!jvanegas@arch.tamu.edu!http://www.arch.tamu.edu/
Memo$$!Date:$ October!30,!2015!!To:$ Dr.!Karan!Watson,!Provost!and!Executive!Vice!President!
Dr.!Jerry!Strawser,!Vice!President!for!Finance!and!Administration!and!CFO!(CoJChairs!of!the!Council!for!the!Built!Environment!–!CBE)!
$Through:$ Lilia!González,!University!Architect!
From:! Jorge!A.!Vanegas,!Dean!College!of!Architecture!
!Subject:! A!Formal!Request!to!Approve!the!Execution!of!an!Aggie!Green!Fund!Project!!
Howdy.!I!would!like!to!formally!update!a!previous!request!for!review!and!approval!by!the!Council(for(the(Built(Environment!(CBE)!for!the!execution!of!an!Aggie!Green!Fund!Project,!which!was!recently!approved:!The!Aggie(B.L.U.E.print(Center:(Building(Lasting(University(Environments.!This!project!was!submitted!by!Dr.!Galen!Newman,!Dr.!JunJHyun!Kim,!and!Dr.!MingJHan!Li!from!the!Department(of(Landscape(Architecture(and(Urban(Planning!(LAUP)!in!the!College(of(Architecture!(CARC)!at!Texas(A&M(University!(TAMU),!and!presented!originally!on!May!12,!2015.!!This!project!seeks!to!install!Low(Impact(Development!(LID)!facilities!as!an!onJcampus!living!laboratory,!to!display!impacts!on!hydrologic!sustainability!on!the!TAMU!campus!and!disseminate!this!information!to!visitors,!scholars,!students,!and!passersby.!The!original!proposed!location!was!at!the!courtyard!tangent!to!the!Civil(Engineering(Building!on!the!TAMU!campus.!This!location!was!deemed!not!appropriate!for!this!project,!and!as!a!result!a!new!location!has!been!proposed.!I!am!pleased!to!enclose!in!Attachment!1!the!addendum!to!the!original!proposal,!which!identifies!the!proposed!new!location!as!a!green!area!located!at!the!east!corner!of!Building!C!of!the!Langford!Architecture!Center!(between!Building!A!and!C,!and!between!Building!C!and!Parking!Lot!54),!and!also!provides!complete!updated!details!on!the!project.!For!your!information,!I!am!also!including!in!Attachment!2!the!full!documentation!of!the!original!proposal!For!your!information,!both!Dr.!Forster!Ndubisi,!Head!of!LAUP,!and!myself!as!Dean!of!CARC,!have!approved!this!project,!pending!review!and!approval!by!the!CBE.!Please!let!me!know!if!we!need!to!provide!any!additional!information!on!this!matter.!
Attachment 1: Addendum to the Original
Aggie Green Fund Project Proposal
1
Addendum to Aggie Green Fund Investigators
Dr. Galen Newman
Dr. Jun-Hyun Kim
Dr. Ming-Han Li
Student Design Team
Ruisi Guo
Siman Ning
Yue Yao
2
This booklet was created to display conceptual ideas about how the funded project could look on a possible site. All information presented is simply conceptual though and the design could be added to, taken from, and/or placed on another candidate site. The objective of this addendum is to show the potential of what we envision the Aggie BLUEprint Center could be comprised.
The main concept of this project is low impact development design focusing on low maintenance regarding aesthetical and environmental benefits on the Campus environment. This project will not bring any extra costs for the future maintenance. The estimated future maintenance costs will be at most the same as the current campus maintenance practice or even lower by:• Reducing chemcial fertilizer usage by planting native plants• Requiring low maintenance• Reducing irrigation cost by recycling stormwater harvested on project site
3
Background 1Alignment with Campus Plans 2Representative Site Location 5Site Inventory 6Opportunities and Constraints Analysis 7Low Impact Development (LID) 8LID Facilities (On-Site Possibilities) 9Conceptual Master Plan 10Phase I- Terrace Garden 11Phase II- Courtyard 14Planting Design/ Scheduale 17Suggested Planting List/ Blooming Cycle 18
Table of Contents
1
The Need for Freshwater Resources
Background
We are in need of freshwater. Easily accessible fresh water takes about 0.03% of the water on earth.Recycling rainwater can be a great potential resource.
College Station Precipitation
Peak Discharge Rate [cfs]
The potential flood of the site asks for an effective way to infiltrate or absorb the on-site run-off.
Compared to our State and our Country, Brazos County has relatively high annual rainfall, of which should be taken full advantage. Differences in precipitation during seasons can cause both seasonal drought and flooding. So the collection and reuse of stormwater is a necessary solution
2
Alignment with Campus Plans
Vision 2020 - Creating a Culture of Excellence
Imperative 8. Enrich Our Campus
Percept: Maintain and Enhance the Campus Environment
...It should provide meeting places and present the image of an organization dedicated to quality in all it undertakes. Movement of students, faculty, and staff around the campus should be convenient.
Create a culture that values the aesthetics and functionality of the physical settings in which people work and one that appreciates the opportunity for interaction and growth that a thoughtfully planned campus supports.
Texas A&M University Campus Master Plan
GOALS OF THE PLAN
7 . Promote sustainability
The campus has finite land and resources. The goal is to promote sustainability by teaching, planning, and acting in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Texas A&M University Campus Master Plan
Vision 2020 - Creating a Culture of Excellence
3
Policy 13: LandscapeThe University acknowledges the importance of the campus landscape as a resource, as an element of civic structure, as an ecological system, and as a “teaching laboratory.” Toward this end, the university adopts and supports the Landscape Plan, and will develop a proactive landscape development program in conformance with the landscape principles and guidelines of the Campus Master Plan. A landscape strategy that is resource-efficient and regionally consistent will be supported.
• Landscape Principle 4: Architectural Connections
The landscape structure of streets, courts, and quads should complement and reinforce the spatial intentions of the architecture. In addition to the pattern of major spaces, landscape transitions and connections need to be made to the buildings—especially entrances and ground floor public spaces. The space immediately outside the building entrance is often a significant meeting and socializing place.
• Landscape Principle 5: Native Landscape
The connection between the campus and the surrounding regional landscape should be reinforced. This is both a formal transformation—from an urban landscape to a picturesque rural landscape—as well as an ecological transformation—from a highly maintained synthetic landscape to a resource-efficient native one.
• Landscape Principle 6: Identity and Variety
The identity of the campus should be reinforced and emphasized by an extensive variety of open spaces, planting, paving, and sculpture. Strong traditions exist on campus, and these should celebrated by the physical manifestation of ceremonial or cultural spaces.
• Landscape Principle 7: Ecological Constraints
The constraints of campus soil, vegetation, and hydrology are knowledge that should be incorporated into campus landscape design to improve the environment. Information regarding campus conditions, and approved plant lists are included in the appendix.
• Landscape Principle 8: Resource Efficiency
A sustainable, water-and energy-efficient landscape should be promoted by incorporating diverse vegetation with an emphasis on native and well-adapted plants.
• Landscape Principle 9: Maintenance
A maintenance strategy should be devised that concentrates resources in the most significant and/or visible locations.
Texas A&M University Campus Master Plan
Maintenance Level 1
Urban Campus Landscape (the Highly Maintained Landscape) Regular and frequent mowing, pruning, weeding, feeding, pest control, watering, and general cleaning are to be part of the
Maintenance Level 1 regime. Every effort should be made to limit the use of fertilizers and pesticides by incorporating native and adapted plant materials. The principles of xeriscape (water conservation through drought-tolerant plant choices, amended soils for improved water retention, limiting the planting of turf to appropriate locations, employing an efficient irrigation system, and mulching) should be incorporated into the regimen. Repair and twice yearly maintenance of irrigation systems should be planned. Seasonal planting in limited areas (courtyards and gardens) can be expected.
Alignment with Campus Plans (continued)
4
Alignment with University Master Plan
6 5
4
3
21 0
1
9
7 24
8
1 0
Proposed Long Range Plan, with the major components identified1. New Main Drive2. the Administration Building/East Lawn area3. the East Quad4. the east-west pedestrian walks on the north and south side of the East Quad and the Library Complex5. the Library Quad/Diversity Plaza between the Academic Building and Cushing Library6. the Academic Quad and Military Walk7. the Simpson Drill Field area, and new underpasses at Jones Street and Lamar Street8. a new West Quad, and the redevelopment of Wellborn Road as a tree-lined boulevard9. the West Campus extension of Old Main10. the White Creek Greenway
Site Location in Proposed Civic Structure Plan 3. the East Quad
3
Site Location in Long Range PlanCollege of Architecture
Site
How the design of the site fits the university master plan goals1. Reinforce campus identity: water smart design and practice.2. Establish connectivity: connectivity reestablished between places.3. Create architecture that contributes positively to the campus community: Langford A, B, and C become better neighbors through the exterior design and landscape.4. Promote spatial equity and appropriateness: the reuse and rebirth of existing space.5. Establish an accessible, pedestrian campus: walkable and connected.6. Promote sustainability: promote sustainability by teaching, planning, and acting in an environmentally sustainable manner.
5
Representative Site Location
Site Panorama
Texas Brazos County College Station TAMU Main Campus Langford C Building
6
Site Inventory
Langford A
Site Detail
Structural Drainage
Roadway Green Space
Langford B Langford C
Existing TreeExisting Wall
0 50 100 Ft
0 50 100 Ft 0 50 100 Ft
0 50 100 Ft 0 50 100 Ft
Existing Sculpture
Parking Lot
Grass332
331
330
329
333334
334335
336337
338339
340
335
7
Opportunities and Constraints AnalysisConstraintsOpportunities
CO
SOUTH ENTRANCE TO YARD
• Cracked Step Stone
• ADA Requirement Not Met
EAST ENTRANCE TO YARD
• Bad Drainage
• No Sense of Welcoming
• Create A Campus Destination
SCULPTURE AREA
• Temporary Art Installation
• Erosion
• Main Entrance for Langford C
• Important Visual Feature
C
C
C
C
C
C
SIDEWALK
• Benches for Wating Bus
YARD LAWN
• Bad Drainage
• Neglected Space
• Interaction Space
• Shade for Relaxation
WALL
• Blocked View
• Reduced Use of Garden
• Increase Ease of
LANGFORD C
• Neglected Patio Space
• No Gutter System of
• Open View to the Yard
• Rainwater Collection
• Runoff Reuse
O
O
O
O
O
O
Rainwater Catchment
Access / Connectivity
needs Removal (Rotten)
8
Low Impact Development (LID)
Low Impact Development (LID) is an ecologically-based stormwa-ter management approach favoring soft engineering to manage rainfall on site through a vegetated treatment network. The goal of LID is to sustain a site’s pre-development hydrologic regime by using techniques that infiltrate, filter, store, and evaporate storm-water runoff close to its source. Contrary to conventional “pipe-and-pond” conveyance infrastructure that channels runoff else-where through pipes, catchment basins, and curbs and gutters, LID remediates polluted runoff through a network of distributed treatment landscapes.
LID concepts are scalable to various sized projects and land-use types. Dividing urban development into its constituent compo-nents — building, property, street and open space — illustrates stakeholder action opportunities within each component. The goal is not just to minimize impact, but to develop regenerative and productive urban landscapes that continually renew ecosystem functioning.
LID facilities are designed for treatment service (quality) as well as volume reduction (quantity). Most municipalities require drain-age infrastructure to manage 100-year storm events. Though one facility alone will likely not satisfy performance requirements, facilities with varying levels of service in a treatment network will provide superior levels of treatment and volume reduction.
Rain Harvesting SystemRainwater harvesting involves collection, stor-age, and reuse of runoff from roofs.Scale50-gallon rain barriel for residential25,000-gallon cistern for commercial
Rain GardenA rain garden is a planted depression designed to infiltrate stormwater runoff, but not hold it.Scale500 sq ft, to allow for adequate irrigation be-tween small storm events
Stormwater ReuseBy using water storage system to capture water and recycle that water for non-potable needs, especially irrigation.ScaleCollect water from small size rainbarrels and cisterns to large scale detention pond
Bio SwaleA bio swale is an open, gently sloped, vegetat-ed channel designed for treatment and con-veyance of stormwater runoff.Scale2’-8’ wide with 2”-4” optimal water depth
Rain FunnelRain funnel is a free standing rainwater collec-tor, with an underground water storage cistern.ScalePerfect for medium scale rainwater harvesting projects.
Terrace GardenTerrace garden are vegetated areas that work by slowing runoff speed, trapping sediment and pollutants, and providing absorption. ScaleFrom a small scale open space to the size of a large field
Educational SignageEducational signage helps to increase public awareness of LID installations.ScaleTraditional bulletin board Digital display screen
Filter StripA filter strip is a grassy slope located parallel to an impervious surface such as a parking lot, driveway, or sidewalk.ScaleFrom a small slope at streetside to the size of a large field
Drought Tolerant Plant SpeciesThe use of drought tolerant plants is essential to a successful xeriscape, which ideally re-quires no supplemental irrigation.ScaleFrom small scale space to the large field
What is LID?
How to implement LID?
What are the LID facilities?
BuildingDesign the building as a net energy producer that recharges groundwater and harvests rainwater.
PropertySubstitute an ecologically-based stormwater treatment system for an otherwise decorative landscape.
StreetDesign the street as a garden to achieve traffic calming and storm-water management.
Open SpaceComprehensively plan open space as a green network that deliv-ers vital ecological services at the scale of a watershed.
LID EDUCATIONAL
SIGNAGE
Reference: Huber, J. (2011). LID Low Impact Development: A Design Manual for Urban Areas.
9
LID Facilities (On-Site Possibilities)
Rain Garden
Rain Harvesting System Filter Strip Terrace GardenRain FunnelDrought Tolerant
Plant Species
Stormwater Reuse
Bio Swale
Educational Signage
LID EDUCATIONAL
SIGNAGE
10
Conceptual Master Plan
Rain Garden
Terrace Garden
Rain Tunnel & Seating Area
Bio Swale
Visual Access
Bike Rack
Porous Pathway
Filter Strip
Rainwater Collection Box
Street Parking
Rainwater Harvesting Cistern
Screening Wall
Utility Building
Architecture Building C
0 5 10 20 ft
09
01
07
03
09
05
11
02
08
04
10
06
12
13
14
08 07
05
06
04
0210
03
11
13
12
14
01
N
11
01
03
02 10 10
09
08 07 05
06
04
11 1113 13
12 12
14 14
Phase I- Terrace Garden Phase II- Courtyard
Rain Garden
Terrace Garden
Rain Tunnel & Seating Area
Bio Swale Visual Access
Bike Rack Bike Rack
Porous Pathway
Filter Strip Rainwater Collection Box
Street Parking Street ParkingRainwater Harvesting Cistern
Screening Wall Screening Wall
Utility Building Utility Building
Architecture Building C Architecture Building C
01
07
03
09
0511 1102
08
0410 10
0612 12
13 13
14 14
12
1st phase: Terrace Garden (2015-2016)Equipment and ConstructionItem Estimated CostsPlanting materials for Building Test Beds $6,000.00Rainwater harvesting systems $9,000.00Labor $2,500.00Small scale LID facilities $2,000.00monitoring devices $2,000.00
Subtotal $21,500.00Publicity and CommunicationItem Estimated CostsWebsite devbelopment and management $1,500.00Publications (report/brochure, etc) $500.00Signage and wayfinding systems $2,000.00
Subtotal $4,000.00 Personnel and Wage/BenefitsItem Estimated CostsStudent workers $4,000.00
Subtotal $4,000.00General Supplies and OtherItem Estimated CostsInfrastructure maintenance $3,000.00Scholarship $1,000.00
Subtotal $4,000.00TOTAL BUDGET ESTIMATION (1st) $33,500.00
Phase I Budget Estimation
13
Slope 3%- 5%
Slope 2%- 4%
Temporary Art Installation Needs Removal (Rotten) Increased Runoff IntensityBad Drainage Wall Blocks View
Phase I- Panaroma of Terrace Garden (Before)
14
LID EDUCATION
BOARD
Rain Harvesting System
Terrace Garden
Filter StripRain Funnel
Education Signage
Drought TolerantPlant Species
Stormwater Reuse
Phase I- Panaroma of Terrace Garden (After)
15
2nd Phase: Courtyard (2017-2018)Equipment and ConstructionItem Estimated CostsPlanting materials for Building Test Beds $4,000.00Rainwater harvesting systems $7,000.00 Labor $2,500.00Small scale LID facilities $2,000.00monitoring devices $2,000.00
Subtotal $17,500.00 Publicity and CommunicationItem Estimated CostsWebsite devbelopment and management $1,000.00 Publications (report/brochure, etc) $1,500.00 Signage and wayfinding systems $2,000.00
Subtotal $4,500.00 Personnel and Wage/BenefitsItem Estimated CostsStudent workers $2,000.00
Subtotal $2,000.00General Supplies and OtherItem Estimated CostsInfrastructure maintenance $3,000.00Scholarship $1,000.00
Subtotal $4,000.00TOTAL BUDGET ESTIMATION (2st) $28,000.00
TOTAL BUDGET ESTIMATION $61,500.00
Phase II Budget Estimation
16
Phase II- Panaroma of Courtyard (Before)
The patio space is rarely usedRunoff from building floods area Bad drainage and limited infiltration The space is almost invisible from outside
17
Rain GardenEducational SignageRain Funnel
LID EDUCATIONAL
SIGNAGE
Rain Harvesting System
Phase II- Panaroma of Courtyard (After)
18
Conceptual Planting Plan
19
Scientific Name
Bloom Season
Application
Height
Light Requirement:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Scientific Name
Bloom Season
Application
Height
Light Requirement:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sun Part Shade Shade Seasonal Garden Filter Strip Xeriscape Rain Garden
Andropogon gerardii
3-6 ft 3-6 ft 2-3 ft 2-3 ft
Elymus canadensis L
Salvia greggii
Muhlenbergia Capillaris (Lam.) Trin.
1 1/2-3 ft
Phyla incisa
0-1 ft
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'
Chasmanthium latifolium (Michx.) Yates
2-4 ft
Aspidistra elatior
2-3 ft
Malvaviscus aboreus
4-6 ft
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
2-3 ft
Liriope spp.
1-2ft
Pavonia lasiopetala
2-3 ft
Canna generalis
2-6 ft
Ruellia nudiflora
1-2 ft
Aquilegia canadensis L.
1-2 ft 1-2 ft
Ilex Decidua
Agave americana L
Callicarpa americana L.
Sophora affinis
Lagerstroemia indica
Manfreda virginica (L.) Salisb. ex Rose
Hesperaloe parviflora
12-20 ft 6-12 ft3-5 ft 15-30 ft 10-30 ft 1-3 ft3-5 ft
Lantana achyranthifolia Desf.
2-3 ft
Clematis pitcheri Torr. & Gray
Smilax smallii Morong
6-12 ft 6-12 ft 3-15 ft
Lonicera sempervirens L.
Trachelospermum asiaticum
Scientific Name
Bloom Season
Application
Height
Light Requirement:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Scientific Name
Bloom Season
Application
Height
Light Requirement:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sun Part Shade Shade Seasonal Garden Filter Strip Xeriscape Rain Garden
Andropogon gerardii
3-6 ft 3-6 ft 2-3 ft 2-3 ft
Elymus canadensis L
Salvia greggii
Muhlenbergia Capillaris (Lam.) Trin.
1 1/2-3 ft
Phyla incisa
0-1 ft
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'
Chasmanthium latifolium (Michx.) Yates
2-4 ft
Aspidistra elatior
2-3 ft
Malvaviscus aboreus
4-6 ft
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
2-3 ft
Liriope spp.
1-2ft
Pavonia lasiopetala
2-3 ft
Canna generalis
2-6 ft
Ruellia nudiflora
1-2 ft
Aquilegia canadensis L.
1-2 ft 1-2 ft
Ilex Decidua
Agave americana L
Callicarpa americana L.
Sophora affinis
Lagerstroemia indica
Manfreda virginica (L.) Salisb. ex Rose
Hesperaloe parviflora
12-20 ft 6-12 ft3-5 ft 15-30 ft 10-30 ft 1-3 ft3-5 ft
Lantana achyranthifolia Desf.
2-3 ft
Clematis pitcheri Torr. & Gray
Smilax smallii Morong
6-12 ft 6-12 ft 3-15 ft
Lonicera sempervirens L.
Trachelospermum asiaticum
Scientific Name
Bloom Season
Application
Height
Light Requirement:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Scientific Name
Bloom Season
Application
Height
Light Requirement:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sun Part Shade Shade Seasonal Garden Filter Strip Xeriscape Rain Garden
Andropogon gerardii
3-6 ft 3-6 ft 2-3 ft 2-3 ft
Elymus canadensis L
Salvia greggii
Muhlenbergia Capillaris (Lam.) Trin.
1 1/2-3 ft
Phyla incisa
0-1 ft
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'
Chasmanthium latifolium (Michx.) Yates
2-4 ft
Aspidistra elatior
2-3 ft
Malvaviscus aboreus
4-6 ft
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
2-3 ft
Liriope spp.
1-2ft
Pavonia lasiopetala
2-3 ft
Canna generalis
2-6 ft
Ruellia nudiflora
1-2 ft
Aquilegia canadensis L.
1-2 ft 1-2 ft
Ilex Decidua
Agave americana L
Callicarpa americana L.
Sophora affinis
Lagerstroemia indica
Manfreda virginica (L.) Salisb. ex Rose
Hesperaloe parviflora
12-20 ft 6-12 ft3-5 ft 15-30 ft 10-30 ft 1-3 ft3-5 ft
Lantana achyranthifolia Desf.
2-3 ft
Clematis pitcheri Torr. & Gray
Smilax smallii Morong
6-12 ft 6-12 ft 3-15 ft
Lonicera sempervirens L.
Trachelospermum asiaticum
Scientific Name
Bloom Season
Application
Height
Light Requirement:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Scientific Name
Bloom Season
Application
Height
Light Requirement:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sun Part Shade Shade Seasonal Garden Filter Strip Xeriscape Rain Garden
Andropogon gerardii
3-6 ft 3-6 ft 2-3 ft 2-3 ft
Elymus canadensis L
Salvia greggii
Muhlenbergia Capillaris (Lam.) Trin.
1 1/2-3 ft
Phyla incisa
0-1 ft
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'
Chasmanthium latifolium (Michx.) Yates
2-4 ft
Aspidistra elatior
2-3 ft
Malvaviscus aboreus
4-6 ft
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
2-3 ft
Liriope spp.
1-2ft
Pavonia lasiopetala
2-3 ft
Canna generalis
2-6 ft
Ruellia nudiflora
1-2 ft
Aquilegia canadensis L.
1-2 ft 1-2 ft
Ilex Decidua
Agave americana L
Callicarpa americana L.
Sophora affinis
Lagerstroemia indica
Manfreda virginica (L.) Salisb. ex Rose
Hesperaloe parviflora
12-20 ft 6-12 ft3-5 ft 15-30 ft 10-30 ft 1-3 ft3-5 ft
Lantana achyranthifolia Desf.
2-3 ft
Clematis pitcheri Torr. & Gray
Smilax smallii Morong
6-12 ft 6-12 ft 3-15 ft
Lonicera sempervirens L.
Trachelospermum asiaticum
Suggested Planting List/ Blooming Cycle
Attachment 2: Original Aggie Green Fund
Project Proposal
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning
Langford Architecture Center 3147 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3137 Tel. 979.845.1019 Cell. Fax 979.862.1784 http://archweb.tamu.edu/laup
Date: 12 May 2015 To: Jorge Vanegas From: Galen Newman, Jun-Hyun Kim, and Ming-Han Li Subject: Request Approval for Submission for Review by the CBE Project: Aggie B.L.U.E.print Center: Building Lasting University Environments
Dear Dean Jorge Vanegas: This letter is intended to serve as a formal memo requesting approval of a funded project to move forward to the Council of the Built Environment at Texas A&M University. Kelly Wellman contacted me from the Office of Sustainability in request of your assistance/approval of a project that myself, Ming-Han Li and Jun-Hyun Kim received funding on from this year’s Aggie Green Fund. There is a full synopsis of the project attached, but in summary, we hope to develop an on-campus living laboratory at the courtyard tangent to the Civil Engineering Building on the Texas A&M University campus by installing Low Impact Development (LID) facilities to display its impacts on hydrologic sustainability on the TAMU campus and disseminate this information to visitors, scholars, students, and passersby. We have received funding from the Aggie Green Fund (see the acceptance agreement letter attached) to move forward with the project. However, this project must be approved, first by the Dean of the grant recipient’s College (you) before it can move forward through the process for final approval by the Council for the Built Environment which will determine if it actually get built. The process for these types of projects can be found here: http://cbe.tamu.edu/construction.aspx In conclusion, we need you to review the project summary and send your approval of its implementation. This will then be passed to the Council for the Built Environment and, if approved, construction can then begin once their process concludes. We will be glad to meet with you to discuss the project as well. Please let us know of any further assistance you may need to make your decision.
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Best, Galen Newman, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning Texas A & M University Scoates Hall 103 [email protected] Office# 979.862.4320
Project Description and Implementation Drought has had a statewide impact on Texas with current groundwater reservoirs at only 67% fill level (down from 81%) and reservoir storage rapidly declining with losses of up to 64,000 acre-feet per week from lack of rain, lack of stormwater infiltration, and over-consumption of water. Groundwater has declined in most Texan aquifers while areas closer to the Gulf have simultaneously subsided up to 8ft since 1940 due to excessive groundwater consumption. Land planning strategies, which emphasize stormwater runoff management such as Low Impact Development (LID), have become increasingly utilized in sustainable design and development projects to help minimize water use and the impacts of impervious land cover on the environment. LID provides an alternative to traditional approaches that require costly maintenance and waste resources. To offer a high-impact learning opportunity for all students at Texas A&M University, this project seeks to create a realistic, measureable, interactive, and educational testbed which showcases the processes and advantages of LID techniques by installing LID facilities at the courtyard tangent to the Civil Engineering Building on the Texas A&M University campus. LID facilities will act as provisions for solutions to hydrologic issues both city and state-wide and will be placed on display and implemented as an interactive public exhibition in an effort to increase awareness about water problems and home-style resolutions to these quandaries. The purpose is to develop an on-campus living exhibition of a garden with low impact features. In collaborations with student organizations, students from the College of Architecture will lead in the design, planning, detailing, construction, installation, and measurement of impacts for all LID applications including physical structures, facilities, hydrologic infrastructure, planting, measurement tools and associated live and stored data processing/display, exposing them to experiences that go well beyond the traditional classroom. This undertaking is not intended as a research project, but a fully implemented, sustainable courtyard which absorbs stormwater runoff, harvests rainwater for irrigation, and beautifies the space. We hope to implement a working LID garden (e.g., bioswale, rain garden, etc…) with real-time data display, web-accessible interface to exhibit the impact of altering the site, benefiting not only targeted classes but also the university and community at large. General benefits of this project are to raise awareness of LID facilities and technologies and to demonstrate the feasibility of widespread implementation and to train a new generation of practitioners in LID applications. Funding form the Aggie Green Fund (AGF) would, primarily, go toward construction materials, plant specimen, monitoring equipment, and any outside contracting that may be required. Environmental improvement will be reliant upon an implementation method which requires external contractors, students from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning (LAUP), the College of Architecture, and campus-wide student volunteers. Large scale facilities will be outsourced for implementation services while smaller scale facility installation will be implemented in the Landscape Architecture program’s curriculum utilizing students from design studios and construction classes as a hands-on learning device. Other marketing mechanism will be employed for volunteer-based labors from other students campus-wide, regardless of major.
Goals and Objectives
Several goals are sought to achieve this overarching focus:
1. Provide an interactive, recreational and sustainable atmosphere to students and visitors 2. Design, implement and monitor LID facilities within the courtyard of the Civil
Engineering Building 3. Utilize the design and construction of the site as an educational mechanism for students 4. Educate the public as to the large impact that a single person can have on hydrological
sustainability 5. Develop a campus, city, regional, and state venue for the display of innovative
sustainable development techniques 6. Use the implemented LID showcase as a continual venue for testing the effectiveness of
LID projects
Several objectives are sought to achieve these goals:
1. Strategically implement structural and non-structural LID facilities to increase on-campus sustainability, education, research, and demonstration possibilities
2. Operationalize the construction, performance measurement and long term monitoring of the site during assessing the impact of urbanization as an educational mechanism for students.
3. Integrate innovative technologies for display, wayfinding, survey taking, real-time data display via the web, data sharing/streamlining, public marketing and program evaluation.
Benefits
There are several benefits to the campus which can all be measured using different mechanisms:
Benefit 1: Promoting Community Awareness – An increase in awareness of alternative and innovative mechanisms in which to develop in a more sustainable manner which can be applied to individual homesteads. This can be measured through monitoring visitor counts.
Benefit 2: Enhancing Ecological Environment Quality – Design implementation projects to decrease on site runoff volume, interior and exterior water usage through rainwater harvesting and other hydrologic reuse systems, and increase aquifer recharge. Water harvested can be measured through on-facility monitors and water collected and reused for irrigation can be compared to typical water usage amounts. Also, introducing diverse native vegetation on campus will increase species diversity and help remove pollutants in stormwater runoff draining from the adjacent areas of the campus.
Benefit 3: Increasing Financial Benefit – Economic incentives are replete. Monetary benefits can come from lower water bills, outside donations, lower energy bills, and other indirect forms of financial impact to the university.
Benefit 4: Improving Public Relations – The awareness provided to the community will inevitably lead to a regional and state-wide shift in perception for College Station as a hydrologically sensitive city in an otherwise drought ridden state. We see the center as a
state and/or national landmark for LID. Sign in sheets can be utilized as contact information for visitors for post evaluation surveys.
Benefit 5: Providing Education Opportunities – The educational benefits provided by the center offer both during construction opportunities for students and post-opportunities for visitors and researchers. Evaluative questionnaires for those participating in the construction as well as interacting with the completed project could help evaluate the educational impact.
Benefit 6: Solidifying Socialization – The provision of gathering space to support social interaction among students and recreational opportunities for inter-actors provides an educational forum for visitors.
Benefit 7: Offering Scholarship – Because the site is to become a living research forum, research forums such as the Landscape Architecture Foundation which measures landscape performance serve as great opportunities for publications. Other researchers on campus who utilize the center will also benefit from the data provided.
Costs and Milestones
This project will progress in three phases which will benefit the experiential learning elements by allowing for maximum student hands-on time: Design and Planning + Construction, Establishment + Stabilization, and Performance + Measurement. We expect to complete the first phase of installation in the first year, focusing on layout, large scale LID infrastructure and baseline data collection for future comparison. During the second phase, additional complexes of instrumentation will be added, including rainwater harvesting systems, filter strips, rain gardens, bio swales, and smaller scale low maintenance phytoremediation specimen. We will also continue to engage students in the construction and physical maintenance, along with measurements for runoff, heat, water quality, water capture, and infiltration rates which will greatly expand to students’ learning to understand sustainable development and practices. Students will participate in installing the structural and non-structural components and measure plant and establishment characteristics to showcase the diverse palette of phytoremediation plants and their relative establishment rates through differing substrates. The third phase will be reliant on hydrological monitoring component installation such as flow meters, pressure transducers, and automated water quality samplers. Data analysis and comparison to the initial baseline data collected prior to installation or estimated from past records will occur during this phase as well as website development and data streamlining. The collected data will be used in diverse courses as part of teaching materials. Interest
The principal investigators/project managers are interested in offering educational opportunities of the impact of LID applications to small scaled sites and the effect they can have if projected to a multitude of small scale sited. While conceptually, LID has significantly increased in popularity as a means of sustainable development, there has been no attempt to quantify the specific impacts of the facilities utilized in LID once they have been implemented. The proposed
site would serve as a testbed to gauge the effects of LID and measure its performance, leading to the ability to project these numbers to a broader audience. Focused learning opportunities include impacts on water quality, water usage, drought tolerant plant pallets, aquifer recharge, reuse opportunities, impacts of green infrastructure usage, and quantities necessary for effective implementation of rainwater harvesting/collecting devices.
Relevant Experience
The project managers have been a lead landscape architect for a series of Low Impact Development based sites for service learning projects in the Brazos Valley Region as well as numerous publications.
Selected Projects and Publications:
Newman, G. Sohn, W.M, & Li, M.H. (2014). ‘Performance Evaluation of Low Impact Development: Groundwater Infiltration in a Drought Prone Landscape in Conroe, Texas.’ Landscape Architecture Frontiers v.2 (4): 22-33.
Sohn, W.M., Kim, J.H., & Newman, G. (2014). ‘A BLUEprint for Stormwater Infrastructure Design: Implementation and Efficacy of LID.’ Landscape Research Record v.2: 50-61
Li, M. H., Li, P., McFalls, J., Storey, B., & Newman, G. (2013). “Developing the Sediment and Erosion Control Laboratory to Become a Hands-on Training and Education Center” No. SWUTC/13/161306-1. Record URL: http://d2dtl5nnlpfr0r. cloudfront.net /swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161306-1.pd
Newman, G. Kim, J.H. Summer, 2013. WaterSmart Garden. College Station, TX. Texas SeaGrant. Site design for low impact development features at the TAEX annex building on TAMU Campus
Newman, G. & Li, M.H., Spring, 2013. LoneStar Groundwater Conservation District-Low Impact Development. Conroe, TX. Design property grounds for the LoneStar Groundwater Conservation District facilities.
Please give a brief history of this project/your organization. Describe the overall purpose (goals) of the project.
The Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning (LAUP) at Texas A&M University prepares students to become professional landscape architects and planners in private and public sector practice. The landscape architecture program has been consistently ranked as one of the top 10 national programs over the past decades. We aim to produce graduates motivated to be leaders in the field and life-long learners.
Planning strategies emphasizing stormwater management, such as Low Impact Development (LID), are increasingly utilized in sustainable design/development, minimizing the impact of impervious land cover. LID is an innovative approach treating rainfall at the source, using uniformly distributed facilities such as rainfall collection devices, filtering systems, and water reuse mechanisms. This program seeks to train students in LID alternatives to traditional stormwater management through hands-on outdoor classroom activities involving development, installation, monitoring, management, and evaluation within an interactive test-bed. Provisions for solutions to complex hydrologic issues will be explored, assessed, and showcased as an interactive public exhibition to increase awareness about hydrological issues and their resolution. As noted, drought has had a statewide impact on Texas with current groundwater reservoirs at only 67% fill level (down from 81%) and reservoir storage rapidly declining with losses of up to 64,000 acre-feet per week from lack of rain, lack of stormwater infiltration, and over-consumption of water. Groundwater has declined in most aquifers while areas closer to the Gulf have subsided up to 8ft since 1940 due to groundwater consumption. LID provides an alternative to traditional approaches that require costly maintenance and waste resources. The TAMU campus architect, Lilia Gonzales, has identified several pocket park locations on campus which merit new construction depending on quality of re-design and ability to purchase necessary materials. The Civil Engineering courtyard (by the James Cain Building) is identified as one such target site. It is here that we seek to implement our project using the Aggie Green Fund.
What will be the process for implementing your project? Describe the key components and steps of your project.
This project will progress in three phases which will benefit the experiential learning elements by allowing for maximum student hands-on time: Design and Planning + Construction, Establishment + Stabilization, and Performance + Measurement. We expect to complete the first phase of installation in the first year, focusing on layout, large scale LID infrastructure and baseline data collection for future comparison. During the second phase, additional complexes of instrumentation will be added including rainwater harvesting systems, filter strips, rain gardens, bio swales, and smaller scale low maintenance phytoremediation specimen. We will also continue to engage students in the construction and physical maintenance, along with measurements for runoff, heat, water quality, water capture, and infiltration rates which will greatly expand the research and teaching utility. Students will participate in installing the structural and non-structural components and measure plant and establishment characteristics to showcase the diverse palette of phytoremediation plants and their relative establishment rates through differing substrates. The third phase will be reliant on hydrological monitoring component installation such as flow meters, pressure transducers, and automated water quality samplers. Data analysis and comparison to the initial baseline data collected prior to installation or estimated from past records will occur during this phase as well as website development and data streamlining. In Design/Planning + Construction, students will design the grounds of the site, classes will visit the project location, learn about LID facilities and related scientific instrumentation in a field trip type setting, and initialize the layout of the existing plan for the building. In Establishment + Stabilization, students will interact with the project through building and construction of the proposed stormwater infrastructure, and initial mechanisms for
data collection. Students will also participate in the process of construction, installation, and management of all appropriate elements of the project including physical structures, instrumentation, LID facilities, plant maintenance and measuring devices. In Performance + Measurement, data collection, interpretation, website development and associated live and stored data processing for display will be conducted. We will focus on the efficacy of LID facilities with 3 main typologies based on hydrological functionality: Capture, Convey, and Clean. The measurement variables include runoff, heat, water quality, water capture, and infiltration rates.
Which aspects of campus sustainability will your project address, and why is addressing these sustainability components important? How will your project benefit the Aggie community as a whole?
The project falls in line with several green initiatives at TAMU such as those initiated by the Office of Sustainability, the Sustainable Agriculture Student Farm and participating colleges strategic plans. This project also supports all 7 TAMU learning goals:
1. Depth of knowledge is increased through application of a range of principles 2. Critical thinking skills are enhanced through data analysis and interpretation 3. Various assignments will involve both oral and written communication 4/5. The project promotes personal and social responsibility and global competence 6. The multifaceted nature of this project should stimulate students to become lifelong learners via exposure to out-of-discipline concepts 7. Students will have to work as part of teams and work collaboratively
Does your project tie into any broader campus sustainability initiatives? If so, how?
While the project helps achieve the University’s Vision 20/20 imperatives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12, it also links to College objectives. The project addresses the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences strategic plan imperative 3: enhance the undergraduate experience. 1. Increase undergraduate student engagement in research offerings, as well as exposure of other classes through site visits and high impact (HIP) learning experiences. 2. Provide experiential learning opportunities that foster critical thinking, complex problem solving, strong communication skills, community interaction, and social/global awareness. The project addresses the College of Architecture’s Strategic Plan 2012 in section 3, goal 6 “Advanced Pedagogy” as it supports undergraduate research and collaborative projects. The College of Architecture’s “Aggies Commit” plan establishes an undergraduate research steering committee to award funding. CARC students would be able to compete for funding to participate in our research. Also in section 3 in “Other Priorities and Directions”, part 3, CARC seeks to increase integration of research and teaching.
Do any aspects of your project require approval from an entity on or off campus? If so, please explain.
As noted, The TAMU campus architect, Lilia Gonzales, has identified several pocket park locations on campus which merit new construction depending on quality of re-design and ability to purchase necessary materials. The Civil Engineering courtyard (by the James Cain building) is identified as one such target site. Any approval requirements, if funded, will be taken if necessary based on her recommendations. The project team will consult with Lilia Gonzales to learn about necessary plans and drawings for the university’s approval. The Council of Built Environment may require specific protocol for implementation to occur.
What quantifiable sustainability impacts will your project have and what will be the estimated cost savings to the campus? How do these impacts fit into the larger campus context (For example, what fraction of campus electricity usage does your savings represent)?
Last summer, a design team of landscape architecture students proposed a hydrologically sensitive outdoor design using a site having the similar contexts and size on the campus. Based on the initial simulation of applying LID techniques, there will be very positive economic benefits to the university. First of all, the immediate cost saving will come from reducing irrigation costs. We anticipate the proposed design will save more than $3,000 per year by reducing water use for irrigation and another $2,000 form lawn mowing reduction costs. In addition, once the project will be completely implemented and monitored to apply the best management practice to the whole campus wide, the immediate cost saving by reducing water use would be estimated by $2 million dollars. Also it will be the first LID demonstration garden of the campus and will raise the reputation of the university in a way to promote the campus sustainable development. Furthermore, it will bring a high-impact learning opportunity to students as well as public, and will bring another positive impact of increasing awareness of LID applications into other public and private practices across the state of Texas.
What are the qualitative benefits that would allow you to deem this project successful?
Project construction will be used as an educational and research facility (one of the few LID facilities on the TAMU campus) for students, researchers, faculty, and visitors. It will be a continual educational/research facility to recurrently evaluate the impacts of LID on hydrologic sustainability. We also plan to disseminate this information to visitors, scholars, students, and passersby. In addition, we will implement a real-time data display web-accessible interface to display the project data accumulation which will benefit not only the targeted classes but also the university and community at large. A general benefit of this project is to raise awareness of LID facilities and technologies, demonstrate the feasibility of widespread implementation and to train a new generation of practitioners in LID applications. The feasibility of other Colleges and Departments to utilize the space for field trips, data accumulation, and other educational purposes is multifaceted. We project it to be a university-wide utility once completed.
How will you measure these impacts after your project is implemented in order to see if you have met your goal? In addition to AGFAC, who will you report your information to?
The experience will enhance the active understanding and participation in research and scholarly creativity through a series of tasks. Data on hydrological conditions and plant growth and
survival will be collected by students for data processing research reports. In addition, the outputs will be disseminated through student research week and national conferences, and subsets of the data will be used in all classes in special projects and assignments for the students to calculate important LID performance parameters. New cultivars of native landscape plants selected for drought, alkalinity, and salinity tolerances can be incorporated into the project to demonstrate their use in water saving landscapes. Peer reviewed presentations and papers will also be submitted through the process on pedagogy and stormwater management. Impacts will be assessed through performance in special projects, exams, surveys and through pre and post tests on the student’s ability to process complex data. QR codes can be placed on large scale LID facilities such as rainwater cisterns and harvesting systems which link to project descriptions, educational material, and online surveys for participants. Websites can also be linked to discussion posts available for students and visitors to tell of their experiences. Simultaneously, data obtained from the monitoring devices will be displayed via a website and published in peer reviewed journals.
How does your project go above and beyond the requirements already mandated by Texas A&M University and/or state law?
The project also helps support goals of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The commission “strives to protect the state's public health and natural resources consistent with sustainable economic development, with a goal of clean air, clean water, and safe management of waste.” Specifically, the project will link to many programs offered by the commission’s Office of Water, which oversees all aspects of planning, permitting, and monitoring to protect the state's water resources such as Groundwater Protection, Texas Surface Water Quality Standards, Nonpoint Source Program, Wastewater, Storm Water and Surface Water Quality Monitoring.
If your project team is partnering with other organizations, departments, individuals, or other stakeholders, please explain their involvement and include their contact information. *
Elements of LID will be investigated for impact as an experiential learning effort involving faculty and students, primarily in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning. However, consultation may be sought from outside departments/colleges if necessary: Architecture (Dept. of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning) and Agriculture and Life Sciences (Depts. of Horticultural Sciences and Biological, Ecosystem Science and Management and Agricultural Engineering). The project could potentially support learning outcomes from at least 10 undergraduate and graduate majors including URPN, ENDS, ECOR, FORS, WFSC, LAND, CVEN, WMHS, ENSC, and HORT.
Please be specific about the ways in which you can ensure that your team will have time available to work on this project.
All project managers are teaching design & planning studios and construction classes every semester with more than 100 students. During the project period, each manager will develop a semester long project in their class teaching to implement the process of this proposed project from developing conceptual design to installing students’ ideas into the project site. Each semester, project managers and students will have enough time to implement each phase of the project. Interdisciplinary class activities will be a key component of this project. Students taking different courses in different colleges will be able to work together to commit several phases of this project. All students in the campus will be informed to participate in this project as we are looking for more interdisciplinary opportunities to make this project in a campus-wide activity. Each milestone of the proposed project will be documented and assessed systematically.
How much of your project will students be involved in? What roles will students play in your project? Does your project target involvement of a certain section of the student body? Explain. *
Within the College of Architecture, design studios from LAUP will lead the charge for initial layout and planning of the site. Site Engineering and Construction courses will aid in detailing, installation, and planting design elements. Other courses will benefit from site visitation and tours to the area before, during, and after construction. Graduate level courses will utilize data collected and assist with analysis. Within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, plant materials courses could also assist with selection of appropriate plants and wetland restoration courses will assist with site selection, hydrologic monitoring, and wetland design features. Students from a variety of courses can obtain hands-on experience with plant installation. Specialized plants, not widely available yet in the trade, may be propagated providing students with experiential learning in production nursery settings, illustrating a niche opportunity in sustainable production of specialty crops. From LAUP, we can expect to impact students from the following undergraduate and graduate courses: Construction and Site Engineering Courses – LAND 329/330/331/612/614; Design Studio Courses – LAND 318/319/320/321/601/602); Practice Diversity Courses – LAND 645/200. These courses have an average of 260 per undergraduate course and 75 per graduate course. From HORT, we potentially impact students from the following undergraduate and graduate courses: HORT 306/308/425/60/609. These courses have an average yearly total enrollment of approximately 150 undergraduate students and about 20 graduate students per year, if necessary. From ESSM, we have a potential to impact students from the following undergraduate and graduate courses: ESSM 420/631/203/301/305. These courses have an average of 200 per undergraduate course and 15 per graduate course, if necessary.
What is your plan for publicizing your project on campus?
All activities of this project will be documented and publicized in diverse formats including a project website and Facebook page disseminating students’ activities, digital newsletter on departmental, college, and university website, and local media (including the Eagle) to share the project achievements. In addition, we will develop a wayfinding system to disseminate this information to visitors, scholars, students, and passersby,
Do you have any specific outreach goals? If so, how will they be measured?
This project will offer some potential outreach opportunities. First, this project will initiate the continuing education for students and practitioners. It will increase the impact of the department and university on improving the quality of higher education and will provide a potential source of revenue of outreach activities. The initial thrust of the continuing education effort will focus on providing information to the professions directly to practitioners, or to public officials who operate in decision-making or oversight capacities. These areas of distance education represent growing opportunities beyond traditional matriculation in formal degree programs. Continuing education offerings are to be targeted to specific segments of available markets, such as to city officials, planning staff, and elected office holders. Once the program is underway it will be necessary to continually monitor and evaluate course offerings for continued growth, change and improvement.
If your project is implemented, does it require any on-going funding after its completion? If yes, what is your strategy for supporting the project after this initial period to cover replacement, operational, and renewal costs?
No, the design will be drought tolerant and self-irrigated so no further finding will be necessary.
Please describe your project timeline. List milestones chronologically. For the “Timeframe” column, please estimate how long each task will take to be completed.
x Project start date o Summer Semester 2015
x Target date for project completion o Fall Semester 2016
x Date by which you will need the first installment of Aggie Green Fund money o June 1 2015
x Date by which you expect to have spent all Aggie Green Fund funds o Dec. 15 2016
x Target date for submitting final project report to the Aggie Green Fund Committee o May 16 2017
x Any significant tasks or milestones along the way (For example: identifying an equipment vendor, begin installing equipment, finish installing equipment, etc.)
o Summer & Fall Semester 2015: Developing/Finalizing Design and Planning o Spring & Summer Semester 2016: Installing/Implementing Design Solution into
the Site, Establishment/Stabilization of the Implementation o Fall 2016 & Spring 2017: Measuring Performance
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April!17,!2015!
Dr.!Galen!D.!Newman!Assistant!Professor!
Landscape!Architecture!&!Urban!Planning!!
Re:!Application!–!Aggie!B.L.U.E.!Print!Center!!
Dear!Dr.!Newman,!!
We!are!pleased!to!inform!you!that!your!project!has!been!funded!in!the!amount!of!$61,500!by!the!Aggie!Green!Fund!Advisory!Committee!contingent!on!Council!for!the!Built!Environment!(CBE)!approval.!While!the!AGF!did!not!approve!funding!for!faculty!
salaries!or!scholarships,!the!additional!student!worker!funds!were!approved.!We!sincerely!appreciate!the!quality!of!work!and!the!time!and!effort!that!went!into!preparing!both!the!abstract!and!application!submissions.!
!In!order!to!begin!your!project,!please!complete!the!following!steps:!
!1. Visit!http://greenfund.tamu.edu/Manage.aspx!to!identify!the!forms!you!will!need!to!finalize!your!contract!and!receive!
funding!for!your!project.!All!documents!and!instructions!mentioned!below!can!be!found!at!this!web!link.!2. Carefully!review!the!financial!standard!operating!procedure!(SOP)!and!create!the!required!fiscal!account.!Once!the!
account!is!ready,!please!send!account!information!to!Kelly!Wellman!at!kwellman@tamu.edu.!When!all!necessary!information!has!been!provided,!we!will!transfer!funds!via!Departmental!Budget!Request!(DBR)!to!the!designated!account.!
3. The!Aggie!Green!Fund!is!implementing!a!grant!management!system!through!WizeHive!where!all!forms!will!be!maintained!in!an!online!portal.!We#anticipate#these#forms#will#be#active#by#May#4.!We!will!send!a!follow!up!notification!when!the!
forms!are!ready!for!completion.!4. In!the!meantime,!you!can!use!the!template!provided!on!the!Aggie!Green!Fund!website!to!begin!drafting!your!
Performance!Evaluation!Scorecard.!This!should!be!based!on!the!Metrics!&!Measurability!provided!in!your!application.!The#funds#will#be#transferred#once#the#Initial#Scorecard#has#been#submitted.!
5. You!will!be!required!to!submit!a!Progress!Report!and!Scorecard!at!the!end!of!each!regular!semester!and!within!30!days!of!
conclusion!of!the!project.!6. Finally,!review,!sign,!and!return!the!Acceptance!Agreement!Form!by#Friday,#May#1.!We!will!provide!a!completed!copy!for!
your!files.!The!form!may!be!delivered!to!General!Services!Complex!Suite!1801or!MS!1247.!!
The!Council!on!Built!Environment!(CBE)!MUST!APPROVE!the!project.!!You!may!learn!more!about!the!CBE!process!by!visiting!http://cbe.tamu.edu/makeeaerequest.aspx.!Your!CBE!request!will!need!to!go!through!the!“Construction”!process.!!
!Once!again,!congratulations!and!we!look!forward!to!enhancing!the!environmental!performance!of!Texas!A&M!University.!
!Respectfully,!
!Erin!Simmons!Aggie!Green!Fund!Chair!
!CC:! Craig!Wolf,!Information!Chair!
COUNCIL FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT DESIGN REVIEW SUB-COUNCIL
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MEMORANDUM TO: Dr. Jerry Strawser Co-Chair, Council for the Built Environment
Dr. Karan Watson Co-Chair, Council for the Built Environment FROM: Ms. Lilia Gonzales, AIA University Architect and Chair, Design Review Sub-Council DATE: December 16, 2015 RE: Design Review Sub-Council (DRsc) Report
Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center On November 11, 2015 the Design Review sub-council reviewed a request for the installation of the Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center. This project is requested by Dr. Galen Newman, Dr. Jun-Hyun Kim, and Dr. Ming-Han Li from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning in the College of Architecture. If approved, the project will be funded by a $61,500 grant from the Aggie Green Fund. The purpose of the Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center project is to install low impact development facilities as an on-campus living laboratory, to display the impacts of and provide education on hydrologic sustainability. The result would be a small scale, low-impact rain garden. The proposed location for this project is in the green area located at the east corner of the Langford Architecture Center, Building C (between Buildings A and C, and between Building C and Parking Lot 54). Currently there is an abstract wooden sculpture piece located in this area, which was placed here as a temporary art piece many years ago and is in a state of decay. The art piece would be removed as a result of the proposed project. Landscape architecture students created the conceptual master plan, which includes a rain collection system (gutters and downspouts) to be installed on the existing Langford C building. Rainwater would be stored in a cistern for irrigating the terrace garden and rain gardens, which would incorporate native plant species common to our area. The plan creates a small seating area or courtyard between the buildings. If approved, the intent is for students to help implement the project by refining the design and producing the construction documents. The project would be implemented in two phases. Phase One will install the rain collection systems and cistern, and create gardens in the front area between Building C and Parking Lot 54. Phase Two completes the gardens between Buildings A and C. Recommendation DRsc members unanimously voted to recommend approval of the Aggie B.L.U.E. Print Center project as proposed at conceptual design with the following caveats:
COUNCIL FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT DESIGN REVIEW SUB-COUNCIL
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- Further design details are presented to the DRsc at a later date, including details regarding plant material, grading of the site, rainwater collection/capture systems.
- Request alternative solutions to the rainwater funnels. - Request simplification of the terrace area. - Further refinement of the courtyard design to maximize access to the outdoor area and make
more public, including consideration of a seating area to tie in with the Azimuth dining facility.
- Coordination with Transportation Services to confirm that the project is in alignment with the redesign of Parking Lot 54.
- Investigate the possibility of reordering the phases due to potential conflict with reconfiguration and construction of Parking Lot 54.
- Request coordination with the College of Architecture to confirm the proper removal process for the wooden sculpture.
Selected images are attached. Please let me know if you need additional information. cc: Galen Newman
DRsc Members Bettyann Zito
Council for the Built Environment Facilities Utilization and Planning Sub-Council
December 14, 2015 MEMORANDUM To: Dr. Karan Watson Provost & Executive Vice President
Co-Chair, Council for the Built Environment Dr. Jerry Strawser Vice President for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer
Co-Chair, Council for the Built Environment From: Dr. J. Martin Scholtz
Executive Associate Vice President for Research Chair, CBE-Facilities Utilization and Planning Sub-Council Subject: Aggie Green Fund Project: The Aggie B.L.U.E.print Center RECOMMENDATION
The Council for the Built Environment’s (CBE) Facilities Utilization Review sub-committee (FURsc) recommends that the CBE support the request by Dr. Jorge Vanegas, Dean of the College of Architecture.
SCOPE
The FUPsc considered the request to consider approving the execution of an Aggie Green Fund Project, The Aggie B.L.U.E.print Center: Building Lasting University Environments. The project is an update on a previous request that was disapproved due to the location. This updated request proposes a new location located near the Langford Architecture Center. As noted in the attached memorandum, “the project seeks to install Low Impact Development (LID) facilities as an on-campus living laboratory, to display impacts on hydrologic sustainability on the TAMU campus and disseminate this information to visitors, scholars, students, and passersby.”
ANALYSIS This project not only aligns with the Aggie Green Fund, but also with many aspects of the Campus Master Plan. This is an excellent example of promoting a culture of environmental awareness on campus.
We are pleased to offer this recommendation and welcome further inquiries related to this analysis. CC: CBE-FUPsc members