Because spirit and intention matter.

It matters to Chaden and I. It matters to the Willowsong Midwifery team providing theCare. It matters to the artisans of Silent Rivers. It matters to the community we serve. And this spirit, this intention, has the ability to set the path for a more connected, sustainable, safer future for our planet. Or NOT.

 
On the hilltop corner of 800 19th Street, in the historic Sherman Hill neighborhood ~ up the street from where Willowsong Midwifery Care has been since 2003 ~ there sits a two-story masonry building that has sat empty for years. Chaden Halfhill, of Silent Rivers Design+Build had a vision to bring the building to life through a sustainable renovation aimed to “decrease our carbon footprint, increase energy efficiency and promote better use of materials”.

The site has a green roof…

And a rain wall and rain garden to effectively manage stormwater runoff, as well as geothermal heating and cooling, natural ventilation and solar panels…

The very caring, intentional restoration of this prominent building in the neighborhood is the beginning of a greater vision to restore, create and nurture sustainable communities, one building at a time, all around Iowa.

“This project will not only help to beautify a historic piece of our community, but it is our hope that we will inspire others to follow suit,” said Chaden. “There are over 10,000 buildings around Iowa alone that have a structure similar to that of our pilot project.

We could drastically change our environment if we were to implement more sustainable practices when renovating those existing buildings”.

 
Now that sounds a little like the purpose, mission, vision & values of Willowsong Midwifery Care.
 

We could drastically change our environment if we were to implement safer, more sustainable birth practices around the world.

 
This is theHeart of why Healing Passages, the entity that provides theSpace, chose Green & Main’s pilot project to be its future home. We know that when we CARE for one another, we must not disconnect from being human, from the cycles of LIFE, for we all are connected to one another and to our planet. The journey is not sterile. It is organic. The power to HEAL, comes from these connections and this knowing.
 

Take a moment to imagine a space that holds the belief that BIRTH is SACRED…

An opportunity for transformation for all who participate, an unfolding of a mother and baby’s journey beyond our control, a biological process designed to be SAFE for mother and child, where technology is only used when medically necessary, where the mother’s intuition is honored, where she and her newborn are seen as ONE and her soul’s connection to her baby is valued.
 

Now, feel yourself in another paradigm, in a space where the belief is that BIRTH is a MEDICAL PROCEDURE…

A physiological condition fraught with danger for mother and child, a process meant to be controlled and pushed, where all who participate feel nothing but FEAR expecting the worst to happen, where technology is seen as far superior than  the body’s design and mother and baby are seen as TWO ~ their soul’s connection devalued.
 

One paradigm does everything from a point of connection to each other, to our planet. The other from a point of disconnect from ourselves and the planet.

 
Not only does the building and the land upon which it rests synergistically work with and remind us as human beings of our connection to all the cycles of life; so does the design and intent of the space reflect those connections.

The next blog post will reflect upon how every aspect of the interior is designed for the women and families of Willowsong and what we, as women, do with each other ~ we hold space ~ guiding each other through all the passages of life. It is in this building’s design that theSpace, within which this hard work occurs, shall feel connected and organic as a gentle reminder to us all that this is where all healing begins.
 
 
Cosette Boone is the Founder and Executive Director of Healing Passages Birth & Wellness Center, which is the main tenant of the renovated building.
 

Ann Wilde

If you’ve ever planted a garden, or even one pumpkin seed, you know the excitement of seeing those first sprouts emerge. So imagine thousands of plants and flowers surfacing, expertly orchestrated to grow and bloom spring through fall to bring function and beauty to the Green & Main site. The Green & Main Pilot Project landscaping was installed this past October, so you can count on a burst of fresh greenery and flowers to greet spring.

Beginning the Installation Process

Just in the nick of time, the Green & Main site was ready for the grass and flower plugs to be installed. Under the design guidance of Zach Heitzman of Green Bean Landscapes in Ankeny, the task of strategically positioning the plants to support the site’s environmental and aesthetic goals began.

Blue Lobelia

I talked to Zach on a chilly December day as he worked in his Ankeny office designing Green Bean’s landscaping projects for next spring.

“Really, the basic concept of the Green & Main’s landscaping had been sketched out for a long, long time by the Green & Main team” stated Zach. “My role was to incorporate landscaping into the site that would accommodate their stormwater management goals, including building a bioswale, meeting the LEED and SITES (the Sustainable Sites Initiative) requirements, and offering an aesthetically pleasing experience as well. It was all about creating the details around the vision.”

“Of course, the final design also had to be documented for the City of Des Moines’ approval to ensure it complied with their guidelines regarding ground elevation, easements and pavements,” concluded Zach.

Butterfly Milkweed

Contaminated Soil Amended to Make Ready for Our Plants

Before a single seed was planted, the soil at the site needed to be amended.

“Since the ground had been used for many, many purposes over a hundred or so years,” Zach noted, “we assumed that it would be contaminated with impurities. So the first step was to amend the soil. As required by SITES, we documented the before-and-after health of the soil. Prior to amending it, we took samples of the existing soil and sent it to the USDA where they evaluate the nutrients, the permeability and the organic matter. Then we sent a sample of the amended soil. We also sent samples to Iowa State to test the organic matter. Before-and-after test results have yet to come back.”

The method used by Zach for amending the soil was one that was recommended by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. This method included using a mini excavator to tear up 24 inches of the site’s topsoil to make it less compacted. Prior to this, two inches of compost were placed on top of the ground in order to be incorporated into the existing soil. The affect is a significant increase of organic matter and nutrients in the soil. Also, by making the soil more permeable and nutrient-rich, we now have soil that absorbs stormwater much more aggressively.

The compost used on the Green & Main site was acquired from Des Moines Metro Waste Authority and consists of leaves, sticks, and grass clippings that were collected from Des Moines residents and businesses.

Prairie Aster

How SITES and LEED Requirements Affect the Landscaping Design

SITES and LEEDs requirements apply to the Green & Main landscaping design primarily in the areas of increased energy efficiency, water conservation and stormwater management.

Energy efficiency.

Zach designed the strategic placement of shade trees in the landscaping in order to decrease the heat inside the building. According to the EPA, trees and vegetation lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade as well as through evapotranspiration, the process of transporting water into the atmosphere. Shaded surfaces, for example, may be 20–45°F cooler than the peak temperatures of unshaded materials, which then decreases demand for air conditioning.

Water conservation.

Using plants that are more adaptive to our climate will thrive without a lot of extra fertilizing and watering. Once these types of plants are well established, they are pretty self-sufficient.

Stormwater management.

The type of vegetation incorporated in the Green & Main landscaping was selected specifically for its ability to absorb more water via root systems and soil. Vegetation reduces runoff and improves water quality by absorbing and filtering rainwater.

Prairie Blazingstar

A small bioswale was also built by Zach Heitzman to affect stormwater management goals. “This was one of my more challenging projects at the Green & Main site,” added Zach. “Essentially I had to create the bioswale by hand. It was too hard to bring in machinery to dig and form the bioswale, so I came in with a rake, shovel and wheelbarrow. More challenging was keeping the construction crew away from it! Of course, there were a lot of people on site and once we graded and shaped the bioswale, we couldn’t have people walking over it.”

“Overall, I’d say that the vegetation on the site is more functional than aesthetic,” concludes Zach. “[But] it will definitely be beautiful, from spring through the fall.”

Kelly Hayes of Allendan Seed…and Her Forbs

Allendan Seed of Winterset is one of the largest producers of native prairie grass and wildflower seeds in the United States. Allendan Seed produces over 250 species of native grass and wildflowers. Dan and Sonia Allen began farming conventional row crops in 1976. Today they are still a family operation. Their four children migrated home to farm upon graduating from Iowa State University.

Prairie Dropseed

Daughter Kelly Allen Hayes is Allandan’s production manager. She oversees the greenhouses and fields, planting about two million seeds a year, overseeing all production from plugs to harvest on the company’s 40 acres.

“Forbs” are technically defined as herbaceous flowering plants, wildflowers being a type of forb. Kelly Hayes can assure us thousands of these little beauties will poke up through the ground at the Green & Main site come next spring.

“Once I had become familiar with the Green & Main site itself and the objectives of the initiative, I chose over 30 species of plants, grasses and forbs to incorporate into the landscaping,” said Kelly. “I focused on species with root systems that would be beneficial to the ecosystem, aiding with stormwater absorption and water conservation. But I also added some visually appealing colors, heights and textures to the site that will appear from spring to fall.”

Some of the species planted by Kelly are prairie violets, prairie smoke, prairie blazingstar, prairie dropseed, little bluestem, blue lobelia, rattlesnake master, New England aster and silky aster. Butterfly milkweed was placed all along the bioswale. The plants and flowers range from four-inches to seven-feet tall. “I also incorporated some mountain mint into the landscape,” continued Kelly. “Mountain mint really aids in erosion control because it forms runners, essentially a type of living carpet after a few years of growth.”

Prairie Smoke

Personal Touches to the Landscaping

The designer’s creativity plays a part in any landscaping project, and Zach Heitzman’s creative contribution to the site can be found in every foot of the landscaping. However, in talking with him, he says his most significant personal contribution to the design is in the limestone incorporated into the landscaping.

“One of my favorite parts of operating my own business is that I can create my own designs in some of the detailed elements,” explained Zach. “The limestone pieces that I worked with were acquired from an Anamosa quarry – all limestone in Iowa comes from the Anamosa area – and they are a rich cream color that really complements the site. The pieces of limestone are raw and broken, so I created natural-looking outcroppings among the plants and placed some of the stone in an informal path that suggests native limestone outcroppings.

Prairie Violet

“I’m proud of that stonework on the site,” continued Zach. “But I’m mostly proud of how we all worked together to make the final landscaping a success. We got it done to specifications within a very tight timeframe. Everyone really contributed their talents to the project and that collaboration resulted in success”

Asked what he would do differently if he had more space to work with, Zach responded that he’d love to have the additional space to incorporate more educational opportunities. “I would really like for people to be able to walk through guided pathways with signage explaining the plant species and how they specifically benefit the environment.  I would use the very same technologies that I used on the Green & Main site; I’d just make it a more dramatic experience for visitors.”

A big “thank you” to both Zach and Kelly for the colorful flowers and vegetation coming up next spring. I, for one, am looking forward to it.

–Ann Wilde is a Des Moines marketing strategist and writer who also has a special interest in preserving and creating sustainable communities.

Extensive Collaboration

The installation of the H2OG, one of the 7 stormwater management practices.

During October, focus intensified on the completion of seven stormwater management practices that are incorporated within the project’s site plan and ecological restoration strategies. Deadlines and the onset of seasonal changes intensified the pace of our efforts significantly. Fortunately, daily temperatures hovered above average and very few work days were interrupted by rain.

Collaboration, along with bright blue skies, was in abundance. The tradesmen skillfully orchestrated their varied and intertwined tasks, culminating in a buildup of native plantings and graded soils that reinforced the beauty and meaning contained within Green & Main.

Native plant groundcover placed on site.

Site Transformation

If one stands on a pile of salvaged wood that is staged on 19^th Street Place, the undeveloped dirt road bordering the west edge of the property, and surveys the site, transformation is evident. From this vantage, the whole site unifies; the natural landscaping frames the project’s architectural evolution, highlighting its history while celebrating its renewal within this historic neighborhood.

The stormwater management methods we’ve installed connect the building with the site, bridging this localized urban context to the larger Des Moines community, and then on to join nationwide water conservation efforts.

Landscaping on the south and west of the property.

Blending so many practices in such a small area (less than one acre) is a unique achievement. The stormwater management systems that we carefully planned and integrated include the vegetative roof, rain water collection, soil quality restoration, bio-swale, bio-retention through site grading, native landscaping and a pervious paver system.

The overarching goal of the design and engineering of all the practices was to demonstrate effectively the fluid connection between building science and urban landscaping. We wanted to show the varied choices building and home owners have in managing the movement and absorption of stormwater on a smaller plot of land.

Starting from the northeast side of the property, the path of rainwater may be followed visually as it connects the property’s higher elevations to the rain garden at the southwest base of the site, where it will be absorbed or discharged downstream into the city of Des Moines’ right-of-way.

Sedum installed on the vegetative roof.

The path of the water’s movement maps out different lessons for visitors to experience. For example, rainfall may begin its movement from the vegetated sedum roof on both the main building and the addition. From there, it moves into the guttering system that supports the solar array and on to the salvaged brick gabion baskets. Here, it continues through the richly amended bio-swale and down to the rain garden filled with native plants where it pools and infiltrates. The rainwater from the permeable parking lot also gathers here, along with overflow from the rain harvesting system that is visible at the rear of the paver lot.

Many Trades Involved

What remains perhaps less obvious behind this view is the combined effort of so many tradesmen weaving together material, talent and time. We believe the passion for their craft and their dedication to the stewardship of this project is profound, and the matured presence of the landscape will inspire generations of people who visit to learn about conservation and sustainable building practices.

Newly added permeable paver parking lot.

Masons, cement finishers, carpenters, laborers, machine operators, excavators, landscapers, growers, roofers, pipe-fitters and electricians all worked together as we reclaimed this raw urban site peppered with sub-surface remnants of its historic past. From century-old foundation bricks to an array of early 20^th century glass bottles, we unearthed and removed truckloads of debris, reusing or recycling everything we could. Even four thousand pounds of cast iron boiler buried next to a brick kiln was hoisted from ten feet below grade.

Glass bottles unearthed while working with the geothermal system.

Much like establishing a solid foundation before working on a building, the restoration of this site required significant structural changes to not only comply with zoning requirements but to help remove years of impact. Many disciplines were layered together in order to generate our results. For example, the geo-thermal well field is connected below the permeable parking area and required attentive installation and metering, as measuring its performance outcomes in the future are integral to two research projects.

On the southern perimeter of the property, a team of bridge-builders, led by an eighty-year-old foreman, built the concrete retaining wall that borders the sidewalk. This construction inaugurated the site reclamation process while also providing the opportunity to bring in utility services below grade and to integrate the perimeter drain for the building into the site design.

The construction of the southwest retaining wall by Jensen Construction.

High Levels of Commitment

Completing so many layers, sometimes simultaneously, on time to meet our autumn deadlines required a personal commitment by many people to work together on a single dedicated vision – sharing a professional collaboration worth recognizing. I am honored!

With the weather now turned, and temperatures dipping below freezing, we are stretching both funds and time to enclose the building envelope and draw our attention inward for the winter. Inside the building, we will begin to install the engineered systems that support the building and its habitation in our complex northern climate zone. We now turn our focus to weatherizing the building to prepare for further work: optimizing the efficiency and performance of the building itself and scaling the developmental terrain of the Green & Main Pilot Project.

–Chaden Halfhill is an entrepreneur and visionary of the Green & Main Initiative.

Soil staging on site.

When embarking on any building or renovation project, managing soils and the handling of erosion control may be one of the first thoughts to occur. This consideration is crucial, really, to the healthy development of sustainable neighborhoods and to the networks of interconnected systems. Throughout much of the early 1900’s, farming practices sometimes did not think to address erosion specifically and consequentially farmlands lost half an inch per decade of topsoil each year. Not only is this loss of topsoil detrimental to the productivity of our farmlands but the material that runs off the land clogs waterways and disrupts aquatic life.

The LEED and Sustainable SITES programs provide extra focus on erosion control and other soil management methods. This focus makes soil conservation one of the first points of concern, so that when any ground vegetation is disturbed, appropriate restoration methods are designed and implemented as part of the original planning.

At Green & Main, we would like to preserve the ground cover to prevent the exposure of new soil as much as possible, as relevant plant life is the best erosion and stormwater control method. Typically, when a construction project is underway, silt fencing and cloth/straw socks are used to prevent water from carrying away soils. On site, we also focus on vehicle entry ways, using gravel and similar materials to prevent soils from being carried into the streets by vehicle tires.

Bio-retention grading and bio-swale.

When planning for superior erosion control, it is important to look beyond initial construction. Natural barriers such as swales and rain gardens help inhibit erosion and promote deep groundwater infiltration. Careful selection of plants also helps hold soils and slow the movement of water through the site. The soil composition itself can assist with water retention and water control. In fact, adding compost to the soil helps absorb the water and an addition of two inches of compost can hold up to five inches of water.

Taking the lead, Green & Main has incorporated many methods of soil and water management to contain water onsite, particularly by means of creative water pathways, bio-swales and rain gardens. This project has rebuilt and revitalized the original soil and transformed a typical urban grass yard that has seen much change through the years into a native plant habitat. Going well beyond the standard measures of erosion and water control, Green & Main has rebuilt a local soil ecosystem using this organic approach to green building and soil management.

– James McCain is a renewable energy expert and a future organic farmer. He played a recent role in the establishment of the Tallgrass Grocery Co-Op in West Des Moines.

Ann Wilde

The construction crew at the Green & Main site enjoyed an extended summer, with temperatures in early October ranging into the 80’s with clear skies. This was an unexpected and much appreciated delay to our typical Iowa autumn. Soon it will be time to batten down the hatches and get ready for sub-zero temperatures when the crew will focus on the interior of the building.

Here’s what they’ve been up to…

Green Roof

Green & Main’s vegetative or green roof was installed on the spectacularly warm day of October 4, provided and delivered by Rooftop Sedums of Davenport, Iowa and installed by Silent Rivers’ staff.

Installation of the rubber membrane.

In preparation for the arrival of over 300 trays of sedum for the green roof, Academy Roofing first installed a membrane to serve as a protective layer between the actual roofing materials and the trays of live plant material, primarily sedum in this case. This membrane, known as a sacrificial membrane, is made of EPDM rubber, a type of synthetic rubber. EPDM roofing does not pollute run-off rainwater, and is an inert material, which has limited environmental impact during its manufacturing process in comparison to other membranes. Additionally, black EPDM is more cost effective as compared to a more reflective white, or TPO, membrane when used with a vegetative roof.

Tim Kepner of Silent Rivers installing the sedum.

Geothermal Energy System

Installing a geothermal energy system is a multi-step process that has taken shape at the Green & Main Pilot Project site over a period of months.

Several critical phases of a geothermal project need to be identified at the onset to assist in the successful installation and operation of the geothermal system. Some of the major phases are:

Loops of tubing.

• Drilling the actual wells, as well as the preparation needed to the soil/grounds to accommodate the loops of tubing which act as supply and recovery lines for the closed system.

• Excavation of the site around the well field, including the removal of the perimeters of a building foundation discovered buried underground, a 500-gallon steam tank and two cisterns.
  

  Looping for the geothermal well system.

• Connecting the well field of lateral supply and return lines to the building, requiring multiple assessments and adjustments. Research and implementation occurred regarding the addition of crushed glass and sand as backfill material, as well as sub-surface meters that will track temperature changes not only in the soil and fill, but also to measure the therms in the supply and return lines. Much of this research was initiated by the SWAP (Solid Waste Alternatives Program) grant in collaboration with the geothermal well installers and engineers, Barker Lemar.
  

  Drilling the well field.

• Backfill, preparation of the site and attention to effectively controlling soil by packing and rolling was essential in order to be ready for installation of the permeable pavers.

• Connecting the well field loops to the mechanical system is yet to occur. This will be accomplished later in the winter.

Geothermal System Gets Buried at Green & Main

For some months, two ends of the geothermal “tubes” have been visibly sticking above ground level at the Green & Main construction site. These were actually part of hundreds of feet of high-density polyethylene pipe, known as “loop”. This continuous system will circulate water through the loop and into the geothermal units, thus providing the geothermal energy system to the building through its underground foundation wall.

Green & Main’s geothermal energy system includes 11 vertical wells that were drilled 300-feet below the surface. After the wells were drilled, the initial tubes were installed to reach above the ground. Then, by exposing the ground about seven feet around the tubes and below the finished grade, the tubes were connected to form the system.

Bottles found while unearthing soil for the geothermal system.

On a historical note, dozens of glass bottles and containers were found during the excavation of the well field site. The bottles have been saved for future showing as evidence of lives past.

Roof on the Building Addition

The addition to the lower and main level of the Green & Main Pilot Project extends out at the back side of the building, pointing to the east. The roof of this addition will someday be the walk-out patio of the upper-level apartment. Once this roof has been completed, it will include additional vegetative roof plants and a decking system, providing an outdoor sanctuary for future second floor residents.

Sedum on the addition’s roof.

Both the roofing system on the main building and the addition will be an aesthetic bridge, creating a connection between the building and the surrounding site through the installation of unique water collection systems that accentuate this relationship.

Landscaping and Stormwater Management on the Grounds

Soil Amendments

The current soil of the Green & Main Pilot Project obviously has been altered in the century or so since it was untouched prairie grasses. To nurture the native plants in Green & Main’s landscaping, the soil was amended, incorporating more organic material into the existing soil. This will help restore the soil back to a more pre-settlement condition and it will help to absorb more water, thus making it more conducive to healthy landscaping. Similarly, combined with the native plants, the site will improve its capacity for ecological regeneration while serving as a pilot project for the Sustainable SITES Initiative.

Soil staging and layering.

Planting of the Site

The extensive native landscaping planned for Green & Main was completed by mid-October. The plants were provided by Allendan Seeds, who grew them from seed – as featured on WHO TV-13 – and installed by Greenbean Landscapes. In order to protect the site and avoid compaction of the amended soils, all construction equipment traffic was relegated to the city right of way and the six-foot perimeter around the building. This will allow the plants to establish themselves and ensure the porosity in the soils that will increase water infiltration and root development.

Plantings on site.

Plantings include such species as:  prairie dropseed, big bluestem, blue grama, buffalograss, little bluestem, switchgrass and pale coneflower. Indigenous plants are especially beneficial as their root structures assist with water infiltration and the cooling of ground water.  Developing the landscaping to provide a natural flow of rainwater was essential to our landscaping. As a result, rainwater will be guided through a bio-swale into the site’s rain garden to nourish the native plants.

Permeable Pavers

Paver bed for the parking lot.

Permeable pavers were placed over the geothermal well field at the end of the week of October 10. After the individual wells were connected below grade, the arduous task of filling a ten -foot deep basin with clean clay and layering the compaction to ensure a sound base for the pavers took place. Silent Rivers’ staff, along with Ron Gomis, worked through a long weekend to build the complex framework necessary to allow variables in grade for parking, as well as allowing easy access to the building. Hardscape Solutions of Iowa finalized these efforts by bringing its crew to construct the layers of gravel that will control water drainage from the Borgert Granite Paver system, the permeable parking system used in order to meet our stormwater management objectives.

Installation of pavers.

Rain Harvesting

While waiting for the completion of roofs over the carport and entry walkway, the H20 Rainwater Harvesting System was initiated on the concrete wall constructed between the parking area and the landscaping. The H20 HOG water tanks were installed and quietly await the future installation of the gutter system to highlight the ability to contain and reuse stormwater as a positive strategy for water conservation.

H2OG water tanks installed.

Many Thanks are Offered

During the final days of the installation as these various disciplines and projects merged together, many people visited the site to watch our progress. Key staff from Polk County Soil and Water Conservation and Iowa Department of Agriculture visited the site and helped hone installation details to ensure the project design and implementation were effectively produced, providing a model opportunity for urban non-point stormwater management systems. We are very grateful for their encouragement of the process.

Along with the many businesses and people who contributed labor, goods and services, the site was supported by Heartland RC&D, REAP, HRDP, IDALS, DNR, Metro Waste Authority, Iowa Waste Exchange, NRCS, USDA, City of Des Moines, NRBBOG, Polk County Soil and Water Conservation, Iowa State University CBER, IAMU and Growing Green Communities.

-Ann Wilde is a Des Moines marketing strategist and writer who also has a special interest in preserving and creating sustainable communities.

• Direct other downspouts away from pavement and toward grassy, mulched or planted areas. You can attach a perforated plastic “French drain” pipe and bury it in order to cross a stretch of lawn with the drainage. If you don’t have gutters, dig a 3-inch to six-inch deep infiltration trench under the drip line and fill it with gravel to decrease erosion as well as standing water.

• Create a residential rain garden. A rain garden is a shallow depression in the ground that captures run-off from your driveway or roof and allows it to soak into the ground. Overflow from a rain barrel can be directed to rain gardens.

• Use a broom instead of a hose to remove plant debris and soil from your driveway.

• Reduce the size of impervious paved driveways, walkways, parking areas and patios. As repairs are needed to parking areas and walking paths, consider using permeable paving such as interlocking pavers or gravel.

• Instead of piping stormwater to a roadside ditch, install bio-swales to carry stormwater run-off. Many bio-swales are simply wide, shallow, vegetated depressions that are gently sloped and directed toward areas that can easily stand an influx of water; they are really nothing more than a grass-lined ditch.

• Design new construction to allow water to soak in to the ground. Decks should be built with gaps between the boards and bricks, and concrete lattice pavers or stones should be used for paved areas. If you’re building a new building, consider constructing a green roof.

– Ann Wilde is a Des Moines marketing strategist and writer who also has a special interest in preserving and creating sustainable communities.

Ann Wilde

One of the most prevalent topics during the construction of the Green & Main Pilot Project has been our plans for stormwater management. What will be most effective in dealing with rain water and snowmelt (sometimes simultaneously) at the site? How will we design the vegetative roof, the landscaping and paving materials in order to manage the amount of stormwater run-off?

Stormwater Run-off. What’s the Big Deal?

In an undeveloped site such as a forest, stormwater is off-set by the processes of infiltration into natural surfaces, as well as from evaporation. Essentially, when land is left in its natural state, the majority of rainfall soaks into the ground, flows slowly underground, is filtered by natural processes, and eventually feeds streams, lakes and underground aquifers.

Buffalo grass is a short grass with a deep root structure. It is low maintenance requiring minimal mowing and is a water-conserving grass perfect for drought control.

According to the EPA, in this type of natural environment, less than 1% of stormwater leaves the site in the form of runoff.

To begin, stormwater run-off is what occurs when rain or snowmelt flows over land, or other impervious surfaces, and is not absorbed into the ground. As the run-off flows over the various surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots and building rooftops, it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment or other pollutants that adversely affect the quality of the run-off water if it remains untreated. As much as 20-30% of stormwater can run off a developed site if there are no steps taken to direct or gather it.

Little Bluestem, or beard grass, is a North American prairie grass.

So what’s the big deal? When stormwater run-off is not addressed, it can cause dramatic effects in the functioning and water quality of a planned watershed. As run-off travels overland, it can erode soils, change stream patterns and cause flooding. In addition to those mentioned above, run-off can also pick up additional pollutants such as sediments, toxic metal particles, pesticides and fertilizers, oil and grease, pathogens, excess nutrients and trash. Polluted run-off, if not diverted, has the potential to end up in publicly utilized waterways.

OK, So it is a Big Deal! Now What Do We Do?

Since the primary cause of stormwater run-off is increased impervious surfaces, a first step solution is the sustainable site design which minimizes impervious surfaces. The second step is to manage the stormwater so that as little of it leaves the site as possible.

When it comes to the pavement – sidewalks, driveways, parking lots – there are essentially two ways to make these impervious surfaces more water absorbent: either by using pervious concrete or incorporating permeable pavers.

Pervious Concrete Pavement

Pervious concrete is a type of concrete that is highly porous, allowing water to pass directly through the concrete into the ground, thereby reducing run-off from a site. It also helps to replenish groundwater and helps reduce pollutants in run-off. According to concrete manufacturers, pervious concrete allows as much as eight gallons of water per minute to pass through each square foot.

Permeable paving describes materials and techniques that allow the movement of water and air around the paving material. All permeable paving materials have wide joints or openings filled with grass or gravel, allowing stormwater to percolate and infiltrate through areas that would traditionally be impervious to the soil below.

Explains Green & Main’s Chaden Halfhill, “The Green & Main building site in Sherman Hill includes permeable pavers incorporated into our north side parking area. This will allow a much larger percentage of the site’s stormwater to be absorbed into the ground.“

“In addition, we are incorporating a rain water retention basin behind the parking area. The water from that basin overflows into a ‘bio-swale’,” continues Halfhill. “A bio-swale is basically a ground indentation that moves water to a garden or landscaped area. The bio-swale also incorporates native plants with root systems that absorb the water.”

Water Efficient Landscaping

Stormwater management and landscape design go hand-in-hand. Again, the goal is to recreate what happens organically in nature. This means creating an environmentally functional landscape that mimics natural watershed functions.

Zach Heitzman of Green Bean Landscape in Ankeny, specializes in creating high quality landscapes with long-term sustainability and functionality. He is the landscape designer for the Green & Main Pilot Project. “For this site in Sherman Hill, we are using grasses and landscape plantings to replicate the native Iowa landscape,” states Heitzman. “The lawn will primarily be made up of buffalo grass which is very water efficient and requires very little work to maintain. It has a deep root structure and holds rain water very well.”

“For more ornamental landscaping, we’ll include little bluestem, switch grass and then pale coneflower, or Echinacea,” continues Heitzman. “Each of these plant species is native to Iowa and will thrive here while supporting the stormwater management objectives on site.”

Landscaping with plants native to an area helps ensure the maximum benefits are gleaned. As they are well-adapted to local environmental conditions, they maintain or improve soil fertility, reduce erosion and often require less fertilizer and pesticides than many other plants need.

The Chicago City Hall green roof helps cool the building and minimize water run-off.

A green, or vegetative, roof is vegetation growing on a contained roof space. During rainstorms, green roofs act as a sponge by absorbing much of the water that would otherwise run off. Researchers estimate that three to five inches of soil, or growing medium, absorbs 75% of rain storms that are ½ inch of accumulation or less. Green roofs also filter pollution from rainwater. This beneficial process increases over time as rooftop plants and root systems grow and mature.

“The green roof is one of our key stormwater management strategies,” states Halfhill. “The Green & Main roof will infiltrate water, saturating it, so less is shed from the roof. We also are using different roof levels, so water is dispelled as it progresses down.”

Green & Main’s green roof will be planted on October 4^th by Rooftop Sedums of Davenport, Iowa. Their experience shows that up to 90% of stormwater can be conserved annually by incorporating a green roof.

Rooftop Sedums’ multicolor sedums.

Teresa Nelson of Rooftop Sedums explains the type of plant species best suited for the Green & Main roof. “When we are looking at an Iowa climate, a green roof solution must be able to withstand harsh weather conditions along with extreme temperature fluctuations,” states Nelson. “In addition, an Iowa roof will have to tolerate the weight of snow and the green roof soil, so a lightweight and shallow soil is also important. For these reasons, we are using varieties of sedum to vegetate the Green & Main roof. Sedum is a mountain ground cover plant, so it is hardy, has a shallow root system, drains well and controls erosion. Mountain plants thrive in these types of environments and they are drought resistant.”

According to Nelson, 90% of green roofs are planted with sedum. “For the Green & Main roof we will be using over 50 sedum varieties so it will be a very vibrant patchwork of different colors and textures,” continued Nelson. “We will also sparingly use a few deciduous plants for accent.” For more about this, read Johanna Hoffman’s article from August 30, 2011, ‘Natural Beauty and Green Technology at Green & Main‘.

Green & Main Setting the Standard

“My hope is that the design of the Green & Mail building is helping people see and experience how stormwater management can move from building to landscaping to the sewer,” adds Halfhill. “I’m proud that you can stand in back of our lot and see how the water moves – how it’s arrested, harvested and infiltrated as it moves from rooftop to ground.”

Editor’s Note: Check out some tips on how you can incorporate stormwater management practices on your own residential property.  This list includes some great ways to harvest the rain for other uses as well.

– Ann Wilde is a Des Moines marketing strategist and writer who also has a special interest in preserving and creating sustainable communities.

A very rainy June day in Iowa.

The Weather at Green & Main

It just could not stop raining in June. We’re not talking the standard ½-inch flush that cleans city streets while households sleep, leaving the air smelling fresh in the morning. No, we’re boasting serious downpours that dump upwards of five inches of rain in twenty-four hour cycles and repeatedly interrupt our planned work days, while also putting officials and drivers on the alert for early morning street closings.

Mother Nature has been busy exceeding all sorts of records, and construction crews have been busy in their accommodation. This has held true at the pilot project building. One can only laugh, perhaps, at the construction delays caused by an overload of rainwater, given that one of our project’s main assertive goals is to provide this property with maximum stormwater management and release.

Waterproofing the exterior foundation of the addition.

Much to be Done

Before we reclaim the site, amending the soil and establishing bio-systems to capture storm water and to encourage infiltration, the addition must be completed. This includes tuck-pointing and waterproofing the subterranean concrete block walls of the existing building. Protecting the building’s foundation from bulk water intrusion and sub-surface water pressure helps to establish an effective basis for high-performance rehabilitation of the structure. This is not such an easy task when the over-dig for the basement serves to generate a moat regularly, thereby limiting access to the work zone.

The geo-technical soil analysis did prepare us for slow infiltration of water into layers of Wisconsin Clay, but not during construction, nor nine feet below grade. While we have taken precautions to control erosion from the site, no plans account for the impact recurrent downpours have on the productivity of construction. So each morning, submersible pumps would dispel the growing brown pool of water through multi-colored hoses, generating enough white noise to dampen the sound of the nearby interstate. The process was something to watch. The continuous ingenuity exhibited by Jason Anderson, Silent Rivers’ site-supervisor, and the craftsmen from Atlas Masonry, never ceased to amaze me. Each morning they restored temporary tents to protect the fresh mortar, using concrete blocks and pallets to work above the flooded muck as the pumps churned below.

Pouring the basement during a dry day.

Inside the foundation walls we encountered additional challenges: unanticipated water pooling within the basement. The building’s lower level lacked capacity to shed rain water, functioning as a wading pool without a drain – never mind that the recently poured basement floor includes eight drains that exist to receive heat pump condensate and protect the lower level in the event of equipment or plumbing failure. During the finishing of the cement floor, temporary drain caps were removed by tradesmen and one drain, located within the addition, opens to the sky. Typically, such a detail wouldn’t cause issue, as the drains would connect and discharge into the municipal system. Of course, not in our case!

The city’s sewer remains cracked, disallowing the project to connect to public works until repairs are made – we discovered this dilemma in late spring. So with pending grant deadlines and increasing financial pressures, construction pressed on. The conditions: the six-inch access pipe terminates just beyond the southeast corner of the building. Stubbed-out and capped, the pipe awaits connection to public works. In the meanwhile, the building lacks capacity to drain. The result: eight unexpected puddles in the basement. However, a quick response with a late-night remedy was in the works. Jason Anderson, knowing the drains were not in working order, made a 10 p.m. trip to the job site. He located another pump to remove the water and capped the exterior drain opening to limit access to the network of pipes below.

Weather and Design

From the initial deluge during our groundbreaking ceremony to this recent inundation of storms, we are constantly reminded of the power of nature, and the imperative to design in balance and harmony with natural resources and cycles. Water is an essential resource, not only to the existence of our species, but as a dynamic impact on our shelter and its surroundings. Considering that most every design decision made for the Green & Main Pilot Project evaluates the influence of water on the building and its performance – while reciprocally weighing the impact the building, the site and its use has on this most precious resource – these reminders are quite apropos. They help encourage and reinforce a stewardship ethic that is central to our initiative.

– Chaden Halfhill is an entrepreneur and visionary of the Green & Main Initiative. He likes to reclaim and repurpose, then go out for lunch.

SITES, a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin, and the United States Botanic Garden, selected Green & Main based on its extensive environmentally friendly elements. These sustainable practices include: site water conservation, drinking water improvements and multiple erosion and sediment control methods.

The SITES Rating System includes 15 prerequisites and 51 different credits covering areas such as the initial site selection, water, soil, vegetation, materials, human health and well-being, construction and maintenance – adding up to a 250 point scale. The rating system recognizes levels of achievement by obtaining 40, 50, 60 or 80 percent of available points with one through four stars, respectively. SITES will receive feedback from the pilot projects until June 2012 to revise the final rating system and reference guide for release in 2013. The U.S. Green Building Council, a stakeholder in the Sustainable Sites Initiative, anticipates incorporating guidelines and performance benchmarks into future iterations of its LEED® Green Building Rating System.

– Sara Crouse is a writer and marketing strategist who lives in Des Moines, Iowa.