News
April 2008
ASLA Green Roof Education Program
April 15, 2008
Visit the American Society of Landscape Architect’s Green Roof Education website. Learn how from July 2006 to May 2007 the ASLA Green Roof retained nearly 75% (29”) of the total rainfall. Conservation Design Forum was part of the ASLA green roof design team. For more information visit: www.asla.org
March 2008
Saving Water - One Yard at A Time
March 18, 2008
CDF's Marcus de la fleur designed and implemented his Elmhurst yard at 168 Elm Avenue to eliminate all water runoff. His pilot project is featured on Chicago Public Radio as part of the Chicago Matters - Growing Forward series. You can listen to the interview broadcast on Worldview, or a five minute segment.
February 2008
A Garden Blooms in Queens
February 1, 2007
Metropolis Magazine reveals how the design team helped Queens Botanical Garden emerge as a leader in sustainable design. In 2001 Conservation Design Forum, along with Atelier Dreiseitl, led the garden master plan vision which laid the groundwork for the first phase of implementation, the new Visitor and Administration Center. On target to receive LEED Platinum from the US Green Building Council, BKSK Architects worked with CDF and Dreiseitl to unveil a site design concept where water is the primary visible expression - considered as a resource, and never squandered. Water is present in every portion of the renovated gardens.
For more information visit: Metropolis Mag | PDF #1| PDF #2
NPR Smart City Radio Show interview with Heather Venhaus
February 9, 2008
Listen to NPR Smart City Radio Show interview with Heather Venhaus as she discusses the “Sustainable Sites Initiative.” This is landscape architecture’s counterpart to the US Green Building Council’s LEED program for green building.
For more information visit: NPR Smart City Radio
Merry Lea goes LEED Platinum
February 11 , 2008
Conservation Design Forum and the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center at Goshen College celebrate receiving LEED © Platinum certification for the Rieth Village. Award ceremony and luncheon will be at 11:30 a.m. on February 11, 2008.
For more information visit: Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center
January 2008
Duck Creek and Rock River Watershed Planning
January 2008
River Action and the Quad Cities Watershed Plan Steering Committee announce the kickoff meeting for the Duck Creek and Rock River Watershed planning efforts. The plans will assess watershed resources and identify practices, projects, and programs that can be implemented by watershed stakeholders to improve water quality, restore and protect natural resources, and address water quality and quantity issues. Conservation Design Forum will provide guidance, facilitation, and technical support to River Action and watershed stakeholders.
For more information contact Clare: 563.322.2969 | Email
River Action
CDF Participates in ASLA’s “Sustainable Sites Initiative.
Janaury 30, 2008
This initiative is an interdisciplinary partnership between the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the United States Botanic Garden and a diverse group of stakeholder organizations to develop guidelines and standards for landscape sustainability. Conservation Design Forum is providing expertise on the Hydrology Technical Subcommittee. While standards exist for sustainable structures—“green buildings”—there are no standards to guide those who want to create sustainable landscapes, yet landscapes have great potential for both environmental good and severe environmental damage. A comprehensive report will be published in October 2008 with the release of final Standards and Guidelines for Sustainable Sites planned for May 2009. The Sustainable Sites Initiative plans to produce a rating system by May 2011 and test the guidelines with pilot projects in 2010 and 2011.
For more information visit: Sustainable Sites
November 2007
Design of Environmental Facility and Education Center Embodies Highest Level of Environmental Performane
November 1, 2007
At the world's premiere green building conference, Greenbuild 2007, Omega Institute and the design team that includes Conservation Design Forum and BNIM Architects, was honored as a winner of the Greenbuild 2007 Living Building Competition for exemplary planning. The project received the “On the Boards Award”, which acknowledges projects in design or under construction most likely to meet Living Building performance criteria.
For more information visit: CascadiaGBC.org
December 2007
Landscape Architecture Magazine features Kresge Foundation Headquarters
December 1, 2007
“Walking the Talk: A Foundation that Offers Grants for Green Building Decides Stewardship Begins at Home.” Page 22-31. Conservation Design Forum led landscape architecture and water resource engineer design efforts for the project.
For more information visit: LAM article and The Kresge Foundation
August 2007
CDF participates in Tellabs 2007 Employee Event: Picnic in the Prairie
August 16, 2007
At this annual “Fun with Purpose Event” CDF President James Patchett gave a presentation to over 1000 Tellabs employees to raise their awareness and appreciation of native landscapes and conservation issues and organizations. Staff from CDF and Conservation Land Stewardship (CLS) led site tours and provided additional information. CLS has been maintaining the Naperville campus annually.
The City of Chicago declared a “Green Leader” by Fast Company Magazine
July/August 2007
The Chicago City Hall Green Roof, designed by Conservation Design Forum in 2000, is featured (page 26). This green roof project was one of Chicago’s first initiatives to cool the city while conserving energy. Since the project was initiated in 1999, more than 2.5 million square feet of green roof has been planted in the City – more than all other US cities combined.
The Chicago Academy of Science’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Summer Education Program included a visit to the CDF headquarters on August 1st
August 2, 2007
CDF’s Jason Addington delivered an age-appropriate presentation about the profession of landscape architecture and sustainable design, as well as toured the group of urban high school students through our office and green roof. Marcus de la fleur hosted the students at his own “BMP House” in Elmhurst where they witnessed first-hand how to incorporate sustainable landscape practices into a residential setting.
July 2007
CDF adds two hybrid cars to our commercial fleet
July 2007
The Toyota Prius and Ford Escape now provide our team with fuel efficiency, cleaner emissions, and gasoline savings which we pass along to our clients.
June 2007
Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois is adopting “Placemaking” as a vision for their new patient care addition and visitor's entrance
June 2007
Conservation Design Forum participated in a workshop with the “Project for Public Spaces” to design ways to make the hospital a healthy place for everyone. CDF continues to work with the hospital to make the final plan pedestrian friendly environment that showcases sustainable integrated landscapes for rainwater. CDF is also working with PPS and the hospital to help it become a community center that provides entertainment and recreation events. See article at http://www.pps.org/info/bulletin/campus_bulletin
Elmhurst Press article “Change that makes Cents” by Joe Cressman and Sarah Meisch
June 8, 2007
The article features James Patchett, president of Conservation Design Forum, who explains how making environmentally friendly and energy efficient choices can help the Earth and your wallet. Article features CDF’s green roof research project.
April 2007
“Time Out Chicago” presents Conservation Design Forum’s Marcus de la fleur’s personal green home landscape
April 24, 2007
de la fleur’s home features a prairie, green roof, various porous pavements and water collection systems. De la fleur burns his prairie each spring as part of his maintenance regime.
www.delafleur.com/168_Elm/index.htm
“Houses of Worship Go Green.” Audio Report by Jason DeRose
April 20, 2007
Chicago Public Radio show “Eight Forty-Eight” features Annunciation Byzantine Church’s environmentally conscious church landscape. Conservation Design Forum prepared the master plan back in 1999 to help Father Thomas Loya’s congregation “work with the land instead of against it.” Today the Church campus features over 10 acres of prairie and numerous site features such as bridges, paths and streams. Landscape stewardship at the church is conducted by Conservation Land Stewardship.
February 2007
The Quad Times
February 8, 2007
Davenport Green Roof designed by Conservation Design Forum is highlighted along with other “earth friendly” applications.
January 2007