Community-Scale Green Infrastructure: Bringing the Green Infrastructure Charrette Program to CitiesAlive in Philadelphia

Green roof and solar array at Abt Electronics

Greenleaf Advisors is working with Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and the Green Infrastructure Foundation to offer an interactive day long Green Infrastructure Charrette Program on Wed. Oct. 19th as part of the CitiesAlive conference in Philadelphia. The charrette will offer participants the opportunity to re-design several sites in Philadelphia with various forms of living green infrastructure to inform a high level cost-benefit analysis demonstrating the impact of investments in green infrastructure.

Sign up for the Charrette here.

Living Green Infrastructure encompasses features such as green roofs and walls, trees, permeable surfaces, wetlands and other green spaces. Green infrastructure that replaces or augments existing ‘grey’ infrastructure provides significant benefits in multiple areas, including Water Management, Energy Conservation / Climate Adaptation, Urban Ecology, Regenerative Agriculture, Economic Opportunities, Health, Well-Being, and Equity.

Green Infrastructure (GI) remains the exception rather than the norm in most building, site, and public infrastructure development/redevelopment projects throughout North America due, in part, to a lack of understanding of the full value of the benefits provided.

The charrette program serves as a means of engaging communities to learn about green infrastructure opportunities and provide a measurable indication of the layered benefits that can accrue from investments in its implementation.

The Green Infrastructure Foundation (GIF) created the Green Infrastructure Charrette Program to help designers, developers and government officials better understand the monetary benefits of green infrastructure, visualize the potential for its widespread application of best green infrastructure practices at a community scale.

The Green Infrastructure Charette Program in Philadelphia Includes:

  • A one day design charrette featuring multidisciplinary experts and local stakeholders, where 2-3 sites are re-designed using green infrastructure
  • The application of a cost-benefit matrix, developed by GIF, that provides an aggregate order-of magnitude economic analysis of the re-designs.

The combination of visuals generated through the charrette and the cost benefit analysis creates a strong case for green infrastructure investment, setting the stage for further green infrastructure planning and implementation. Charrettes have been completed in communities throughout North America, including New York, Washington, Massachusetts, and Ontario.

The findings of the final report will be widely disseminated through multiple local,  regional, and national avenues. 

How can you participate?  

  • Come to Cities Alive in Philadelphia (Oct. 16-18), and stay for the GI Charette on  Wednesday Oct. 19th (or sign up for the Charrette event only). Sign up for the Charrette here.
  • Help sponsor the GI Charrette in Philadelphia (some sponsorship levels are still available) 
  • Partner with GIF to conduct a GI Charrette in your community 

CitiesAlive 2022 will be a multidisciplinary conference highlighting innovative green roof designs, groundbreaking policies, and the best products and services in the green infrastructure industry, specifically focusing on green roofs and walls. The conference is approved for up to 18.5 Continuing Education Credits for ASLA, AIA, BOMI, IIBEC, and GRP. See the detailed agenda here, and register here.

The Green Infrastructure Foundation (GIF) partners with communities to shape healthy, resilient, and sustainable places  using living GI. The summary reports from past GI Charrettes and other resources are all accessible on GIF’s website.

Read the recent article about the GI Charette Program in the Summer 2022 edition of the Living Architecture Monitor

To learn more about how GIF and the Green Infrastructure Charrette Program can help your community to advance with GI practices, contact GIF Board Chair David Yocca.

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities is a non-profit 501(c)(6) professional industry association working to grow the green roof and wall industry throughout North America since 1999. Our mission is to develop and protect the market by increasing the awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roofs, green walls, and other forms of living architecture through education, advocacy, professional development, and celebrations of excellence. We offer The Living Architecture Monitor, with a mission to increase awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roofs, walls and other forms of living architecture. We also offer  The Living Architecture Academy, dedicated to bringing you the best, most up to date professional training information on design, installation and maintenance practices.

Posted in climate, Uncategorized, water.