BOOK REVIEW

SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, FAUNA, FLORA, GREEN ROOF, ROOF GARDEN, CONTEXT THEORY

(By Lambert M. Surhone, Miriam T. Timpledon, Susan F. Marseken)

(http://www.buchoffizin.de/produkt/9786130485542.html?tx_crondavcommerce_pi%5Btabclass%5D=singleview&tx_crondavcommerce_pi%5Btabid%5D=1&cHash=de7e14dde7)

·     This book is a high quality collection of Wikipedia articles  prepared by experts in the field and collated by the authors. The articles are centred on elements of landscape architecture and general issues relating to sustainability and landscapes.

·         The articles cover various aspects of sustainability and environmental awareness in general, however, there are a few which can positively influence any urban intervention such as that of broad marsh shopping centre area in Nottingham. They are:

1.    Sustainable urban drainage systems

The basic idea behind the Sustainable Urban drainage systems (SUDS) is the procedure of collecting surface water such as storm water run offs, purifying it before releasing it back to the water courses in order to avoid pollution, floods, contamination etc.

The article has pointed out about five SUDS techniques which are:

“-   source control

-       Permeable paving such as pervious concrete

-       Storm water detention

-       Storm water infiltration

-       Evapo-transpiration (eg. From a green roof)”

2.    Green transport



Wind powered vehicle
http://ecofriend.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/windpowered-car_KXfzm_5965.jpg



 The book looks at the normal system of transport and how much negative impact it has on the environment form a social and economic perspective. From a social perspective in the sense that non-green transport systems such as cars cause things like air pollution, noise and inactivity from high traffic and economic in the sense that there is sometimes insufficient balance between cost and time efficiency. A green or sustainable transport system would be one that considers sustainability from an economic, social and environmental point of view. According to the book, the main forms of green transport are:

-       Walking or Ambulation

-       Bicycling or cycling

-       Green vehicles (Low carbon emission vehicles,

-       Solar vehicles or Wind powered electric vehicles.