Design Ecology

H2H Hotel

Captain — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:53:20 +0000

The H2H Hotel is a LEED registered sustainable inn located in Sonoma County. Design Ecology provided technical consultation for this living roof designed by David Baker + Associates and installed by Bertotti Landscaping Inc. for MidState Construction. Working closely with the architect, manufacturer and construction team, we were able to resolve several critical details including soil retention, access boxes, soil restraint, and irrigation.

San Francisco Residence

Captain — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:54:21 +0000

This was a design/build project done with our partner construction company Bertotti Landscaping. The project was designed and completed in under 3 weeks. Project elements included paving, lighting, trellis, planting, irrigation and railing design and construction. Native plants were featured in a formal landscape design that highlights unique and special native plants. A dense hedge and fence were installed to provide a sense of privacy and protection from the adjacent public park.

Widinski Residence

Captain — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:59:18 +0000

A private residence in Marin County featuring mostly native plantings and a decommissioned swimming pool converted to an ornamental pond. Existing mature plantings were preserved wherever possible, and a recirculating waterway and falls provides pond aeration and an attractive view. The landscape also serves as the waiting room viewshed for a small home office.

Marin Residence

Captain — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:53:08 +0000

A green roof installed in 1969 had been decommissioned due to leaks and poor plant health. In the process, copper skylights had deteriorated and other details were in a state of decay. The roof system was redesigned, and a meadow landscape of plants native to nearby Mt. Tamalpais was specified. The end result is a beautifully restored living roof system framing spectacular views of San Francisco Bay.

West Elm

Captain — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:51:07 +0000

Viewed by 250,000 cars per day from the adjacent freeway, this roof is comprised of meadow grasses and wildflowers native to this site near the Bay Bridge in Oakland. Other site features include a green vine wall, california native landscape, and rain gardens to capture and infiltrate stormwater.

Freight & Salvage

Captain — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:42:02 +0000

This popular Berkeley folk music venue relied on a living roof and flow-through stormwater planter to satisfy city code regulations. More than 50% of the roof is covered in native meadow and wildflowers, and the conventional roof area drains to a planter box filter at street level; together these features reduce the amount of stormwater flowing into city infrastructure, and prefilter what water does drain to storm pipe. The living roof also reduces energy required for cooling and provides habitat for native birds and butterflies.

Kenwood Residence

Captain — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:25:56 +0000

This new home on 5 acres in eastern Sonoma County features rammed earth construction, solar energy, rainwater irrigation system, and a landscape of native and edible plants. The landscape is designed in the permaculture style and includes a chicken coop, tropical greenhouse, almond orchard, and keyhole vegetable garden. Three acres were seeded in native grasses, and 1200 linear feet of infiltration swales control surface runoff and prevent erosion. Native plant holes were innoculated with forest soils from the site and a habitat pond is gracefully placed at the entrance with a stone bench to complement hand shaped flagstone paving. This landscape has been featured in many publications, including Natural Home Magazine, Good Green Kitchens by and The Not So Big House by Jennifer Roberts, and the television show Planet Green.

Van Cortlandt Park

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:19:34 +0000

This unique project combines community recreation access with high security infrastructure operations in an integrated site plan. The project scope includes a 9-acre green roof system, use of wetland systems to filter water and control building temperature, application of surplus water to provide security, and management of local ecology consultants.

Excess ground water is redirected into habitat enrichment and security features. Surplus water is routed to the adjacent golf course and infiltration systems. Water features supply water for ground source heat in building systems and non-potable project water demand.

Malibu Condominium

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:18:09 +0000

This luxury residential building is proposed along the Pacific Coast Highway and features native plant landscapes, graywater re-use, rainwater harvesting, and a living roof. Project completion date is estimated for 2011.

“images courtesy of Caesar Pelli Associates”

Hollywood Residence

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:11:44 +0000

Design Ecology designed and facilitated the installation of this 30’L x 8’H outdoor, residential living wall via collaboration with partner company, Bertotti Landscaping Inc. Walls were planted and grown out in our Bay Area facility and installed in West Hollywood. Plants used were hardy tropicals well adapted to southern California weather. The wall covers an existing drab, flat wall into a multi-dimensional, colorful and alive surface that helps define an outdoor dining pavilion. We are currently involved in the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the wall.

Malibu Residence

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:08:57 +0000

In order to achieve the project goal of net zero water use for irrigation, an integrated water management strategy for this 16,000 sq. ft. estate was developed. The initial demand is minimized by site appropriate plant species and a highly efficient irrigation system. All site and building wastewater with the potential for reuse is collected and treated. This includes rainwater that falls onto roofs and decks, site stormwater and graywater from sinks, showers and laundry. Below ground storage provides adequate water volume required to meet the site’s irrigation demand even during the summer’s driest months. These strategies result in projected overall water savings of 150,000 gallons a year.

Bancroft Hotel

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 11:03:37 +0000

This landscape and integrated water management design are part of renovations occurring on this historic hotel adjacent to the UC Berkeley campus. Through a partnership with the UC Botanical Garden, site-specific native plants have been selected to replace exotic plant material and showcase the potential for native species in an ornamental setting. A proposed graywater system treats wastewater from laundry services for reuse in irrigation. Rainwater will be collected in rain barrels located throughout the site, creating an interesting visual component and providing transparency for the ecological design elements of the project.

Bolsa Chica

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:54:48 +0000

Design Ecology was excited to be asked to integrate this public facility and associated interpretive functions with the surrounding ecosystem. A project goal of net zero water resulted in site water being utilized for all purposes allowed by code. A 15,000-square foot living roof extends to meet the ground plane via berms that surround the building. Rainwater storage tanks embedded within these berms store enough water to supply the center’s exhibit gardens and native plant nursery. Additional storage in underground tanks beneath an outdoor amphitheater allow storage of remaining site demand. Potable uses required by code will be offset by on-site rainwater exported to irrigate an existing adjacent playground.

Mill Rise

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:53:19 +0000

This residential estate features a living swimming pool, rainwater harvesting, and graywater reuse. These systems operate on demand by electronic controls, and utilize an automated backup supplyof city water when site water is unavailable or the system is under maintenance. The living pool features a wetland filtration system that maintains water quality. The graywater system collects all wastewater from sinks, baths, and laundry. Water is treated to provide primary supply for irrigation and toilet flushing. Rainwater is captured in a 20,000gallon tank and stored as a backup when graywater is insufficient. Cross connected municipal supply acts as a final backup when site water has been depleted.

Mixt Greens

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:58:59 +0000

Mixt Greens is an organization whose philosophy is inherently rooted in sustainable and equitable business practices. Restaurants are being built in newly renovated buildings with a cradle to cradle design, construction and business model approach. Serving local, organic and healthy meals these entrepreneurs recognized the value in visually conveying a message to their customers about the importance of healthy and sustainable consumption. This edible hydroponic living wall conveys that message and serve as the company brand. They are growing their own produce from seed to be served to customers. The walls act as art pieces attracting customers and media attention. Four of these walls are currently built and provide fresh, year round veggies in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

West Coast Green

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:50:22 +0000

A major demonstration landscape was designed and installed for the largest green conference on the west coast. Living walls were planted with native plants and installed at all main speaker stages. To create a pedestrian link between two large exhibit halls a promenade was defined by a large bamboo structure. Building entrances were punctuated with mature olive trees, native alders, edible plants and recycled colored glass mulch. Green products were showcased including Floating Habitat Islands, Native Grass Sod, Reclaimed Lumber, and Bamboo. The design incorporated biological stormwater mitigation including rain gardens, hanging gardens, and vegetated biofiltration islands for in-situ water treatment. These solutions were presented as a hierarchy of treatment solutions and showcased the potential for the use of synthetic vegetative media to filter a polluted water body. This highly successful installation was covered by ABC News and several blogs including InHabitat.

Kepler Residence

Captain — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:18:57 +0000

This residential landscape renovation was done to increaseusability, provide fresh organic food, and restore native plants and habitat to the property. The scope of work included nativeplant selection and placement, design for habitat, installation coordination and kitchen garden design. Implementation of the final design restored this once typical suburban yard into a biodiverse, multi-layered and habitat rich system.

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Captain — Wed, 12 May 2010 02:48:53 +0000

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110 The Embarcadero

Captain — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:47:42 +0000

This glass curtain wall office building designed by Caesar Pelli is proposed one block from San Francisco’s Embarcadero. Working with the architect and building engineers, the vegetated “second skin” is designed to shade the building and create a layer of cool air to reduce air conditioning needs. The planters also capture storm water from roof and facade, delivering filtered rain water to basement tanks for use in toilets and for wash water. In summer, the facade plantings are irrigated with graywater to maximize cooling effect without the use of potable water. Wall plantings provide habitat for 7 specific species of native hummingbird and butterfly.

Post #1

Captain — Thu, 06 May 2010 03:54:41 +0000

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