| dc.description |
Sustainability in the design of K-12 public schools in the United States is gaining momentum due
to the environmental, educational, health, and financial benefits afforded students, staff, the district,
and the wider community. Detroit Public Schools is no exception to this trend. However, as is often the
case with sustainability in the built environment, Detroit Public Schools’ focus has been heavily biased
toward the building systems and building envelope, with little attention given to sustainability on the
site. While not incorporated into these projects initially, the absence of site sustainability presents an
opportunity for improved environmental stewardship at these otherwise exemplary schools. This study
provides a broad overview of sustainable site design techniques available to urban K-12 school
renovations, specific and quantifiable recommendations for their execution, and an example application
of those recommendations at Detroit’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior High School. Further, the study
provides an evaluation of the application from the landscape architect’s perspective. Site sustainability
techniques focused on in the study include stormwater management, landscape and irrigation, food
systems and urban agriculture, and on-site energy generation, all from the point of view and discipline
of the landscape architect attempting to design a functional, aesthetically-pleasing, and
environmentally-stewarded school campus. Areas where Detroit is already a leader in sustainability are
noted, such as with its Food and Nutrition Program and the incorporation of urban agriculture in its food
system and curriculum. Affording Detroit Public Schools the tools necessary to accomplish its next
frontier of sustainability, this study seeks to help cement the district’s leadership in this capacity. |
|