Year Designed/Built: 2018
Size/Category: < 1 Acre
Team/Credit: Sites Southwest / Sequoia Landscapes
Role:  Landscape Architect
Responsibilities / Highlights:

• Conceptual design and renderings

• Schematic design through final plans

• Construction Administration and coordination with contractors - Design-Build partnership

• Awarded the LANL Patricia E. Gallagher Environmental Award for exemplary achievement in waste reduction, improved waste management, innovation that leads to environmental improvement, and environmental education

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In an effort to comply with the new MS4 permit requirements imposed, the team developed and construct a solution to mitigate the stormwater runoff from a large paved parking lot located next to Building 28 and the adjacent Mercury Road. The team utilized the principles of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) and low-impact-development (LID) to direct and slow down the stormwater runoff, infiltrate it into the aquifer, and improve the quality of the runoff prior to entering the storm drain.  This was achieved by using innovative grading strategies to create three terraced infiltration basins or a “treatment train” that allow water to percolate and purify through engineered filter media applied at the bottom of the basins. Any overflow was then designed to flow through an outlet that was integrated into a boulder wall to blend into the native landscape. This boulder wall is a prominent feature of the project and provides a great aesthetic attraction to the site. In addition to the LID features, many recycled or reused materials were integrated into the design to promote sustainability. 

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