Green Infrastructure in Seattle: Designing for Clean Stormwater in the Rain City
Presented by AIA Seattle’s Committee on the Environment
Seattle is well known for its beautiful, sprawling parks. Several thousand acres provide softscapes that allow rainwater to slow down and infiltrate before reaching our waterways.
But what about the rest of the city?
On October 25th, we bring the conversation back to hardscapes: rooftops, roadways, and bridges that send polluted runoff straight into Seattle’s delicate aquatic ecosystems. With advancements in toxic stormwater retention, architects and developers now have the opportunity to promote on-site natural filtration using green infrastructure design that delights
both inhabitants and passerby.
COTE is proud to welcome representatives from Weber Thompson, Salmon-Safe, and Stewardship Partners to discuss stormwater infiltration strategies with special regards to exciting new built and planned projects that creatively process runoff from the Aurora Bridge.
SPEAKERS:
Aaron Clark, Stewardship Partners, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Aaron Clark is an environmental scientist with experience conducting, communicating and applying scientific research for the support of healthy, functioning ecosystems. He focuses on building an interdisciplinary network between communities, policy-makers, businesses, architects, engineers and planners. He received a B.A. in biology from Reed College and a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Washington. Aaron serves as the Steering Committee Chair for the Green Infrastructure Partnership (GrIP) and leads the annual Puget Sound Green Infrastructure Summit.
Ellen Southard Salmon-Safe, Salmon-Safe Puget Sound Manager
Ellen Southard has 29 years’ experience in the green building industry. She was an early adopter of building and site certifications and a founding member of Cascadia Green Building Council. She has worked with Salmon-Safe for 9 years as the organization’s Outreach Manager in Puget Sound. Salmon-Safe’s development standards set the goal of elevating environmental performance through design and construction to ongoing operation. In 2016 Ellen was named Sustainable Seattle’s Community Hero. She is an Oxfam America Ambassador and a member of the Puget Sound Partnership Environmental Caucus.
Rachel Meyer Weber Thompson, Landscape Architecture Principal
Rachael Meyer has over 15 years of experience in commercial, residential, and public projects. She is a critical team member early in projects to help build consensus amongst clients, consultants and other key stakeholders. Rachael is passionate about green roofs, urban agriculture and sustainable strategies, and integrates these passions into each of her designs. She regularly speaks and writes about her research, which ranges from water management practices to functional landscapes.
Registration encouraged. This event is free to attend.
Program Questions?
Contact Connor Descheemaker, Membership & Volunteer Manager at AIA Seattle
