Green and sustainable design for camp facilities: why should you implement it at your camp and how…. giving kids a natural world of good—second in a series of six articles

Camping Magazine, March-April, 2005 by Mark E. Benton, John D. Guzik, Nozik. Nancy K.

Green design and sustainability are quickly moving to the forefront of architectural, engineering, and construction fields as strategies for creating high-performance buildings. The camp community is also beginning to learn more about how these principles can be applied at their camp properties. Green ideas are starting to affect decisions about everything from refuse management and wastewater treatment, to the construction of new facilities and even the design of entirely new camps.

What Does "Green" Mean?

"Green" is the idea that how we design, build, and operate structures has a dramatic impact on our lives and those of future generations. Green design strives to make our development sustainable. The goal is not to create a building with "green" bells and whistles, but to design and construct a structure that fits seamlessly into its surroundings, providing a durable and healthy environment. What Makes a Building Sustainable?

The U.S. Green Building Council defines sustainability as building practices that limit or eliminate the negative aspects of buildings on the environment. The Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED[TM]) program highlights five main areas:

1. Sustainable site planning

2. Safeguarding water and water efficiency

3. Encouraging energy efficiency and use of recycled materials

4. Conservation of materials and resources

5. Improving indoor air quality

See the "LEED[TM]--Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" sidebar

Applying Green/Sustainable Design at Camp

Once the decision to build has been made, many camp directors and property managers are now finding that there is a desire within their organizations to build "green." The problem is that they are often left wondering--How do we take these principles and incorporate them into our camp's development? Where should we start and why?

Design decisions really should be analyzed for both their initial costs and their long-term costs associated with maintenance and replacement. This "First Cost vs. Life-Cycle Cost" analysis often reveals that the sustainable approach may cost more initially, but will reap long-term savings for your camp. Green proponents argue that traditional construction practices disregard both the long-term true cost of construction on the environment and the more immediate health of the occupants of the structures they build. In addition to these considerations, traditional building practices don't adequately factor annual operating costs into the cost of a facility over time. The design and construction costs may be covered by a capital campaign, but you will be responsible for the new facility's operation costs for many years to come.

The Process

The following steps will outline the process that your organization should take to successfully develop your site and new facilities following green/sustainable design principles:

Pre-Planning

Long before the first shovel breaks ground, your organization will need to make a commitment to the importance of adopting a green approach to the future development of the facility. Depending on the complexity of the project, size of your site, and number of facilities needed, this process may begin up to two years before any new facility design, with an overall look at your property and effective planning for future development. As part of this process, it is important to look at all potential future development, not just a single building.

This is also the time to develop a planning and facilities committee that will represent your organization and users throughout the facility development process. This committee should consist of key board members, program staff, and volunteers in your community. You will want to select people who have an interest and/or experience in planning and development, and who can help you with fund raising. It is important to find a team member that is truly passionate about sustainability that will help keep green goals present in the mind of the team.

Master Planning

Prior to the start of any new construction, your organization will need to initiate a master planning process to identify the need for new facilities. At this stage a planning and design consultant that specializes in these areas can assist you in the development of a comprehensive, ten- to fifteen-year development plan for your property. This consultant, in collaboration with the planning and facilities committee, will review your program, the existing land, and the existing buildings at camp.

A green/sustainable master plan will identify ideal building sites within your property, as well as identify areas to remain undisturbed. Careful consideration should be given to solar, wind, and drainage patterns; water and sanitary systems; and even endangered or threatened species. Emphasis on sustainable site planning will reduce soil erosion, light pollution, and site disturbance, as well as help responsibly manage stormwater. Once a building site is selected, the actual building design should work hand in hand with the site design. The proper building orientation will take into account passive solar, daylighting, natural ventilation, and building access. Landscaping practices should include native and low maintenance species, tree locations for shading and wind control, control of stormwater runoff, limited pavement or hard surfaces, and the ability to preserve or even create a natural habitat.