Advantages Of Landscape Architecture

A lot of individuals believe landscape architecture is a method of “greening up” or decorating urban areas or properties. However, a landscape architect St Louis professional can help to provide fundamental infrastructure that does a great deal more. Strategically designed landscapes can stop the erosion of soil around buildings. In addition, it can filter contaminants by cleaning storm water runoff, provide valuable shade to safeguard people and buildings and encourage groundwater recharge.

The landscape design, the architectural design and the overall site planning can create an environment in which individuals want to work, spend time or socialize. Ground cover, trees and shrubs along with outdoor plazas can be converted into spaces used for taking a break, casual meetings or organized events. Additionally, seating areas can promote a sense of community and provide a respite for users who want to escape the built up environment.

Environmental Impact

Landscape architecture can also be a means of reducing operational costs by lessening the heat island effect of the site. Shading paved surfaces like parking lots is one method of achieving this. Furthermore, trees planted strategically can supply shade to west-facing wall surfaces and windows. This will assist in lowering heat gains in the building. In turn, this decreases the demand placed on electrical and mechanical systems.

In residential areas, plants can be used by homeowners to recreate strong ecosystems and reduce a number of the unfavorable effects residential buildings have on the ecosystems. Several techniques are there for extending the benefits of plants. These include:

• Growing food at home
• Using certain plant to create wildlife habitat
• Re-introducing native plants to the landscape
• Creating composting systems to efficiently remove residential waste
• Improving air quality and productivity by adding indoor plants

In addition, properly selecting and positioning plants can significantly contribute to the environmental quality of a population. This can be done by filtering runoff, mitigating noise and stabilizing soils. These have been the findings of a number of studies and as such, a lot of jurisdictions have introduced legislation that requires pre-treatment of storm water runoff.

Plants also assist in reducing the amount of siltation and erosion of natural waterways and storm water systems. Noise pollution can be somewhat alleviated by trees that absorb or deflect a lot of the unpleasant sounds.

Green Roofs

Green roofs are becoming increasingly popular on new developments. These “living” roofs typically comprise low-growth sedums, grasses, shrubs and trees. They provide the building with a fascinating flourish, while reducing the heating and cooling costs of the structure. These roofs can also assist in absorbing and filtering storm water. Additionally, they lower the water temperature that is released into lakes, streams and sewer systems.

Pervious Pavements

In today’s cities, pervious pavements are another common design element used by the landscape architect. A variety of pavers and pervious pavements exist and they all contain voids through which storm water runoff can filter through the soil. These pavements serve as a filtration system for contaminants like oil, while also enabling reduced overland runoff and groundwater recharge.

Without a doubt, a properly designed landscape improves the look of any environment in which it is located. However, combining the focus of the visual appeal with the energy-saving and social benefits is highly essential. More individuals need to wake up to the reality that landscaping is not merely a means of beautifying an area. Residents and communities should be prepared to invest in landscape designs for both aesthetic and functional reasons.