Day by day, we have been consistently warned by scientists that our planet is suffering due to the impact of human activities and the industrial revolution. Mankind’s development can be seen as a major contributor to massive pollution and climate changes across the globe. To ensure that we do not ruin our planet while we grow as human beings, we have pinpointed the solution to be sustainability in regards to going through our daily lives.
So what is sustainability?
Sustainability is defined as a development that meets present requirements without endangering future generations' capacity to meet their own. It is designed to use our expertise and sensitivity while simultaneously reducing the negative environmental effects. As landscape architects, the industry has also embraced sustainability as a pillar when practicing. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects “Sustainable landscape designs are ecologically sensitive, regenerative, and may actively assist to the creation of healthy communities. Sustainable landscapes absorb carbon, increase energy efficiency, restore ecosystems, and generate significant economic, social, and environmental value.”
The importance of sustainable landscape design
A sustainable landscape goes beyond the element of aesthetics. This type of design takes into account its objective in reducing negative environmental impact while still including features that are alluring and beautiful. In choosing a sustainable landscape design, you'll be able to procure a gorgeous landscape that you can be proud of while being good stewards of the environment. There are various benefits why sustainable landscape designs are very popular and sought after these days. Clouston Design has embraced some of these benefits by applying sustainable landscape design to our projects. One of those being Melawati Mall in Taman Melawati, Malaysia.
Rainwater Harvesting
For Melawati Mall, Clouston Design made a pragmatic decision in reducing water runoffs and promotes efficiency in water management. An increase in water runoff happens in the case where conventional buildings do not allow rainfall to be absorbed back into the soil. An unnatural water runoff directly contributes to a higher possibility of flooding and water pollution in the sense that water runoff tends to pick up harmful substances and transport them to our water supply. All these negative consequences can be detrimental to the community and can be easily avoided through the integration of sustainable landscapes which incorporate designs like rainwater harvesting and porous pavements. Rainwater harvesting allows us to reuse the rainwater that we catch while porous pavements enable rainfall to trickle back into the soil, mitigating issues like water runoffs.
Crib Wall System
Furthermore, a crib wall system was also decided upon for Melawati Mall. Crib wall system is the spaces between the grillage of the header and stretcher elements are filled with free-draining coarse-grained materials (sand and gravel), which must be durable, e.g. resistant to erosion and frost; crib walls can be built with either the front face or the back face grating. Stretcher components can be built of reinforced concrete or timber and are designed to interlock; longevity is achieved by concealing the reinforcement in concrete parts or treating the wood elements. Crib walls are permeable, allowing retained fill to drain freely; surface and/or deep drainage systems will be installed where suitable or essential to maintain backfill materials free of groundwater pressures.
So thats it for this week’s blog post. We hope that this post was beneficial for all in ensuring a brighter future for the next generation and generation now. We invite readers to email us regarding any topics you would like for us to write about. Till then, stay safe and spread the love!
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