Harsh environments are geographic
areas impacted by climate extremes
— heat, cold, drought, fl ooding and
wind. According to the American
Meteorological Society, the U.S.
experiences "as much or more severe
weather than any other country on
earth." As the impacts of the overall
rise in global temperatures continue
to be felt, the number of areas in the
U.S. that can be considered a "harsh"
environment will continue to grow.
Sustainable design is particularly
important in harsh environments,
because it creates buildings and
landscapes that not only work
ef ciently with their surroundings but
also are resilient in the face of extreme
weather. Sustainable landscape design
is important to that resiliency because
it is the fi rst line of defense against
harsh elements. In hot, arid climates,
landscape designers can impact
the microclimate of a site by using
vegetation, water and hardscape to
modify surface temperature, protect
against wind, control evaporation
and refl ect solar radiation. In areas
ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE
DESIGN IN HARSH
ENVIRONMENTS
BY STEPHEN CARROLL
WINDS OF
CHANGE
15-20
Percent of waste that is regulated by multiple
regulatory agencies, including EPA, OSHA, DOT,
The Joint Commission, DEA and others.
7,000
U.S. hospitals generate
upwards of 7,000 tons
of waste per day.
SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES S U S T A I N A B L E S T R A
ISSUE FOCUS
Photos: Jennifer Cheung
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Medical Construction & Design | SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2015 | MCDM AG.COM