The Leader - March/April 2009 - (Page 27) FAIRLANE GREEN: A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BY FORD LAND the buffer, support utilities and accommodate foundations. The Styrofoam-like blocks are commonly used in road and bridge construction, but Fairlane Green is one of the first vertical construction projects to use geofoam. Other engineering solutions included a passive methane gas collection system, specially lined utility trenches, and buttressing to reinforce slide slopes. Sustainability It was vitally important to Ford that Fairlane Green demonstrate the company's commitment to sustainable development. Fairlane Green lives up to its name on several levels. It is environmentally responsible in its re-use of a brownfield site and the site plan was designed to preserve more land than it develops. It is 60% less dense than traditional retail developments and the buildings incorporate the latest in green construction. The open space and sustainable systems included in Fairlane Green set it apart from traditional retail power centers. Sustainable systems include stormwater and irrigation, prairies and native landscape, wildlife habitat, parks and recreation, and green buildings. Stormwater is captured in green gardens, bio-swales and several large retention ponds that provide site irrigation. The unique selection of native plants and absence of traditional turf-grass lawns significantly reduce the need for longterm watering and regular fertilizer and mowing. Other landscape features include large hedgerows and islands that separate parking fields and reduce the heat island effect. Planters are strategically located throughout retail areas and living walls of vine-covered trellises adorn the buildings. The Michigan plantings provide habitat for many small birds, mammals and insects including a rare Snowy Owl and several red tail hawks. The 43-acre (17-hectare) park planned for Phase IV and the 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) of wide multi-use trails, many already installed, provide additional environmental and community benefits. The current trails wind through prairies, along the ponds and through the mature woods bordering the site and are ideal for strolling and bicycling. Park plans call for a variety of active and passive recreation activities including sledding, playscapes and nature study. Each project phase is, or will be, certified by the U.S. Green Building Council through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program. Fairlane Green Phase I is the first retail core and shell development to earn LEED-Gold certification. Environmental characteristics include low energy, CFC-free heating and cooling equipment, white reflective roofing, recycled and locally sourced building materials, recycling of construction waste materials, windows and skylights for daylight, a rainwater cistern to capture and re-use water, and green parking spaces constructed of porous pavers. As a testament to Ford's leadership and vision, several major retail tenants used this project as an opportunity to learn about LEED. Target and Meijer have achieved certification and several others have submitted their projects to the USGBC. destination center offering something for everyone. Fairlane Green also contributes to the local economy. At a time when employment and municipal tax bases are shrinking across the state, Fairlane Green offers 2,000 permanent jobs, hundreds of construction jobs and generates several million dollars a year in incremental taxes. Fairlane Green was recently awarded the national 2007 Phoenix Award Grand Prize for excellence in brownfield redevelopment – confirmation of Fairlane Green as a sustainable development providing social, economic and environmental benefits to the community. About the Author Roger G. Gaudette is Director, Asset Management, Ford Motor Land Development Corporation (Ford Land), the real estate arm and wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. As director of asset management, Gaudette is responsible for preparing corporate properties for development and/or sale. Community and Economic Impact Fairlane Green returns a brownfield property to productive re-use, provides thousands of jobs, a strong tax base, and demonstrates responsible use of land and building resources. The development fulfills the community's need for destination shopping not otherwise available in the historic builtout community outside of Detroit. Equally important are the recreational opportunities with the large open green spaces, trails, ponds and future park. Between, recreation, dining, shopping and entertainment, Fairlane Green is a self-contained For more information about this topic, go to CoreNet Global’s Knowledge Center Online. Mandating Green: Emerging Trends in the Governmental Regulation of Sustainable Building Construction http://www2.corenetglobal.org/dotCMS/ kcoAsset?assetInode=4596573 Blending the Old with the New: Urban Outfitters' HQ Moves To Philadelphia Navy Yard http://www2.corenetglobal.org/dotCMS/ kcoAsset?assetInode=4586435 2 0 0 9 TH E LE ADER 27 MARCH / APRIL http://www2.corenetglobal.org/dotCMS/kcoAsset?assetInode=4596573 http://www2.corenetglobal.org/dotCMS/kcoAsset?assetInode=4596573 http://www2.corenetglobal.org/dotCMS/kcoAsset?assetnode=4586435 http://www2.corenetglobal.org/dotCMS/kcoAsset?assetnode=4586435
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