The Many Names of Low Impact Development Do We Need so Many?

Presentation

Description: There many different names for the concept of Sustainable Development Patterns and environmentally friendly stormwater management which are used in the United States and in other countries around the world. This presentation will look at all of these various approaches and identify commonalities as well as differences and suggest a singular name which could be universally used for these approaches. Full Presentation Abstract: Over the past 30 years there has been a movement to create developments which are more in harmony with the natural environment. Low Impact Development, commonly known as LID was the first to hit the street thanks to Larry Coffman. However, since the advent of LID, there are many other names for similar approaches, such as: Green Infrastructure, Water Sensitive Urban Design, Sustainable Urban Drainage System, Sponge City, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Sustainable Stormwater Management, Better Site Design, Conservation Design, Smart Growth, New Urbanism, and Light Imprint Design.
The many different names have often confused both designers and regulators, which has resulted in less than desirable outcomes.
This presentation will focus on the similarities and differences between the twelve different concepts stated above. Some concepts are more focused on urban redevelopment with a goal of creating sustainable systems where none currently exist. Other concepts focus on site layout and design and working in more harmony with the natural environment. Lastly, there is a group of concepts with a large focus on stormwater management for the built environment, whether new development or redevelopment.
After reviewing all the different concepts, suggestions will be made to create a singular name and approach which would simply the design landscape for professionals, regulators, and end users. At the end of the day, we all want to see site designs which minimize environmental impacts to the natural landscape