Last Thursday, September 25, owners, architects, and landscape architects from the DC metro area and Virginia gathered with Nitsch Engineering for our 2024 DC Client Seminar: “Unlocking Green Infrastructure: Strategies for Resilience and Economic Success.” The speakers were Seth Charde, LEED AP, Green Infrastructure Manager from DC Water; Cheri Vincent, Senior Project Manager from Brailsford & Dunlavey Inc; Nicole Holmes, PE, LEED AP, Sustainability and Innovation Practice Lead from Nitsch Engineering; and Matthew Brassard, PE, ENV SP, Vice President and Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager from Nitsch Engineering, who moderated.
After a short introduction from Executive Vice President Jennifer Johnson, PE, CFM, LEED AP, and Matthew Brassard, Seth Charde presented a case study of Kennedy Street in Washington, DC. Pre-construction, Kennedy Street was almost totally impervious to stormwater, which resulted in increased dryness and heat in dry weather, and increased flood risk in wet weather. The redesign by Nitsch Engineering and the Urban Rain Design Team incorporated green infrastructure practices to increase permeable surfaces, introduce more diverse and better-suited vegetation to green spaces, and establish robust stormwater management structures. The result was a more beautiful street that mimicked natural conditions and was prepared to handle much greater amounts of rain.
The second session of the morning was Nicole Holmes’s case study of Washington Canal Park in Washington, DC. Canal Park is a three-block city park designed with stormwater capture and reuse in mind, along with the promotion of both natural ecosystems and urban activity. The project is a unique example of a neighborhood-scale stormwater system that benefits the community as well as property owners: stormwater harvested from the roofs of nearby buildings as well as the park itself accounts for 95% of the park’s annual non-potable water needs, including the multi-block water feature and a large fountain/splashpad.
The final session of the morning was Cheri Vincent’s case study of the Hilltop Campus Stormwater Master Plan. The Master Plan included suggestions for near- and long-term strategies, including the implementation of green roofs, partnerships with neighbors, a campus-wide rainwater harvesting system, and more. Cheri discussed the challenges of implementing all of the ideas in the Master Plan, and shared how proposing innovative ideas helps push the needle for the future.
Finally, the morning wrapped up with a panel discussion moderated by Matthew Brassard about the green infrastructure goals, tools, and results the speakers have seen when project owners and engineers look beyond “just” meeting regulatory compliance standards and instead think creatively and long-term.