Introduction When competing for space in urban development, stormwater management solutions — particularly those such as “daylighted” raingardens with prohibitive footprints — often find themselves at the bottom of the priority list. And yet, as cities expand, impervious surfaces multiply, increasing runoff and overloading drainage systems. So, how do designers simultaneously satisfy development needs and… More
Stormwater Management: Conventional Wisdom The traditional approach to stormwater management in urban environments has been to treat it as a problem to be managed, a liability that cities must control to prevent flooding, pollution, and infrastructure damage. Cities have been built upon this principle: quickly removing runoff from urban areas, directing it into storm drains,… More
As Jim Urban says, “Designing sites is not about looking great the day, month, or year they are completed. It is about creating landscapes that can function and thrive for many years and decades to come.” The foundation of successful urban green space design is prioritizing both the soil and the trees – and optimizing… More
At DeepRoot, we’re very comfortable in the cold – in fact, Minneapolis is the home base for our technical and marketing teams (with even more hardworking DeepRooters spread across the Canadian landscape). This is equally true of our Silva Cells, which have been supporting urban forests and treating stormwater in some of the world’s coldest… More
Introduction The economic vibrancy of many downtown cores, particularly in small- to medium-sized towns, has been waning in recent decades, losing retail and residential ground to adjacent suburbs. The reasons why are complex — but there’s no denying that at least part of the problem is the space itself: downtown districts often feature outdated and… More
Tim O’Hare Associates LLP is a leading independent environmental consultancy based in the United Kingdom specializing in soil science and landscape engineering, including soil science, topsoil, habitat creation, sales pitch agronomy, and more. I talked to Tim O’Hare himself to learn more about its reuse, recovery, and what it really means to manufacture soil. … More
To quote DeepRoot Vice President Al Key: “No matter the issue, trees have an impact.” This axiom is certainly true: Thriving urban forests are an important feature of any healthy city. The environmental advantages of these trees are obvious, everything from carbon sequestration and stormwater management to air-quality improvement. Even the financial impact of these… More
Introduction Trees have often been called the lungs of the world for their respiratory-like ability to release breathable oxygen into the air. But they could equally be considered the liver of the world, as they also filter atmospheric toxins and make the air cleaner and healthier to breathe. Urban areas typically feature worse air quality… More
Introduction Did you know that there are enough parking spaces in the United States to fill up the state of Connecticut? There are approximately 2 billion parking spots in America (servicing the needs of about 200 million cars). On average, a quarter of every major city’s land is parking area — with some cities, like… More
Introduction How do we build functional, sustainable urban communities? This is an increasingly critical question as the proportion of global population tilts more and more to city living. Urban density is an unignorable component in the equation — but not all density is created equal. Successful, eco-friendly city space can be dense; indeed, in some… More
The following Q&A on soil erosion was answered by Nick Comerford (University of Florida) and was reprinted from the “Soil Matters” blog. Q: What does it mean to say we are losing soil? Where does it go? A: You may hear the phrase: “We are losing our soil.” Sounds serious…but how do we lose… More
Introduction Physical public spaces have for decades been important features of urban living, community centerpieces that provide a number of concurrent benefits – from health advantages to spurring economic revitalization and increased home values. If anything, the technological and medical conditions of modern life – from social media and virtual meetings to the Covid-19 pandemic… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
Request a Quote [email protected]
Tel: 415 781 9700
Toll Free: 800 458 7668
Toll Free: 800 277 7668
Fax: 415 781 0191
