Sustainable ("Green") Development
Sustainable Development means different things to different people.  It's usually thought of as using methods and materials for new development that reduce our impact on the environment and that conserves the natural resources that we use for development.  In the Puget Sound region, it is obvious that we have strained our environment and natural resources by rapid population growth and heavy development in the last approximately 20 years.  A practical geotechnical example of this is the large distances that must now be traveled by dump trucks to dispose of unsuitable fill soil and to bring high quality soil to a construction site.  Storm water runoff from tightly-spaced developments has caused increased erosion and downstream flooding in both urban and rural areas.

As engineers and geologists, it is in our nature to use a holistic, "big picture" approach toward new developments.  We must consider not only the intended use of the development and the client's financial objectives, but also the site topographic, geotechnical, environmental and drainage constraints.  Underlying all this is a desire to reduce our impacts to the world we live in.  Wherever possible, we consider lower impact technologies, such as using recycled structural fill materials, amending or treating on-site soils to prevent large amounts of soil exporting and importing, and on-site disposal of storm runoff.

Awards:  Certificate & Letter