16B — March 30 - April 12, 2018 — POA Expo 2018 — ODM — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
POA E xpo 2018 By Daniel J. Caldwell, Stout & Caldwell, LLC Stormwater Design Why is it important? Howdowemanage it better?
A
good place to start is a quick refresher on what is stormwater.
when precipitation falls on impervious surfaces, such as streets, pavements and roofs, and causes a runoff effect. It is this latter flow that can wreak havoc on the environ- ment and lead to flooding, erosion, property damage, habitat destruction and con- taminated streams, rivers and other bodies of water. These reasons alone pro- vide a preliminary sense of the importance of stormwater management as it relates to new development projects and on-going site management. Now the question – how can
we best manage stormwater and design the most effective system? The answer is not a short one as it is unique to each site and has to be designed with that mindset. However, there are a number of common points that come to mind. First, what are some of the methods we use to protect against the negative effects of stormwater runoff? Pipes, storm drains, curbs and gut- ters make the short list. There are also detention ba- sins, ditches and even creeks that may be useful – again based
on the site landscape. But the tools alone are not enough. The design has to be well thought out. The key is to capture and hold the runoff as near to the source as possible and ultimately reduce the amount of total suspended solids and pollutants that are being released. Once the wa- ter is detained (or retained), design measures should be in place to remove pollut- ants before it infiltrates the groundwater, streams and wetlands. There have been extensive studies in the area of sustain- able stormwater manage-
ment and the development of stormwater control measures (SCM) that include structural or engineered control devices and systems used to treat or store polluted stormwater. These efforts also address operational or procedural practices. One key best man- agement practice (BMP) is to mirror the manner in which nature handles stormwa- ter and incorporate it when planning building and site developments. This includes increasing topsoil, creating infiltration trenches and us- ing porous pavement. Further “green” efforts in develop- ment involve approaches and technologies to capture and reuse stormwater. Attractive and functional greenscapes can provide a natural habitat while protecting water qual- ity at the same time. These improvements not only clean and cool the environment but enriches livability and increases property value. Along these same lines and equally important are the less obvious efforts that need to take place. To start, stormwa- ter cannot be ignored. There needs to be practices in place to address funding for new de- velopments but also in short and long-term programs to repair and replace aging infrastructure. Current regu- lations should be reviewed, and enforcement of existing and future ordinances needs to be maintained. Lastly, the importance of educating the community ought not be un- derstated. Water quality and its impact on the environment affects us all. Daniel J. Caldwell is co-founder and principal with Stout & Caldwell, LLC. n incidental reference. The fact that LED lighting retrofits save energy is recognized in the tax code is an important affirmation. Look at this opportunity from two vantage points 1) Qualifying for the EPAct 179D tax benefits and 2) Initiating a LED lighting retrofit that will save on enery costs now and might qualify for the EPAct 179D tax benefits in the future should this tax provi- sion be extended, as it has been many times in the past. George Crawford is prin- cipal of Green Partners. n continued from page 11B The EPAct 179D . . .
In short, it is rain, melted s n ow a n d any other precipita- tion falling f r o m t h e sky . Such wat e r has two fates. It
Daniel Caldwell
can fall directly in bodies of water or be absorbed into the natural environment, thus a source of replenishment for plant, animals and water reserves. The second results
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