"For innovative, environmentally sustainable solutions with water that assist our clients' community responsibilities."

 Full member of

• The Society of Australian Golf Course Architects
• Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
• Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand

Water Sensitive Design

 

Enviro Links Design is a landscape design with an ecology based approach to sustainable water management, linked with an awareness of engineering factors.

Options to consider for each project can include:

• swales, wetlands, retardation basins, rock cascades and waterfalls for slowing of flow peaks and velocities and groundwater recharging offering natural settings, even in urban areas.
• careful plant selection with more drought tolerant species and use of bio-filters
• targeted redirection of 'off roof' or carpark stormwater into the landscape, not into pipework
• incorporate ground water harvesting and other xeroscape sustainability principles
• minimize use of water by selective irrigation design, favouring drip not spray irrigation, integrating rain or stormwater tank supply for irrigation reuse, and recommending soil moisture monitoring and water saving gels for demand efficiency

Two project examples are:

University of Canberra Innovations Centre

The building roof (2,250 m²) and carpark (4,250m²) stormwater was discharged to rock cascades, rock mulch planters and swales leading to nutrient stripping ponds and a wetland attractively integrated into a landscaped setting. The cascades are sized to allow use by the future Stage 2 buildings.

In March 2006 Enviro Links Design was awarded the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects ACT/ACTEW Award for Water Sensitive Urban Design (Institutional) for this project.

David Street O'Connor wetland

Enviro Links Design were engaged by the Sullivans Creek Action Group to master plan two pilot offline wetlands for catchment feeders nutrient stripping and sediment reduction. The long term objective was to benefit water quality of Sullivans Creek and Lake Burley Griffin.

The adjoining City Edge development, to which we were the Landscape Architects, effectively contributed to their environmental charter by funding the wetland. Most City Edge stormwater, plus adjoining streets and public areas, was redirected to the wetland. It was a classic win-win situation, which assisted City Edge attain Demonstration Project Status and numerous national and regional awards. The Action Group also won an award for grassroots environmental initiatives.

An article by Jamie Dawson, Flowing Together - The benefits of environmentally sustainable landscape design for commercial projects, outlines a number of water sustainable focus landscape projects.

Sustainable water management principles have also been a design feature where appropriate on Enviro Links Design golf projects for many years. You can also read these relevant articles:

• Gungahlin Lakes Golf Course: Integration of lakes for water storage environmental management and golf strategy (480k PDF)
  
• Oatlands Golf Club: Reconstruction works for golfing strategy, fairness and water storage benefits (668k PDF)