Sustainable Landscape Construction

Summary

Kim Sorvig and J. William Thompson examine how landscape design and construction can minimize environmental damage while supporting ecological health and long-term site performance. The third edition develops its principles through more than 100 international projects, connecting environmental ethics with practical construction and maintenance decisions.

The book addresses healthy-site protection, soil restoration, living and flexible materials, water conservation, reduced paving, material sourcing and end-of-life impacts, energy costs, outdoor lighting, noise, maintenance, and performance evaluation.
The third edition also expands its discussion of climate adaptation, monitoring, and learning from project failures. Its central message is that sustainability must extend beyond the appearance of a landscape to include how it is built, how resources are used, and how the site performs over time.

Key takeaways

• Protect healthy sites before considering extensive landscape modification.
• Restore damaged soils and disturbed land wherever practical.
• Treat soil health as a foundation of successful landscape design.
• Favor living systems and flexible materials when they offer environmental advantages.
• Manage water as an essential ecological resource.
• Reduce unnecessary paving to support infiltration and reduce runoff.
• Evaluate material origin, transportation, durability, reuse, and disposal.
• Consider long-term energy costs rather than focusing only on initial construction.
• Design outdoor lighting to provide visibility while limiting light pollution.
• Consider noise reduction and the preservation of quiet outdoor spaces.
• Plan landscape maintenance to support long-term sustainability.
• Monitor project performance and learn from failures.
• Design landscapes to adapt to changing climate conditions and extreme weather.
• Evaluate environmental, social, and economic consequences together.
• Treat landscape construction as an opportunity to improve ecological function, not merely create an attractive outdoor space.

Practical application

Site assessment: Document existing trees, soil conditions, topography, drainage, habitats, and disturbed areas before design begins.



Soil protection: Establish construction protection zones around retained trees and sensitive soil areas.



Water-sensitive design: Incorporate rain gardens, bioswales, permeable surfaces, and rainwater collection where site conditions permit.



Paving strategy: Minimize unnecessary hardscape and select suitable permeable paving systems.



Material selection: Compare locally available stone, brick, reclaimed materials, timber, and other landscape materials based on durability and environmental impacts.



Planting design: Select species suited to local climate, soil, water availability, and ecological conditions.



Lighting and noise: Reduce unnecessary illumination and consider how landscape elements can help manage noise.



Maintenance planning: Specify realistic irrigation, pruning, soil management, and replacement requirements.



Climate resilience: Evaluate heavy rainfall, flooding, drought, heat, and erosion risks during site planning.



Bangladesh application: For projects in Bangladeshi locations, prioritize monsoon drainage, water retention, heat mitigation, native or locally appropriate planting, soil protection, and durable materials suited to humid and rainy conditions.

Good to know

Who it's for: Architecture students, landscape architects, urban designers, architects, civil engineers, contractors, environmental consultants, and landscape construction professionals

ISBN: 9781610918114

Topics

Landscape Architecture Sustainable Construction Ecological Design Site Planning Soil Restoration Native Plants Water Management Stormwater Permeable Paving Recycled Materials Embodied Energy Landscape Maintenance Biodiversity Green Infrastructure Climate Adaptation Light Pollution Noise Pollution Environmental Restoration Resilient Landscapes