National experts will convene in Concord, N.H., in December to present the latest innovations on low-impact development (LID) methods--methods for developing land in ways that allow storm water to be retained, infiltrated or reused on site. The conference will be held Dec. 3 and 4 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord and is open to the public.
Use of LID practices such as pervious pavements, rain gardens and green roofs has increased dramatically in the last decade around the country. These techniques can save developers substantial amounts of money while also helping to protect rivers, lakes and drinking water resources. Savings are generally due to reduced costs for site grading and preparation, storm water infrastructure, site paving and landscaping. A new national U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study found that development projects that include these practices often achieve significant cost savings.
“EPA has looked carefully at low-impact development, and it’s remarkable that the vast majority of projects are able to save between 15 and 80 percent while making choices that were better for the environment,” said Robert Varney, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. The EPA is a co-sponsor of the conference.
In addition to presentations on the latest research findings, the conference will include a tour of the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center, workshops on LID design, case studies of successful LID projects in northern New England and a vendor fair featuring LID technologies and services.
For more information, visit www.epa.gov/ne/cal/index.html#120304 or http://fbenvironmental.com/lid.html.
Source: U.S. EPA
