A Sustainable Approach to
Coastal Design and Development
The Green Shores project promotes sustainable use of coastal ecosystems through planning and design that recognizes the ecological features and functions of coastal systems.
Green Shores provides options and tools for a wide range of planning, design and construction professionals who are interested in minimizing the environmental impacts of their projects in a cost effective manner. For home owners and communities, the stories, resources and examples presented here can inspire you to make choices that will be beneficial to everyone in the long term.
We are building a gallery of examples of Green Shores approaches to shoreline development and restoration for a range of shore types and physical settings, including alternatives to hard methods of shore protection. The project example gallery is intended to address a range of coastal development issues, such as brown field re-development and residential waterfront development, including public space, walkways and park areas.
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The Green Shores program was one of four finalists in the non-profit sector for the 2010 Real Estate Foundation Land Awards. The Land Awards were conceived in 2010 to recognize initiatives that demonstrate leadership, innovation and collaboration related to the sustainable use and conservation of land in British Columbia. The awards night highlighted dynamic, forward-thinking people and organizations - leaders in creating sustainable communiites and making BC a better place to live.
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In March 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the Puget Sound Watershed Management Assistant Program, awarded the City of Seattle a four year grant of over 500,000 to research incentives for removing bulkheads and improving the ecological function of residential shorelines along Lake Washington. Green Shores for Homes will build on Seattle s existing Green Shorelines guidelines by developing and testing incentives to protect and improve ecosystem function and processes along shorelines of single family waterfront homes.
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Green Shores has completed the operational version of the Coastal Development Rating System (CDRS). This tool provides a voluntary rating and certification process for coastal developments modeled after the highly successful LEED Green Building rating system. CDRS rating and certification is designed to encourage sustainable use of coastal ecosystems and is intended for use by design and development professionals working on residential and commercial waterfront development projects as well as public parks and recreational areas.
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