Professional Practice

BCAC: Progress Updates (2022-2023)

Key Accomplishments:

Biodiversity and Carbon Drawdown Subcommittee
 
1) Developed Towards Zero Emission Business Operations: A Landscape Architect’s Guide to Reducing the Climate Impacts of Offices

The guide is designed to help landscape architecture firms of all sizes navigate the transition to zero emission offices more easily.

It outlines more than 110 strategies landscape architecture firms can implement to reduce their business and project greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50-65% by 2030 and achieve zero emissions by 2040.

The guide provides best practice strategies relevant for firms that rent or own their offices. It offers firms ways to:

• Measure their carbon footprint
• Develop a climate action plan to reduce emissions
• Take actions to reduce Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions

The guide is authored by landscape architect Ronnie Siegel, ASLA, founder, Swire Siegel, Landscape Architects, who interviewed 19 landscape architecture, architecture, and sustainability consulting companies to develop the resource. Learn more.

2) Developed Collaborating with Industry Partners on Climate Action and Biodiversity: A Guide to Conversations Among Landscape Architects, Vendors, and Product Manufacturers.

The BCAC curated more than 70 questions landscape architects can ask vendors and product manufacturers about:

• Product:
  • Carbon data
  • Low-carbon material content
  • Recycled material content
  • Hazardous material content
  • Biodiversity protections
   
• Use of products in landscapes
• Location of product manufacturing
• Manufacturing facilities
• Company operations
• Equity programs
• Advocacy efforts

There are also additional questions for plant and tree nurseries.

The guide was jointly authored by landscape architects, vendors, and product manufacturers. It incorporates goals outlined in the ASLA Climate Action Plan and Field Guide, the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES), and by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). Learn more.

3) Developed ASLA's first national survey on the role of landscape architecture products in achieving decarbonization and biodiversity goals. A cross-section of landscape architects, designers, and landscape architecture educators in the U.S. responded to the survey in June 2023.

According to the survey results, landscape architects seek:

• Increased collaboration with product manufacturers, universities, and allied organizations to research, analyze, and reduce climate and biodiversity impacts of products.
  • New product data to better measure carbon in projects, including:
  • Embodied carbon factors for materials
  • Projected carbon sequestration of tree species
  • Greenhouse gas emissions of products’ entire lifecycle
   
• New local options for 14 product categories to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transporting products.
• A new open-source landscape architecture product data library and carbon factor dataset.
• And to address potential biodiversity impacts, they seek new research and knowledge sharing.

Learn more.

4) Advised on ASLA 2023 Conference carbon offset strategy and communications. 

5) Advanced ASLA biodiversity goals: 

Advised on new ASLA biodiversity public policy.

Wove biodiversity into ASLA communications and online learning programs.  

Submitted a public comment to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to inform new regulations on carbon sequestration and ecological restoration through public lands.

To increase knowledge sharing on biodiversity solutions, expanded subcommittee to include ASLA members who are members International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) expert commissions.
  
Climate Agency and Community Resilience Subcommittee

1) Developed recommendations on national, state, and local partners to advance ASLA Climate Action Plan goals. 

2) Reviewed climate equity and justice principles and resources.

3) Initiated collaboration with BlackLAN, ASLA Diversity Summit network, and ASLA Chapter Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chairs.  

Climate Leadership and Communications Subcommittee

1) Developed Climate Action Network (CAN) strategy and led quarterly CAN calls.

2) Advised on development of ASLA COP28 social campaign.
 
3) Developed set of presentation templates on ASLA Climate Action Plan for use by BCAC leaders.

4) Led presentations to ASLA Chapters.