Green Infrastructure in Suburban Settings: Risk and Reward

Dear Colleagues,

We need more trees and to harvest stormwater wisely in areas where water is a scarce resource, yet suburban areas are forever becoming smaller and boundaries between properties no longer restrict building up to the boundary. Street trees are often located within a couple of metres of the front wall of residences. So what trees, in such a situation, are best suited to survive and not cause property damage? Can houses be designed risk-free to cope with potential damage from shrinking clays exacerbated by vegetation? Street trees need oxygen and a steady supply of water; permeable paving can help provide some watering after rain events.

Detaining stormwater on a private property is also risky; where the water will go is sometimes a guess, especially as underground service trenches can intersect soakage devices and carry water away. Will collapsing soils collapse with the extra water or will clay soils expand?

Are garden walls on buildings sustainable? What lessons have been learned in the implementation and maintenance of garden walls?

In these examples, imposing sustainability imposes risk.  The question is do we know enough to come up with acceptably economic and safe solutions? Who should and who does bear the brunt of the extra risk? Planning departments, building authorities, civil engineers, homeowners, or others? Insurance companies pass on costs by raising premiums or avoiding risks which are considered too high, often making professional indemnity unaffordable. Such a cycle ultimately makes designs more conservative and housing less affordable.

This Special Issue focuses on achieving sustainability and management of risk satisfactorily in suburban areas of cities. Papers are invited from the full spectrum of businesses and authorities associated with suburban housing and planning.

Suggest themes.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome which address the issues of sustainability and risk. Areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Water sensitive urban design;
• Stormwater harvesting;
• Water balance in expansive soil/subgrade;
• Design of footings for houses given current constraints and demands;
• The water use of trees in suburban settings;
• Rain gardens, implementation and maintenance;
• Sustainable construction materials for housing;
• Life cycle assessment.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Don Cameron
Prof. Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman
Prof. Dr. Simon Beecham
Guest Editors

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• water sensitive urban design
• sustainable construction
• design of footings for houses
• tree water use
• risk management