WEST TEXAS SUSTAINABILITY MODEL / SURVEY
Developed by Dr. Louis V. Mills, Texas Tech University, October 2, 2010
Background / Research Questions:
This sustainability model is directed at determining the level of sustainability for land parcels,
whether they are residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural. This first iteration focuses on
primarily small urban residential property, adjacent agricultural and commercial for three counties in
West Texas: Garza, Crosby and Floyd. There are six municipalities within these counties: Floydada,
Lockney, Post, Lake Alan Henry, Crosbyton and Ralls; the remainder for this tri-county area has
extensive farming, cotton and cattle ranching. This assessment is focused on small town land
parcels, not activities, and therefore must be redesigned for other cultural or human categories. The
objective of the inventory and subsequent model is to determine existing sustainability levels, map it,
and then make planning and design recommendations on means to improve the level of
sustainability, access to West Texas green markets, products and services. This pilot study is
pioneering criteria suited and tailored for West Texas, basing many research assumptions, priorities,
weightings on the ASLA’s Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI).
The research methodology is to canvas these six communities and take representative samples 50-75
per town for nine subcategories of sustainability. These general categories are further broken down
into sub groupings from which actual quantitative values can be assigned. These categories are:
Soils/Flooding, Integrated Design/Planning, Irrigation/Storm Water, Invasive & Native Plants, Green
products/Recycle materials, Scenic/cultural amenities, Construction methods,
Operation/maintenance, and Monitoring/Innovation. The ASLA provided scoring criteria for some but
not all these elements.
Using approximately 250 case study properties among the towns, these sustainability ratings will be
mapped using GIS methodologies as separate layers for both point and polygon data sets. GIS allows
the researcher upon collecting this data to then display relative zones of sustainability as
represented by color variations. In addition, ARCGIS, the software to be used, also allows collection
of photographs, map and other graphic data to be displayed with the geographical map analysis. This
compilation of sustainability ratings will then be used to direct policy recommendations, purchasing,
renovation efforts, and installation to residents that desire to maximize their future sustainability.
As the gathering of sustainability data from the case studies proceeds the researchers will
determine if other metric variables are more suited to this analysis than provided by the ASLA’s SSI.
The final aspect of the study will be to redesign and refine operational analysis techniques and
identification of the best case analysis for predicting sustainability using regression analysis.
References:ASLA.2009. The Sustainable Sites Initiative: Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks.
Washington, D.C.
www.sustainablesites.org/report/Guidelines%20and%20Performance%20Benchmarks_2009.pdf
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West Texas Sustainability Model Weighting / Scoring Rationale:
The following scoring/questionnaire form will be used to document property sustainability
factors. The scoring/weighting for each criterion is described as follows and reference should be
made to the ASLA Sustainable Sites Initiative for particular weighting and source references. Since
this is a pilot study, many of these criteria have yet to be tested in the field as applied to a West
Texas case study.
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Total Scoring- All Categories
Over 40 points
* One star rating(BRONZE)
50
** Two star (SILVER)
60
*** Three star (GOLD)
80
**** Four star (PLATINUM)
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SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA SCORING – BY SUB-CATEGORIES
Testing Procedure:
Study groups will divide municipality in question into “test quadrants” so that all geographic
areas are canvassed by team members. Individual sample sites are two/street and to be
consistently picked.
For each target street select the fifth house on left and tenth house on right from direction
entering the street. All solar exposures are from the front door entrance looking toward the
street.
Using the 2 page questionnaire and the following subcategory rating system, start collecting
data from each parcel. Use GIS identifying makers of the property in terms of latitude and
longitude from the center of the street. Take color image/photo of the front of the house.
All data will be gathered from front yard, without need of interviewing residents.
Each team member will complete ten separate case study inventory sample using the same
data base as other team members. Data will be collected on forms provided and then
transferred to an Excel data file for entry into GIS database/mapping model
SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA SCORING
1.0 Soils/ Flooding-
maximum category points: 4
Property located away from prime soil
½
located on prime soils
0
Property located on floodplain 100year)
0
Located out of flood plain
½
Natural Drainage channel
½
No vegetation in channel
0
Preserve Playa lakes/ponds
½
Destroyed playas
Endangered Species Protected in drainage
0
1/2
channel
No protection for Endangered Spec.
0
Brown Field restoration
½
4
No restoration of disturbed Brownfield
0
Structure located in existing community
½
Located outside of community(exurbia)
0
Pedestrian or non-motorized trails
½
Private auto travel only
2.0 Integrated Design & Environmental Planning
0
max category points:3
Pre-design & construction plans available
Stressing sustainability
1
No design plan; adhoc work
0
Integrated site development process
1
None
User Stakeholder input
0
1
Professionally-derived only
0
3.0 Irrigation & Stormwater Drainage Design max category point:19
Reduce Irrigation water use 50%
2
Conventional irrigation system(pop-ups)
1/2
Reduce with Drip
1
Recycle Irrigation water source
3
AC or Roof cistern water source/Irrigation
3
75% water reduction
4
Non- irrigated
5
Protect riparian areas, playas, wetlands
4
No protection
0
50% modified/protected
2
Rehabilitate stream corridors, drainage channels,
Ponds, wetlands
4
On-site (detention-retention) storm water
4
Enhance on-site water resources
4
5
Storm water drainage facility is designed as
Aesthetic/recreational asset
4
Conserve water features
4.0 Invasive and Natural Plant Materials
1
max category points: 21
Identify/control, manage invasive plants
4
Use appropriate non-invasive plants
2
Use soil management plan
2-4
Minimize (under 50%) site disturbance
4
Under 25% site disturbance
Preserve Existing vegetation and trees on site
Preserve 50% of trees
6
6-8
3
Preserve or restore biomass on site(native &
Grasses)
5.0
3-8
Use native plant materials
2-4
Preserve Plant Communities, playas, grasses
2-4
Restore Native Plant Communities
3
Use Green Architecture for Bldg Heating/Cooling
3
Reduce Heat Island (% paved/hardscape)
3
Wildfire Control Designs
2
Green Building Products and Salvage Materials
15 point maximum
Use Sustainable wood products
4
Maintain on site structures, land and amenities
2
Design for reconstruction and disassembly
1
Reuse salvaged materials
2
Use recycled content materials
2-4
Use certified wood products
2
Use regional materials
4
Reduce VOC Emissions by using Certified Adhesives,
6
Sealants, paints and coatings
1
Support Sustainable practices in plant material production
1
Support sustainable practice in materials manufacture 3
6.0
Human Health and Well Being
12 points maximum
Equitable site development (job corps, unions, youth, 1
Scouts, etc.)
Equitable site use- to be available to diverse groups
1
Site promotes sustainable awareness & education
2
Protect unique, scenic, and historic places
3
Optimum site access, safety and way finding
1
Opportunity for outdoor physical activity
4
Control and develop scenic views
3
Social interaction/ cultural amenities provided
2
Reduce light pollution, shield light fixtures, high-tech
Lighting provided
7.0 Construction
2
9 points maximum
Erosion control plan during and preceding construction
3
Control and retain construction pollutants (retention ponds) 3
Restore disturbed soil/stockpile topsoil
Reuse or recycle rocks, trees, vegetation, soil
2
3
Minimize generation of greenhouse gases and pollution
8.0
Operation and Maintenance
10 points maximum
Plan/design for sustainable site maintenance
Storage and collection of recyclables
1
2
2
Recycle organic materials
2
Reduce outdoor energy consumption
2
Use renewable energy & electrical sources
2
Minimize environmental tobacco smoke
1
7
Minimize greenhouse gases during landscape maintenance
operations
Use fuel efficient and/or alternate energy vehicles
9.0
Monitoring and Innovation
1
2
7 points maximum
Monitoring of sustainable activities
2-4
Innovative site design and planning
2-4
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