University of Connecticut
PAE-3: Physical Campus Plan

The Landscape Elements Guidelines set standards for the campus to promote consistent quality of design and construction, ease of maintenance, and aesthetic unity across the campus landscape. The goal is to achieve an attractive, integrated landscape design in which all parts of the campus relate to one another regardless of their designer or when they are built. One of the cited purposes of the Master Plan is to “develop environmentally sustainable design guidelines for consideration in future project implementation.” http://masterplan.uconn.edu/images/6-0331storrs-small.pdf In 2004, the East Campus Plan of Conservation and Development was produced. In 2006 it was adopted as part of the Storrs Campus Master Planning process, making it UConn’s first Master Plan that specifically addressed goals for preservation and conservation of natural resources, not just development opportunities. http://www.envpolicy.uconn.edu/ecampus_web.pdf From the 2010 Landscape Master Plan: “Site element selection criteria includes sustainability, availability, cost, durability, maintainability, design quality, and compatibility with the character of the campus districts where they will be used." This plan also proposes materials and methods for “reducing environmental impacts,” such as use of sustainable farmed wood for benches. http://fas.uconn.edu/about/Landscape_Master_Plan_and_Design_Guidelines.pdf Additional web site with information on the sustainability guidelines that were incorporated into the Landscape Master Plan, including LEED standards for buildings, sustainable design elements, and amendments for sustainability, can be found here: http://www.masterplan.uconn.edu/storrs.html In 2014, UConn will begin construction of a Tech Park on North Campus. The plan for this project can be found here, including the sustainability specific section: http://www.masterplan.uconn.edu/2012-10-12_Masterplan_SOM.pdf All development will be LEED silver at minimum. Sustainability strategies include: “Preservation and protection of natural resources and the minimization of necessary impacts; Connection of various nodes of development through bicycle and pedestrian pathways and the provision of appropriate storage and changing facilities; Low Impact Development (LID) measures for stormwater conveyance and quality treatment including vegetated swales and rain gardens. The traditional detention basin that serves the Charter Oak Apartments can be relocated and replaced with low impact designs while increasing the development footprint of Parcel C; Providing groundwater recharge; Assess the feasibility of geothermal systems; Providing water efficient landscape planting and the use of rainwater harvesting or reclaimed water; Providing site lighting that reduces light pollution such as cut-off fixtures; These measures could also be compatible to the civil engineering curriculum as a living example of site sustainability.” (p.168)