Counting the cost

With the economy in slowdown, the need to save money is more acute than ever, yet resistance to sustainable design persists. COD looks at the cost case for adopting sustainable solutions.

Overcoming the perception that sustainability is expensive is one of the major obstacles for design consultants.

Whether it's talking clients into a sophisticated irrigation system or convincing them of the benefits of a soil amendment product, designers have their work cut out.

Part of the problem is the ambiguity surrounding sustainable design - what it is, why it should be done, and how it applies to the outdoor space.

The introduction of sustainable guidelines in the region over the past year such as Estidama and LEED has gone some way to clarifying the topic, but confusion still remains.

As far as the outdoor space is concerned, sustainable design is not particularly complex.

The major issue in this region is irrigation, notes Alistair Walby, resident director at Dubai-based landscape design firm Alshamsi Terrafirma.

"To achieve a landscape that is sustainable, you have to look at not just the planting design but also soil science to create the most efficient irrigation system, and then to specify plants to avoid the plants that are very high water demand," he says.

Underground irrigation systems, for example, help reduce the water consumption or irrigation needs because there is no evaporation.

Sourcing of materials locally wherever possible and using light efficiently are other key priorities for landscape designers, he says.

"You have to think about not lighting unnecessarily so you can have footpaths that might shut down or partly shut down the lighting if it is not being used. Use solar panel lighting or LEDs which are much more efficient units, and also avoid excessive upward lighting," he notes.

The key factor is to work with the natural surroundings, says Victor Kamphausen, general manager of landscape design firm Kamphausen & Kamphausen.

"We always try to consider working [with] and using the original and nature plantation as well as using local materials and products," he says.

The cost factor

Traditionally, developers have been reluctant to invest in sustainability because of the perceived notion that sustainable design is more expensive than non-sustainable design. But is this actually the case?

It can be, says Michael Corb, senior associate at international design firm Burt Hill. "In a mature market, the answer is it shouldn't cost any more. In a relatively new market like Dubai, I would expect it to cost more," he says. "But it is probably more from a lack of education from either the designer, some of the material manufacturers [or] some of the contractors because they are not always familiar enough with the practice of sustainable design."

Sustainable materials may be priced higher than non-sustainable materials at present, but it is likely prices will fall, opines Lee Allen, associate at landscape design firm Cracknell. "I think in 2009 we will see more and more sustainable materials fall in price and become competitive with traditional materials," he says.

"The reason for that may be taxes on non-green products internationally, traditional materials such as timber becoming more scarce, green production systems becoming more efficient and more common and as a result maybe green products will be selected not only on their green credentials but also because they will be cost competitive. Materials such as reconstituted paving, LEDs, and composite timber, almost all the materials we use can have a sustainable replacement or alternative."

Nicholas Lander, regional head of sustainability at design firm Atkins, argues that sustainability should be less about the price of individual products and more about the design approach.

 "In order to do a sustainable design without wanting to spend a lot, it's not about saying here is an item we can do and it's going to save me a bit of money, it's really about the approach that you take to design," he opines.

"If you design well, especially in landscape, then you should be seeing a cheaper result than if you just do what is called a ‘business as usual' design."

Sustainable savings

Measuring the specific savings of implementing sustainable design is like trying to measure a piece of string. It can't be done. But there are some pointers. Use of an underground irrigation system together with soil substitutes, for example, could reduce consumption of water by up to 50%, according to Kamphausen.

"You can have a huge cost saving if you are using native/adapted plants, or using efficient irrigation systems and soil conditioners.," notes Allen. "Even if you are reducing the amount of water required by 10%, over the lifespan for a huge project that can be a significant cost saving."

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