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University of Texas - Dell Medical District
The 16.2-acre development is located in central Austin on the University of Texas campus and is the first SITESv2 Gold project in Texas. The Medical District is a green oasis in a dense urban environment that provides environmental and human health benefits to students, educators, patients and the greater community. a new standard for sustainable site development at UT Austin that unites people and the environment in improving health. The Dell Medical School and its teaching hospital, Dell Seton Medical Center, are part of a vibrant health district that is one of Austin’s largest development projects. The 16.2-acre development is located in central Austin on the University of Texas campus—serving the faculty, staff, students and visitors of the Dell Medical School and setting a new image and ecological performance standard for the UT Austin landscape. Streetscapes and plaza areas encourage social engagement and connect the campus to its surrounding urban environment. The Medical District landscape plan is designed to enhance ecosystem services and to be a model for a resilient and affordable-to-maintain landscape. Stormwater management features were designed as site amenities to connect visitors to the local climate and hydrology—through a combination of rain gardens, pervious pavers, rainwater harvesting, and a green roof. Running directly through the middle of The Dell Medical School is Waller Creek, a previously neglected urban stream that played an integral role in influencing design efforts. One of the key elements of the project’s design focused on improving the ecological function of the creek corridor. Prior to construction, approximately 70 percent of the vegetative canopy along the creek was comprised of invasive species. The process for restoring the creek was an 18-month process that included the removal of invasive species, stream bank stabilization and the re-vegetation of diverse native plant communities. Formal planting areas around the buildings prioritized the usage of native vegetation which helped reduce irrigation by over 75 percent. Once established, most areas of the campus landscape will not require irrigation. Through careful design and planning, The Dell Medical District accomplished a sustainably resilient environment that reduced outdoor water use, restored 100 percent of the native plant communities along the riparian corridor, conserved and utilized native plants, reused salvaged plants, leveraged recycled content for 28 percent of the materials cost and restored 3,318 cubic yards of soil. Stormwater management features were designed as site amenities to provide visitors with a connection to the local climate and hydrology. Using a combination of rain gardens, pervious pavers, rainwater harvesting, and a green roof, the project manages the 80th percentile rainfall event or approximately 46,939 cubic feet of water. |
Location: Austin, Texas Size: 16.2 Acres Client: University of Texas at Austin Scope: Soil design and restoration, ecological research, Sustainability and SITES consultant Completion: 2018 Project team: SITES Gold, Platinum Green Grounds Certification |