Somerville's green infrastructure project

Report

The purpose of this report is to document the findings of Malek Al-Chalabi’s Tisch College Scholar Project in collaboration with Groundwork Somerville. The purpose of his project was the following:

1) Research previous energy conserving initiatives in Somerville
2) Research “green” initiatives that have taken place domestically and internationally Note: We define “green” as a mechanism that decreases carbon demand or improves quality of life
3) Propose recommendations to City Hall to make Somerville a more energy efficient city based on what has worked in Somerville before and what has worked effectively in other areas

One important fact to consider is that members of City Hall, active members of the Somerville community, local residents, members of the Tufts faculty, and local non profits were all integral parts of the research. Their feedback was critical for the development of this project. After collaborating with these members, the research was focused on three areas, which was: air quality, open space, and storm water management. This report will highlight what Somerville has done in the past, what Somerville is currently doing, and recommend what Somerville could do in the future. Feedback from the community, the environmental impacts, the economical aspect, as well as the feasibility of the recommendations was an integral part of the project. The findings were to plant more trees, install green roofs, and install permeable pavements.

Authors: Al-Chalabi, M

• Publication status: Published
• Publisher: Groundwork Somerville
• Publication date: 2008-01-01
• Commissioning body: Groundwork Somerville and the City of Somerville, MA, USA