HP’s Boise Campus awarded Gold under SITES rating system

HP Inc. announced its Boise Idaho Campus was awarded Gold under the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) rating system. Owned and administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), SITES is the most comprehensive program for designing, developing and maintaining sustainable landscapes.

HP’s Boise Sustainable Landscaping Project is the first to earn a SITES certification in the state of Idaho, and the first corporate campus in the world to be certified using the SITES v2 rating system. Through this project, HP collaborated with over 10 local and national groups, including Stack Rock Group, to replace non-indigenous grass on campus with native grasses that require less maintenance and attract local pollinators. The campus now saves 82,900 cubic meters of water annually and has reduced emissions by 90 percent and landscaping costs by nearly 50 percent. The project will reach full maturity by summer 2019.

“At HP, we strive to make life better for everyone everywhere – not just through technology, but through sustainability efforts within our operations and supply chain,” said Cynthia Rock, HP Head of Corporate Real Estate and Workplace Services. “Through this landscaping project, we’re using less water, producing fewer emissions, and increasing bee production – ultimately protecting our planet for future generations.”

The SITES rating system is based on the understanding that land is a crucial part of our built environment and by fostering its resiliency we elevate it’s economic, environmental and social benefits. SITES provides best practices and benchmarks projects against performance criteria, enabling the market to quantify and rate the sustainable use and performance of land sites. Used by landscape architects, engineers, architects, developers and policymakers, SITES creates regenerative systems and fosters resiliency; ensures future resource supply and mitigates climate change; transforms the market through design, development and maintenance practices; and enhances human well-being and strengthens the community. SITES-certified projects are better able to withstand and recover from floods, droughts, wildfires and other catastrophic events. Projects can help reduce water and energy demand, improve air quality and promote human health and wellbeing.

“HP understands that a green environment extends beyond the four walls of a building,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council and GBCI. “Through the use of SITES, projects like this are creating ecologically resilient communities, reducing water demand, improving air quality and human health by connecting people to nature. Their work is part of the growing movement to holistically approach sustainable development and construct green buildings with accompanying green landscapes in green communities.”

Images Courtesy of Stack Rock Group

STACK ROCK GROUP’S ROLE
Our role included creative and pragmatic guidance of the project every step of the way. This included a pre-project feasibility study, constant involvement from conception through construction, conducting a series of meetings and design charrettes with project stakeholders, engaging the proper consultants, designing and detailing the project, administering and observing the construction phase and completing and submitting the SITES certification materials.

We certainly couldn’t have done this project alone. The project team consisted of: landscape contractors, biologists, engineers, a soil scientist, a rangeland ecologist, a university student, a general contractor, HP’s site facilitator and HP’s stakeholders.

About Damian Holmes 3253 Articles
Damian Holmes is the Founder and Editor of World Landscape Architecture (WLA). He is a registered landscape architect (AILA) working in international design practice in Australia. Damian founded WLA in 2007 to provide a website for landscape architects written by landscape architects. Connect on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianholmes/