This document provides information on achieving a high GreenPoint rating for residential landscapes in California. It discusses sustainable landscaping practices like grouping plants by water needs, using mulch, limiting turf, installing efficient irrigation systems, and incorporating compost. Several plant species are recommended. The document also describes how following Bay Friendly Landscaping Guidelines can help earn points and notes that 35 points are available for landscapes making up at least 15% of the site.

1. BEST LANDSCAPE PRACTICES TO
ACHIEVE GREEN POINT RATING
Mark Moritz, Architect
MARK it GREEN
and
Michael Cook, V.P., Landscape Architect
FIRMA DESIGN GROUP

2. Merced Manor home
under demolition

3. Merced Manor home
nearing completion

4. Typical Landscape solution

5. Typical Landscape solution

6. Water Conserving Option #1

7. Water Conserving Option #2

8. Elements of a Sustainable Residential Landscape

9. Note! 35 GreenPoints Available

10. Michael Cook, Vice President
Planning & Landscape Architecture
Registered Landscape Architect
Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor
 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture
 11 years of professional experience, site planning, planting, irrigation, lighting
 design highly-efficient landscape and irrigation systems, audit the irrigation system
 Sustainable projects, including Build it Green for New Homes, developments, churches
 LEED Platinum, Gold and Silver projects
 Bay Friendly Landscape Guidelines projects
 Low-Impact Development projects

11. http://www.firmadesigngroup.com/blog/

12. What is sustainable landscaping?
Because that is what Build it Green is trying to accomplish!
Sustainable landscaping encompasses a variety of practices that have developed in response to
environmental issues. These practices are used in every phase of landscaping, including design,
construction, implementation and management of residential and commercial landscapes.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_landscaping
Sustainable landscaping is…..
 Designing/installing plant material that is appropriate for the specific site, whether the
plant material is native or adapted to the soil, weather, and rainfall.
 Working with nature through the development of construction & maintenance
specifications, including soil preparation, irrigation design, plant material, herbicides, etc
 Using sustainable materials in the construction of site elements
 Using new technology and practices, including rain-water harvesting, graywater
recycling, high efficiency irrigation system, SMART irrigation controller, etc.
 Following and/or superceding CALGreen Building Code, State and/or City Model Water
Efficient Landscape Ordinance

13. Desirable Landscape Features in Residences:
 Attractive, innovative, water conserving and low maintenance
 Year-round showing of color, foliage and flowers
 Contrasting colors, range of colors provided, varying heights and spreads
 Alternatives to lawn and high water use plants/features (except in backyards and/or
select locations in front yard)
 Vegetable plots
 Herb gardens
 Fruit trees
 Sustainable installation methods with planting and irrigation
 Water saving irrigation equipment
 SMART irrigation controller, “you set it and leave it”
 Use mulch!
 Water feature in an appropriate location (high maintenance)
 A horseshoe or bocce ball court for entertaining

14. Build it Green Checklist
Landscape needs to be a minimum of 15% of the site to be
eligible for 35 GreenPoints. If not, there are 6 points to receive.
1. Group plants by Water needs (hydrozoning).
2 POINTS (MWELO)
When irrigating the landscape, design the irrigation system around the plant material it
is watering. Put high water use plants together with other high water use plants that
have the same sun exposure. Don’t mix high and low water use plants!
State MWELO requirement as well
Bay Friendly Landscape Guidelines

15. Build it Green Checklist
2. Mulch all planting beds to the greater of 3 inches or local
water ordinance requirement.
2 POINTS (MWELO, Bay Friendly (BF))
A perfect depth of mulch for native plants is 2-3 inches. Most local ordinances require
2 inches or more, and therefore, for Build it Green, 3 inches would be the depth.
Mulch at 3 inches deep encourages moisture retention, health in the soils and reduces
weed germination and moderates the temperature of the soil!

16. Build it Green Checklist
3. Construct Resource-Efficient Landscapes.
5 POINTS (1 on A, 1 on B, 3 on C) (BF)
a) No invasive species listed by Cal-IPC (Invasive Plant
Council at www.cal-ipc.org).
Plants that have been identified as pests and or invasive are
not allowed with Build it Green. Acouple of examples below:
Pampas Grass and Agrostis.

17. Build it Green Checklist
3. Construct Resource-Efficient Landscapes.
5 POINTS (1 on A, 1 on B, 3 on C) (BF)
b) No plant species will require shearing.
This would include hedges, large shrubs in small spaces and
many other instances.

18. Build it Green Checklist
3. Construct Resource-Efficient Landscapes.
5 POINTS (1 on A, 1 on B, 3 on C)
c) 75% of plants are drought tolerant, California natives or
Mediterranean species.
Plant California natives that are appropriate for the space,
for the site environment, and for the use.

19. Build it Green Checklist
4. Minimize turf in landscape installed by Builder
6 POINTS (2 on A, 4 on B) (MWELO)
a) Turf shall not be installed on slopes exceeding 10% and no
overhead sprinklers installed in areas less than 8 feet wide.

20. Build it Green Checklist
4. Minimize Turf in Landscape installed by Builder
6 POINTS (2 on A, 4 on B)
b) Turf is small percentage of Landscape Area
(2 points for <25%, 4 points for <10%)
The more turf is limited on your development, the more points
you will receive!

21. Build it Green Checklist
5. Plant Shade Trees
2 POINTS
Trees that are large enough to shade the roof and pavement
on your site are shade trees. Examples of large drought
tolerant shade trees (preferably deciduous) are Coast Live
Oak, Valley Oak, Red Maple, and many more.
Quercus agrifolia
Acer rubrum
Quercus ilex.
Quercus lobata

22. Build it Green Checklist
6. Install high efficiency irrigation systems
5 POINTS (2 on A, 3 on B) (MWELO)
a) System only uses low-flow drip, bubblers or sprinklers
These systems are much more efficient than an overhead spray
system. They provide point-source irrigation.
b) System has SMART (weather-based) controller.
These controllers are based on CIMIS irrigation information that
tracks temperature, wind, solar exposure, rainfall and more.

23. Build it Green Checklist
7. Incorporate two inches of compost in to the top 6 – 12
inches of soil
3 POINTS (BF)
Compost can range in material from yard waste that has been
composted, green food, vineyard waste and much more. Check
out some suppliers we use:
Sonoma Compost: http://www.sonomacompost.com/
Grab N Grow: http://www.grabngrowsoil.com/

24. Build it Green Checklist
8. Rainwater Harvesting System
3 POINTS (1 on each A, B or C)
a) Less than 750 gallons of storage capacity
b) 750 gallons to 2,500 gallons of storage capacity
c) Greater than 2,500 gallons of storage capacity

25. Build it Green Checklist
9. Irrigation system uses recycled wastewater
1 POINT
If recycled wastewater is available from your water utility,
you can gain one point for the use of this water. Generally,
unless the project has its own wastewater treatment plant, it
is only available if the City has recycled wastewater
available.

26. Build it Green Checklist
10. Submetering for Landscape irrigation
1 POINT (some MWELO)
Some municipalities require the submetering of the
landscape irrigation. The submeter is to be installed after
the point of connection for the irrigation system.

27. Build it Green Checklist
11. Design Landscape to meet water budget
2 POINTS (1 for A, (MWELO) 1 for B)
a) Install irrigation system that will be operated at < 70%
reference ET
b) Install irrigation system that will be operated at <50%
reference ET
These irrigation points will be dependent on the types of
plant material used, the types of irrigation equipment used
and the scheduling used by the maintenance/homeowner.

28. Build it Green Checklist
12. Use environmentally preferable materials for 70% of non-
plant landscape elements and fencing
1 POINT (MWELO/CALGreen)
a) FSC Certified Wood
b) Reclaimed materials
c) Rapidly renewable materials
d) Recycled-content
e) Finger-jointed
f) LOCAL materials

29. Build it Green Checklist
11. Reduce light pollution by shielding fixtures and directing
light downward (CALGreen)
1 POINT
This point will be gained, if lighting fixtures are used and if
there are specific specifications requiring the use of special
shields, directional lighting, etc.

30. Bay Friendly Landscaping Guidelines
As you can see from the presentation, a lot of the topics and a lot of
the points are directly related to the Bay Friendly Landscaping
Guidelines.

31. BAY-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING IS…
• A
comprehensive, sustain
able approach to
landscaping
• Created & updated with
input from public, private
and non-profit
stakeholders
• Based on 7 principles &
55 practices
Courtesy of Bay Friendly Landscaping Coalition

32. Bay-Friendly Landscape Standards
Bay-Friendly Landscape
Guidelines: Sustainable
Practices for the
Landscape Professional
Bay-Friendly Civic &
Commercial Landscape
Scorecard
•New construction of
Civic, Commercial and
Multifamily Projects
• New homes
• 8 credit categories
Courtesy of Bay Friendly Landscaping Coalition

33. Bay-Friendly Rated Landscape
Program
3rd party rating system
administered by the
Coalition to:
Verify completion of Bay-Friendly
Landscapes
Ensure consistency with regularly
updated landscape standards
Register and track BFL projects on
website
Train, register & audit BFL Raters
Courtesy of Bay Friendly Landscaping Coalition

34. Example: Bay-Friendly Model Maintenance
Specification
• Protect soil from compaction
• Use natural fertilizers
• Mulch regularly
• Use IPM
• Hire BF Qualified Professional
• Customized task list
Courtesy of Bay Friendly Landscaping Coalition

35. Shrubs:
Berberis thunbergii Ceanothus ‘Frosty Blue’
Abelia grandiflora
Coleonema pulchrum
Cordyline ‘Red Sensation’
Cistus purpurea

36. Shrubs:
Lavendula spp. Loropetalum spp.
Escallonia spp.
Salvia leucantha
Sollya heterophylla
Phormium tenax

37. Grasses:
Calamograstis acutifolia Carex spp.
Acorus spp.
Festuca maurei
Muhlenbergia lindheimerii
Chondropetalum

38. Groundcovers:
Euonymus ‘Emerald Gaeity’ Lantana montevidensis
Achillea spp.
Myoporum parvifolium
Stachys byzantina
Nepeta faassennii

49. Thank you for your time and interest.
Questions?
Mark Moritz, Architect
Mark it Green
markaia@att.net
Michael Cook, Vice President
Firma Design Group
mike@firmadesigngroup.com