CASE STUDIES

FocalPoint’s Expandable Underdrain Allows For Decrease in Surface Area

The Kaufman Cancer Center in Bel Air, MD was in the process of a large expansion. In addition to modernizing and enhancing their facilities, they also required a larger parking lot. With finite square footage for the lot and the goal of obtaining as many parking spaces as possible, their team needed a strategic, space-saving approach for handling stormwater runoff and meeting stormwater requirements. Unfortunately, traditional bioretention systems are large, consequently reducing the available spaces.

NOLA Science School Showcases LID

Several years ago, leaders of the New Orleans Charter Science & Mathematics High School said they needed a new campus. Officials have now cut the ribbon on a $27.5 million building in the city’s medical and biosciences corridor. The three-story, 129,716-square-foot building has the capacity for 750 high school students and comes equipped with an outdoor learning space, science laboratories, visual art labs, advanced tech classrooms and a media center. Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) was included in the design of the outdoor space, including permeable concrete pavers and high performance biofiltration with expanded, modular underground detention.

Multifunctional Design for a Natural Looking Roadway

Coventry Development Corporation’s Development Standards and Guidelines helped serve the declaration that “Springwoods will balance nature, urbanism, and diversity to promote a timeless and healthy way of life”, by strongly encouraging the use of Low Impact Development Practices such as bioretention, bioswales, vegetated structural roadway shoulders, permeable pavers and rainwater harvesting and reuse. Scattered throughout both the public and private areas, you will find Low Impact Development Best Management Practices.

Blending Sustainability with Urban Design

One of the main challenges was ensuring that the biofiltration system did not interfere with the robust root systems of the street trees. Traditional biofiltration planter boxes posed the risk of root intrusion, which could clog the underdrain and lead to flooding. The solution was to position the biofiltration system outside the tree’s drip zone, minimizing the potential for root interference while maintaining stormwater treatment efficiency.

increasing Lot Yield by Using Low Impact Development

The next generation biofiltration strategies allowed the engineer to use a smaller footprint, reduce contractor error during installation, and keep the long-term maintenance costs low. 99% of lots were amenitized by locations on green spaces, while the solution also reduced Total Suspended Solids by 85%, Total Phosphorus by 52%, and Total Nitrogen by 60%.

ASCE’s headquarters serves as a model for sustainable stormwater management.

In November, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) transformed its Reston, Virginia, headquarters parking lot into a green infrastructure showcase, demonstrating how sustainable design can mitigate stormwater pollution. A key element of this renovation was the integration of FocalPoint, a high-performance bioretention system, chosen for its ability to efficiently manage large runoff volumes in limited space.

How Birnamwood Drive Sets the Standard for LID Roadway Design in Harris County

Birnamwood Drive is located in northern Harris County, east of Spring, Texas. The existing roadway runs north/south between Fern Hill Drive and intersects Cypresswood Drive. The new section of Birnamwood is approximately 0.68 miles in length and extends from Fern Hill Drive north to Spring Creek Drive. This project is the first roadway project in the Houston area to implement Low Impact Development (LID) techniques and is viewed by Harris County as a stepping stone to implementing LID as its default roadway design approach throughout the County.

Unlocking Development Potential with Smart Stormwater Solutions

Queenston Manor Apartments is a 7.2-acre development adjacent to a master-planned community on Houston’s northwest side. Originally, Academy Development planned for nine apartment buildings to generate the required revenue stream. However, the project stalled when Harris County determined that the previously designated offsite detention volume was no longer available.

To overcome this challenge, EHRA, Inc. implemented a Low Impact Development (LID) approach featuring the FocalPoint High-Performance Modular Biofiltration System (HPMBS). This innovative design reduced the need for traditional detention ponds, allowing the project to proceed while maintaining sufficient drainage and maximizing buildable land.

Transforming Parking Lots into Green Infrastructure

Aguirre & Fields, LP, headquartered in Sugar Land, TX, specializes in infrastructure planning and engineering across Texas. Their expertise spans various civil engineering disciplines, including land development, site design, roadways, and bridges. In an effort to explore new market opportunities in Low Impact Development (LID) and Green Infrastructure, Aguirre & Fields decided to retrofit their own parking lot as a demonstration project. This retrofit serves as a real-world example to showcase the benefits of LID, such as enhanced aesthetic appeal, increased time of concentration, and decreased peak flows. Additionally, the installation of an R-Tank Reuse System has enabled them to reduce annual potable water use by over 50%.

How Kendall Library Transformed Stormwater Management

The newly constructed three-story Belle Sherman Kendall Library at 609 N. Eldridge serves as more than just a library—it functions as a full-fledged community center, complete with classrooms, after-school programs, and a half-gym. Designed to achieve LEED® Silver Certification, the project integrated sustainable features, including an underground water harvesting system fed by bioswales to support landscape irrigation. An engineered soil matrix was placed on the entire surface area of each swale to filter hydrocarbons and TSS found in storm water runoff prior to being stored in a 30,000 gallon rainwater harvesting system which are directly infiltrated without the need for inlets, and located beneath the swales where the stored water awaits reuse for landscape irrigation.

Smart Drainage Solutions for a Thriving Community

Kolbe Farms Townhomes, an environmentally conscious development by InTown Homes, was inspired by the 2010 Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum’s Low Impact Development (LID) Design Competition. The competition showcased how LID techniques could reduce flash flooding, improve water quality, and provide economic benefits. Frank Liu, President of InTown Homes, was so impressed that he hired EHRA, Inc., the winner of the residential property design challenge, to incorporate LID principles into his townhome development.