SITES is a comprehensive rating system and framework for developing sustainable landscapes, explains the government of Austin in a statement. SITES is owned and administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). The City of Austin has now committed to building a more sustainable, resilient and healthy place through the adoption of a Sustainable SITES Initiative certification requirement for Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) projects. According to the statement, Austin is the first city worldwide to incorporate the rating system into local policy.
The Austin area currently has 19 participating SITES projects - more than any other metropolitan area in the world. These include Kingsbury Commons at Pease District Park, which achieved SITES Gold certification in 2021, and the Waterloo Greenway Confluence project, which begins construction later this year and is on track for SITES Gold certification.
“By using the SITES framework to guide the development of our landscape projects, PARD hopes to improve quality of life and human health by supporting and regenerating our ecosystem and built environment,” commented PARD Assistant Director Liana Kallivoka in the statement. “Clean air and water, and a thriving ecosystem are essential to the health and well-being of humans and all life around us.”
GBCI is a worldwide active sustainability and health certification body. It administers project certifications and professional credentials within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, as well as other standards systems.
