World's First Sustainable Land Development Best Practices System Introduced

September 3, 2009 – http://www.sldi.org/Pressreleases/index_090209.html

Sustainable Land Development International (SLDI) announced today that it has completed and is releasing the world’s first comprehensive sustainable land development best practices system. After undergoing an extensive review by a number of experts in the industry, SLDI is announcing that Phase 2 implementation – pilot testing – is underway. Currently, a number of projects throughout the United States are serving as pilot projects and testing the system.

The SLDI Best Practices System is not just another set of industry standards or certification program. Tony Wernke, president of SLDI, describes the system as “descriptive rather than prescriptive.” In other words, it guides decision-making throughout the process toward more sustainable results rather than requiring specific practices and/or products be utilized during design and construction.

“Historically, there is widespread inefficiency with land development projects throughout the planning, design, approval and construction processes,” said Wernke. “Combined with the conflicts between private and public interests that often occur on projects, it is not surprising that the desired – and anticipated - environmental, economic, and social benefits that are often promised have not been typically accomplished.”

“We are thrilled to bring a breakthrough decision model, with accompanying information resources and technologies, to enable the achievement of truly sustainable results on projects.”

The Best Practices System helps align the interests of all project stakeholders, including financial, social, and environmental. It helps project teams increase productivity and build trust among professionals, and also can help project teams better promote their projects to financial and community partners.

“The SLDI Best Practices System complements other ‘green’ programs and has the built-in flexibility to fully incorporate them,” said Wernke. “The SLDI system is completely holistic in that it incorporates the full breadth of goals for any project, including social, environmental and financial objectives that may be part of other certification programs. Its uniqueness and value is that it aids and streamlines development processes as opposed to adding to them.”

Another unique quality of the SLDI Best Practices System is that it is applicable for all project types and sizes. In fact, the Best Practices System is currently being implemented on a number of pilot projects including a residential greenfield project, a commercial brownfield project, a mixed-use urban revitalization project, and a mixed-use rural conservation project.

About Sustainable Land Development International (SLDI)
SLDI is a member-owned technology and knowledge resources organization delivering strategic solutions to land developers, builders, planners, engineers, architects, landscape architects, investors, attorneys, brokers, and other professionals in the land development industry. SLDI publishes the industry-leading publications Sustainable Land Development Today, Sustainable Urban Redevelopment, and SLDI News Service. It also produces the Land Development Breakthroughs conferences and workshops and develops technologies and certification programs which promote and enable land development worldwide that balance the needs of people, planet and profit – for today and future generations. http://www.sldi.org/