Merry Lea's Collegiate Facility

Building a Sustainable Future

SITE

Selection

Surrounding Landscape

What about parking?

Guarding against light pollution

SITE SELECTION

Choosing the site for the collegiate facility was a long and careful process. Its current location gives the building occupants a convenient entrance from a county road and easy access to a prime outdoor classroom—the Kesling wetlands. Locating the building on the perimeter of Merry Lea’s 1,150 acres near land that is already developed allows the nature center’s more remote areas to remain undisturbed. Slope, elevation and southern exposure were also important factors.

THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE

When the site above was purchased in 1969, it was badly eroded farmland that had lost its upper layer of topsoil. Today, invasive, non-native species such as autumn olive and multiflora rose still dominate this area. Ten years from now, when the landscaping surrounding the collegiate facility is well established, we expect this patch of earth to be a healthier, more biologically diverse ecosystem than it was when it was an empty field. After site development, the landscape will include prairie dropseed, big blue stem, coneflowers, compass plants, blue phlox and many other plants which provide a home for native species and preserve the character and uniqueness of northern Indiana.

WHAT ABOUT PARKING?

A sustainable parking lot sounds like a contradiction in terms. But it is possible to address many of the environmental problems parking lots cause and still provide a place for cars. The main problem with the typical shopping mall parking lot is the water runoff it creates and the damage it does to the local hydrology. Rain that falls over a natural area soaks gradually into the soil and is filtered and purified on its way down to the ground water; rain that falls on an asphalt parking lot becomes a waste product rather than a resource. Conventional storm water systems drain it off the site as quickly as possible. This sudden torrent of water rushes down pipes and culverts, carrying oil, gas and other pollutants that have not been filtered by the soil. This causes flooding, erodes stream banks and degrades water quality. Asphalt parking lots also create heat islands. The asphalt absorbs heat, raising the air temperature above it several degrees.

One solution to both these problems is to use grassy pavers rather than a solid sheet of asphalt over the parking area. These porous networks of concrete or plastic blocks allow grass to grow through their holes but still provide support for the weight of the cars. The heat island effect is reduced and water drains through the grassy pavers rather than running off. Bioswales, or earthen dikes bordering a parking lot can also capture polluted runoff.

GUARDING AGAINST LIGHT POLLUTION

Light trespass and light pollution are another issue sustainable builders must consider. Light pollution is the sky glow effect you see around towns at night which obscures the stars; light trespass is an annoying floodlight shining in your window. The goal for the collegiate facility parking area is adequate lighting for safety and security without light pollution or light tresspass. Strategies include lights with different settings for evening and late night hours; using low wattage compact fluorescent bulbs and avoiding floodlighting.