[Can they hurry up and finish that road over to Kimble Dr? Hopefully by 4:30 today so I don't have to go through the hell that is Regent St construction?]
University says it's doing its research
By JEREMY DICKSON
dickson.jeremy@dailygleaner.com
Published Monday June 25th, 2007
Appeared on page A1
Recent development in the University of New Brunswick's woodlot has officials at UNB examining new development ideas that will minimize the destruction of the ecological structure and function of the landscape.
"UNB faces a great opportunity to create a national model for alternative forms of development as new projects move forward in the woodlot," said Shawn Dalton, director of UNB's environment and sustainable development research centre.
"Recognizing that neighbourhoods might possibly be built in the woodlot where people will be living for years to come in a changing climate raises some questions," Dalton said recently at UNB's associated alumnae's annual general meeting.
"UNB will have to think about what those neighbourhoods might look like and question how they will withstand more extreme weather events in the future," she said.
"I don't think we've thought through carefully in New Brunswick what these new communities might look like."
She said as the climate changes and flood threats increase, it's possible that more Frederictonians will move to higher ground 50 to 100 years from now.
"New uphill properties might be quite attractive in the coming decades and the woodlot might be ideal for retirement communities as more New Brunswickers reach their later years," she said.
A number of alternative methods for low-impact development were outlined in her presentation, including preservation techniques for mature trees and run-off solutions,
For the existing land that will be developed over time, Dalton said green building designs need to be examined.
"Increasing natural lighting, installing rooftop gardens and special water vents to collect rain water for re-use and using recycled or local building materials for construction are all alternative building possibilities," she said.
According to Dalton, it would cost five per cent more to build a green building.
"But because green building principles save you so much in energy costs over the first several years, it pays itself back very quickly."
Michael Baldwin, UNB's manager of real estate and planning, said the university is working with a Halifax company to develop design principles to apply to the land between the Home Depot and the future home of the municipal sports and leisure complex.
"We are hoping to have a drafted set of guidelines up for review by mid to late July," Baldwin said.
"It's still early but we're hoping to have a balanced set of design principles that can help guide the
university when it moves forward to the next step of development in the woodlot."
Baldwin said there are a lot of question marks from the university's point of view and from a market point of view as to what can go in the woodlot in the future.
"The reason we want a balanced set of principles is to allow us to work within the reality of the market," he said.
"Retirement-type communities could go in there, but there could be many other options as well.
"We want to see things done to a new standard and hopefully UNB can raise the bar as the market changes over time."