At a Glance
Innovative environmental site design (ESD) at a public elementary school helps Baltimore City meet stormwater permit requirements.
Project Description
Biohabitats helped the Baltimore City Department of Public Works develop plans for the "greening" of Yorkwood Elementary School.
The project, which involved removing ¾ acre of impervious surface and planting the area with grass and trees, demonstrated the use of environmental site design (ESD) techniques as a way to help the City reach its stormwater permit requirements. The project was also selected by the University of Maryland as a site to use for researching the benefits of subsoiling, the process of decompacting soil and incorporating organic material to increase infiltration capacity.
The project team worked closely with Yorkwood Elementary School and the Irvine Nature Center to incorporate some of the school’s master plan designs into this greening project. Biohabitats' design included a rain garden to capture and treat the runoff from portable classroom rooftops and an outdoor classroom area. These features also provide opportunities for public education regarding impervious surface reduction, ESD and site greening.