Acknowledgements

The conference is made possible by generous grants from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, F.M. Kirby Found Leon Lowenstein Foundation, NJ Office of Smart Growth, U.S. Green Building Council – NJ Chapter, and with the support of the New Jersey Highlands Council.

A sustainable and locally focused lunch menu will be generously supported and prepared by the restaurant Farm2Bistro located in Nutley, NJ. Executive Chef and Founder, Michael Madigan will be on hand to to discuss his commitment to sustainable farm-to-table practices.

This conference was a one-day, intensive forum with leading professionals in the field, convened to explore a range of concepts, strategies, and technical “how to’s” in regenerative design practice, and in the context of the NJ Highlands Region and Regional Master Plan.

In 2004 the NJ Legislature adopted a strict regulatory framework for the NJ Highlands region, the source of drinking water for much of Northern NJ. In 2008, the Highlands Council adopted a Regional Master Plan to further guide (re)development in this ecologically sensitive region. The intention of both the plan and the regulations is to improve, over time, the environmental performance of both the built environment and degraded natural resources.

Regenerative design takes the approach that sustainable (re)development can both enhance degraded natural systems and correct dysfunctions in built environments resulting from past practices. Regenerative interventions seek to build, improve and strengthen new and existing environments, places, economies and communities. This conference discussed the potential for regenerative design interventions at various scales, from the individual parcel to the larger region, focusing on infrastructure, stormwater, wastewater and water reuse, retrofitting the built environment, sustainable agriculture, habitats, stream corridor restoration, and municipal and civic projects and operations.

Download the Program (Updated 6/17/10)

Conference Media

The conference sessions are listed below with links to available audio, video and pdf presentations for each speaker. The video can also be viewed on our Regen Vimeo channel.

Opening Keynote

Bill Reed, President, Regenesis Group, Santa Fe, NM
(Audio with Conference Introduction) (Presentation)

The full keynote video is below. Highlights are also available (vimeo)

Corridor / Region

This session showcased projects which take innovative regional approaches to land use, in some cases engaging transit and hydrologic corridors. The effects are functionally and qualitatively restorative and integrative, bringing together human activity and living systems to improve water quality, public amenity, community and economic productivity.

Mami Hara, Principal, ASLA, AICP, Wallace Roberts and Todd, Philadelphia, PA
(Audio) (Video) (Presentation)

Denise Hoffman Brandt, Principal, Denise Hoffman Brandt Landscape Design, NY, NY
(Video) (Video) (Presentation)

Thomas Woltz, Principal, Nelson Byrd Woltz, New York, NY
(Presentation)

Block / Neighborhood

The neighborhood is sometimes described as the basic building unit of human society. This session will examine regenerative processes applied at Regen: Regenerative Design Conference • June 18, 2010 5 the block and neighborhood levels, including streetscape redesigns, reclaiming public spaces and reducing excessive impervious surfaces from streets.

John Boecker, AIA, Hon. FIGP, 7 Group , Kutztown, PA
(Audio) (Video) (Presentation)

Donna Walcavage, Principal, AECOM, New York, NY
(Audio) (Video) (Presentation)

Franco Montalto, PhD, President, eDesign Dynamics, New York, NY
(Audio) (Video) (Presentation)

Lot / Parcel

Buildings and the land around them are part of larger systems. What strategies can we deploy to make buildings and individual parcels become more functional and productive components of a larger whole?

Alex Felson, Professor, Yale Forestry & Env. Studies + School of Arch., and Former Director of Design, EDAW
(Audio) (Video) (Presentation)

Peter Munoz, President, Natural Systems International, Santa Fe, NM
(Audio) (Presentation)

Mark Thomann, Director, Balmori Associates, New York, NY
(Audio) (Presentation)

Performance Metrics

Measuring performance is critical to both documenting successes and to be able to take corrective actions to fix project shortfalls. What types of metrics should we be looking at and how should they be implemented?

Helle Bank Jorgensen, Partner, Sustainability Practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers, New York, NY
(Audio) (Video) (Presentation)

Morning Program Response

The respondent discusses the morning program in terms of the recently adopted NJ Highlands Regional Master Plan.

Dan Van Abs, PhD, PP/AICP, Senior Director of Planning and Science, NJ Highlands Council
(Audio) (Video)

Afternoon Program

Centers/Buildings

Regenerative interventions in established neighborhoods and communities.

Moderator: J. Tedrowe Bonner, Principal, RubiconSeven, Nesconset, NY

Steve Lederach, Principal, Arnold Associates, Princeton, NJ
(Presentation)

Kevin Stack, President, USGBC Faculty, BaDT, Northeast Green Building Consulting, Syracuse, NY
(Presentation)

Pamela Sams, Senior Associate, Sustainable Design Manager, HOK, Washington, D.C. (Presentation)

Jason Kliwinski, Dir. of Sustainable Design, USGBC Faculty, AIA NJ President, Spiezle Architectural Group
(Presentation)

Stormwater

Ways to approach stormwater management from a regenerative perspective.

Moderator: Robert Pirani, Vice President for Environmental Programs, Regional Plan Association, NY, NY

Dr. Stephen J. Souza, President, Princeton Hydro, Princeton, NJ
(Presentation)

Duke Bitsko, Director of Interdisciplinary Design, Bioengineering Group, Salem, MA (Presentation)

Jill Desimini, Senior Associate, Stoss, Boston, MA
(Presentation)

Keith Bowers, President, Biohabitats, Baltimore, MD

Living Surfaces

A practical and technical look at living rooftops as integrated systems and the ecosystem services they provide, including issues of maintenance and economics.

Charlie Miller, Founder, Principal, Roofscapes, Inc., Philadelphia, PA

Ed Snodgrass, President, Emory Knoll Farms, Street, MD

(Joint Presentation)

Municipal Civic Projects/Operations

Regenerative practices for public works directors and public facilities managers.

Mami Hara, Principal, ASLA, AICP, Wallace Roberts and Todd, Philadelphia, PA

Glen Abrams, Lead Planner, Philadelphia Water Department, Office of Watersheds, Philadelphia, PA

(Joint Presentation)

Brownfields

Addressing the specific regulatory and economic challenges posed by brownfield sites through project design.

Leah B. Yasenchak, Principal, Brownfield Redevelopment Solutions, Manasquan, NJ (Presentation)

Julie Bargmann, Founding Principal, Dirt Studio, Charlottseville, VA
(Presentation)

Edges

Opportunities presented at stream, river and lake edges: stabilization, habitat renewal, recreation and public access.

Edward Samanns, Director of Environmental Sciences, The Louis Berger Group, Inc., Morristown, NJ
(Video) (Video) (Presentation)

Kim Mathews, Principal, Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, New York, NY
(Video) (Video) (Presentation)

Lucinda R. Sanders, CEO and Partner, OLIN, Philadelphia, PA
(Video) (Video) (Presentation)

James Eisenhardt, Ecological Services Group Leader Duffield Associates, Inc.
(Presentation)

Panel Discussion (Video)

Integrated Infrastructure

Smarter and more innovative ways to approach wastewater, water treatment and reuse.

Moderator: Linda Pollak, Principal, Marpillero Pollak Architects, NY, NY

Ed Clerico, CEO, PE, LEED AP, Alliance Environmental, LLC, New York, NY
(Presentation)

Manisha Kaul, Associate, Andropogon Associates, Philadelphia, PA
(Presentation)

Peter Munoz, President, Natural Systems International, Santa Fe, NM
(Presentation)

Robert Rock, Associate, Michael Van Valkenburg Associates, New York, NY
(Presentation)

Habitat

Habitat preservation, creation and enhancement in development projects and conversion opportunities, including within productive agricultural practices.

Thomas Woltz, Principal, Nelson Byrd Woltz, New York, NY

Jeff Keller, Ph.D, Principal, Habitat- by -Design, Pipersville, PA

Performance & Rating Systems

A more detailed discussion of opportunities inherent in performance and rating systems across various spatial scales, including LEED for Neighborhood Development and the soon to be launched Star Community Index.

Jeffery Raven, Principal, Sustainability + Urban Design, InfraPlan LLC.
(Presentation)

Rob Wisniewski, Director of Sustainable Development, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District, Newark NJ
(Presentation)

Funding Regeneration

What are the options for funding regenerative development projects in a time of austerity?

Anthony Sblendorio, CEO and Cofounder, Ecological Group,; Master Planner for Willow School NY, NY