Lochner's Commitment to Sustainability
Lochner has been a national transportation leader in the design of context-sensitive solutions (CSS) for many years. In recent years a transition to the more complete “sustainable solutions” has become part of our delivery process. Lochner is now integrating sustainable project elements into our designs, such as using porous pavements and other means of infiltration to minimize runoff; using reclaimed water from nearby sewage treatment facilities for irrigation; minimizing construction and demolition waste; and using recycled materials. Sustainable design supports our firm’s vision of making the world a better place through transportation.
What is Sustainability?
Being sustainable is simply about making decisions today that are in the best interest of future generations. Sustainability integrates three closely inter-reliant elements–the environment, the economy and the social system–in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations.
Why Do We Need It?
The world’s population has increased dramatically over time and the Earth has a finite amount of virgin resources to meet people’s needs.
A Few Lochner Sustainable Project Examples
Paris Pike: Our Paris Pike project is an award-winning Lochner CSS design that incorporated sustainable elements to minimize the impact to the natural environment. Lochner added wetland mitigation and stream restoration measures to the design, as well as refining the design to avoid impact to running buffalo clover, a designated endangered plant species. In recognition of the context-sensitivity of this design, Lochner was awarded the 2003 FHWA Environmental Excellence Award, in addition to a number of other prestigious design awards.
Lacey Parkway: This Lochner project incorporated a number of sustainable design solutions, including narrowed roadways to slow traffic and to minimize runoff; stormwater treatment; use of recycled construction materials; and drought-resistant vegetation irrigated with recycled water from a nearby sewage treatment facility.
Lochner has developed a comprehensive checklist for sustainable highway/roadway transportation projects. The checklist is nicknamed STEED (Sustainable Transportation Environmental Engineering and Design). For a copy of the checklist, contact Lochner’s National Director of Sustainability, Gary Demich, at steed@hwlochner.com. Gary is also available for media contribution and speaking engagements.