SUSTAINABLE DESIGN + PLANNING

SERVICES

Forage Design helps clients advance their environmental performance, reduce their climate impacts, and create more efficient resource management. Our support services include sustainability strategic plans, level-setting assessments of current impacts, assistance with target setting facility and site performance goals as well as establishing measurable organization and program goals and guidelines for greening their operations. In addition to buildings and organizational performance, this can include site design and biophilia, integration in education (e.g. STEAM), outreach and awareness, and planning to reduce impacts to occupant health and well-being.

Sustainability Strategic Planning

  • Environmental and Sustainability Assessments: Stakeholder surveys, baseline performance assessment, technical research and recommendations
  • Sustainability Master Planning: Long-range planning for building design and operations, staffing, operations, education, awareness
  • Performance Targets & Goal Setting: Small group planning sessions or large workshops
  • Zero Energy Building Planning: includes energy benchmarking, energy targets, solar strategies, and funding

Sustainable Building Design & Best Practices

  • Daylighting & Energy Performance Recommendations: energy efficiency, conservation, generation, and optimization.
  • Stormwater Management: Planning support for ecoroofs, living walls, natural drainage, water capture & reuse
  • Materials & Finishes Recommendations: Indoor air quality management and sustainable sourcing
  • Green Building Operations Guidelines:  Policies & procedures (e.g., product procurement, waste management, HVAC, lighting)
  • Environmental Design & Planning: Biophilic design (nature-based art & design for site and building) placemaking.

Environmental Education

  • STEAM Curriculum for Schools: Recommendations to integrate science, technology, engineering, art, math related to green building projects
  • Wayfinding & Interpretive Signage: Includes kiosks, art, window design, and signage highlighting green features of site and building.
  • Strategic Communications & Outreach: Marketing, brochures, presentations, target audience messaging, public involvement
  • Case Studies & Technical Reports: Research, analysis, interviews, technical writing, publication design

Funding Support

  • Grants & Incentives for Sustainability Initiatives:  Research to identify and prioritize government and foundation funding sources
  • Grant Writing & Implementation: Letters of support, community outreach, grant application writing, budget development, incentive support, project management
Forage Owner Heather Flint Chatto presenting and facilitating at the CA Green School Conference at a workshop on Zero Energy Schools