Cornell University
IN-2: Innovation 2

SITES Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) is the nation’s most comprehensive rating system for the sustainable design, construction and maintenance of built landscapes. A garden space that flanks Cornell's Mann Library entrance is more than just a pretty place: It's one of only 11 landscapes in the country to be certified by the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES), a new "green" certification system for landscapes. The Mann Library 5,000 square-foot entrance garden was site-assessed, designed and built by students in the 2009-10 in Creating the Urban Eden, a yearlong course co-taught by Nina Bassuk, professor of horticulture, and Peter Trowbridge, professor of landscape architecture. Each year, the class constructs a new landscape on campus. David Cutter, a senior landscape architect in the Campus Planning Office, played a major role in the project by working with Bassuk and Trowbridge to select appropriate project sites for their class, prepare base plans, and coordinate interactions with stakeholders and facilities colleagues. See the press release: http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Sept12/SITES.html