Houston, TX – Dec. 8, 2017 – On Tuesday, December 5 the West Houston Association presented its first Sustainability Stars Awards to three organizations for creating innovative, sustainable projects. It also recognized Newland’s Elyson community as a WHA’s 2018 Quality Planned Development.
The West Houston Association (WHA) is a non-profit organization working to improve infrastructure and development to improve the quality of life for the 1.7 million residents and 540,000 employees in Greater West Houston. It advocates for better, sustainable public policies, planning, and investments within Greater West Houston’s 1,000 square miles.
Sustainability Star Awards
“This is the first time that WHA has presented these Sustainability Stars Awards, but these awards have deep roots in WHA’s mission to create sustainable communities. The three recognized projects are innovative and focused on the triple bottom line. In other words, these projects make economic, environmental, and social sense,” said Jim Russ, WHA’s Sustainable Infrastructure Committee Chair.
The awards were accepted by Russ Poppe, Executive Director of the Harris County Flood Control District, Heath Melton, Vice President of Howard Hughes Residential, and Randy Jones, Managing Member of Terra Visions.
Harris County. The Harris County Flood Control District transformed underused parts of a golf course to create the Jersey Meadows Stormwater Detention Basin in Jersey Village. The $7 million project protects 4,000 homes from flooding, provides 43 acres of greenspace and wetlands, improves water quality, and includes over seven miles of public trails. The project also helps taxpayers because it is much more cost effective to maintain than traditional drainage.
Howard Hughes. Howard Hughes Corporation invested in Bridgeland’s Purple Pipe & Water Reuse System, which use amenity lakes and “purple pipe” to water over 3,000 acres of greenspace using reclaimed water. The project keeps amenity lake levels constant, vegetation healthy, and saves residents over $1 million per year over using potable water. The savings for residence are set to rise as water prices increase.
Terra Visions. Terra Visions incorporated a low impact development (LID) natural drainage system into the second phase of its Stonebrook Estates Development. By mimicking the natural flow of water across land, Stonebrook’s LID system provides better water quality than traditional drainage. The LID system also allows for more developable acreage and more greenspace. Stonebrook Estate’s homes stayed dry and the LID system performed extremely well in the Memorial and Tax Day Floods as well as Hurricane Harvey.
“Committee chair Jim Russ, committee member Michael Bloom, and all of our Sustainable Infrastructure committee members deserve credit for creating the Sustainability Star Awards framework. This is a great way to educate our members and the public on smarter ways to build. We appreciate their leadership,” said John Moody, WHA’s Chairman.
Quality Planned Development Award
Elyson, A Newland Community. Since 2013, WHA has presented the Quality Planned Development (QPD) recognition to master-planned communities and commercial and retail centers that incorporate superior standards into their projects in Greater West and North Houston.
“To the home buyer, retailer, or commercial business, the QPD seal is a sign that developers are committed to the success of the project, creating a community that will hold its value and be well-maintained for years to come. Elyson’s 3,600 acre community includes trails and amenities that typify QPD” said Rob Bamford, WHA’s Quality Planned Development Chair.
The Quality Planned Development (QPD) and Sustainable Infrastructure committees of the West Houston Association reviewed the applicants’ presentations in October and selected the winners in November.
“From Aliana and City Centre to the Vintage and now Elyson, Greater West Houston continues to attract some of the best development in the country. Most of these Greater West Houston developments are recognized by the QPD seal. Thanks Rob Bamford and his committee for keeping the QPD vision growing,” said John Moody.
For more information, visit westhouston.org.