Green Street Retrofit

How do you define a "green street"? This interactive, online course tells the story of street renovations implementing Low Impact Development design strategies. Retrofitting conventional streets into "green streets" provides stormwater treatment to remove pollutants from stormwater runoff and when feasible allowed to infiltrate as recharge. Monitoring of stormwater runoff volumes and pollutant loads can be conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the retrofit projects. Converted green streets also allow for educational potential to raise awareness about stormwater pollution (and solutions). This course will focus on the many environmentally friendly green infrastructure initiatives in Chicago, Illinois.

• Describe the economic, environmental, and watershed protection limitations of conventional urban street design/construction
• Explain the new philosophies and paradigms, principles and practices of LID watershed management as it relates to green infrastructure
• List the economic and environmental benefits of LID retrofit
• Assess the costs of retrofitting conventional streets into green streets
• Recall design, construction, management and maintenance practices associated with LID retrofit projects