Coastal Sustainability and Public Infrastructure

Rob Holmes is PI on a collaborative project funded by US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), as part of the Engineering with Nature® (EWN®) initiative. EWN® promotes the alignment of sustainable natural and engineering processes to deliver economic, environmental and social benefits. The research focuses on innovative design concepts for water-related infrastructure like levees, jetties, and dams. The proposed designs will meet complex criteria including aesthetic quality, ecological value, recreational potential and engineering functionality. As a collaboration between landscape architects and civil engineers, this research integrates cutting edge practices and developing knowledge in the two fields. In a former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers grant, the project team addressed sites across the country, including locations in Maryland, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.

The initiative will be funded at approximately $100,000 a year for up to five years. Through this series of projects, the team has an opportunity to make a significant impact on public infrastructure that will make it more valuable, attractive, and sustainable.

For more information about the USACE’s Engineering With Nature initiative, please visit: www.engineeringwithnature.org.

Rob Holmes is Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at Auburn’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture. The project team includes Sean Burkholder (University of Pennsylvania, Brian Davis (University of Virginia), Justine Holzman (University of Toronto) and Geneva Wirth (Dredge Research Collaborative).