Environmental Sustainability

Big Wave: An Environmentally Sustainable Community, The Big Wave Project is a model of how to integrate restoration and environmental protection into urban design plans. The Project conforms to all the goals outlined by the California Coastal Commission.

  • A key project goal is to design an environmentally sustainable community that not only protects the environment, but restores portions of the habitat to an undisturbed state.
  • At Big Wave, all water will be recycled, all power will be renewable and all farming will be organic and sustainable.
 

Features of the project design: 

 Platinum LEED Certification of Construction

  • It is a project goal to LEED certify all Big Wave facilities at the Platinum level, the highest level of LEED certification.
  • The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
  • LEED certification provides verification that a building project is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to live and work.

         

                                                                  
                                Water and Water Recycling

The project will include state-of-the-art water quality measures and ground water recharge.

  • Big Wave’s proposed Ground Water Infiltration System will help to recharge the Pillar Point Marsh aquifer.
  • The Project will feature Regional Water Quality Control Board-permitted onsite water recycling for toilets and irrigation; providing a safeguard from ground water overdraft, as well as protection of wild and scenic rivers and environmentally sensitive streams.

             
  Traffic and Air Quality

  • The construction of the Big Wave Project will reduce traffic on Highway 1 and Highway 92.

  • A goal of Big Wave’s environmentally-conscious design is to reduce air pollutants by 900 tons per year.

                 

                          
                           Big Wave Energy

  • The energy goal is 100% renewable with the majority of the energy generated onsite, including active and passive geothermal energy and wind energy.
  • As designed, Big Wave will have the capability to produce 600 kilowatts of solar power, 50 kilowatts of wind power, 5 kilowatts fuel cell, 5 million BTU/hr solar heating and geothermal cooling.

                   
 Recycling and Composting

  • The project goal is to recycle 95% of the solid waste produced onsite.
    • The Wellness Center will feature recycling centers for plastic, paper, glass, cans, and metal.
    • The Wellness Center will develop a composting program to compost all food, shredded paper, and yard waste. This compost will be applied as a soil amendment in Big Wave’s farming and landscaping operations.
  • Big Wave Recycling, a Wellness Center business, will help to encourage the purchase of recyclable materials and supplies for the Big Wave Wellness Center.
    • Big Wave Recycling will operate a composting operation for food and landscape waste.
    • Compost that meets organic standards will be used on the Big Wave Organic Farm. Non-organic compost will be used in landscape operations.
                                      
                              Rainwater Infiltration and Rainwater Gardens

  • Roof runoff from Big Wave buildings will be treated by rainwater gardens.
  • Parking lot runoff will be treated for oil grit and biological components to support the wetlands restoration.
  • Big Wave will feature porous concrete parking lots and walkways designed as ground water infiltration systems.
  • Seven and two-tenths of an acre of porous concrete flatwork will compose a rainwater infiltration system designed for ground water recharge.

    Organic Farming  

To promote healthy, sustainable living and meaningful employment for the developmentally disabled, Big Wave will operate a 25-acre poly-faced organic farm.

With a focus on sustainability, the farm will mix chickens, produce and native plants to eliminate the need for pesticides and provide healthy, organic food for Big Wave residents and the local community.

  

                                                      
                  Wetlands Restoration

The installation of thousands of riparian plants will result in a significant reduction of non-native weeds and a significant increase in biological diversity.

Big Wave anticipates the restoration along Pillar Point Marsh will be a high-functioning, mature wetlands and riparian zone within five to ten years.

The wetlands restoration will allow for unique habitat integration with the urban development, while still providing the necessary barriers to protect the habitat.

  • Building foundations will feature a three-foot-tall hard edge to the wetlands restoration.
  • Thousands of native plants will be grown in pots in a temporary nursery before they are planted on the property.
  • Native riparian plants will blend into the edge of the facilities.
  • The restored wetlands will be surrounded by a willow waddle fence (a living fence constructed by woven willow shoots), which will provide protection for the restored habitat.
  • will provide a potential breeding habitat for the California red-legged frog and, potential foraging habitat for the San Francisco garter snake.