Local projects hooked on Salmon-Safe standards
Salmon-Safe conducts independent assessments and awards both peer-reviewedproject certification and practice-based firm accreditation.
By SAM BENNETT
Special to the Journal
As LEED and other green certification programs grow in popularity among Northwest projects, developers and designers are also improving methods to reduce toxins from buildings that can harm salmon.
According to the state Department of Ecology, contaminated stormwater is the No. 1 source of pollution harming Puget Sound.
Ondrej Sklenar, a civil engineer with Navix Engineering and a Salmon-Safe assessor, said rainfall from buildings creates pollutants that can make it intos treams, lakes and marine waters. The Salmon-Safe accreditation program recognizes developers, designers and construction management firms for significantly reducing those pollutants.
“In an effort to mitigate detrimental impacts on wildlife and fisheries, sustainability-minded project teams are turning to voluntary standards above and beyond code requirements to address watershed health and one such standard is Salmon-Safe,” Sklenar said….
