Ecological Site Solutions (ESS) go beyond traditional landscape design by integrating native ecosystems, water management, and long-term environmental performance into site planning from the earliest stages.

For large-scale development, ESS replaces conventional turf and ornamental landscaping with native vegetation, bioswales, rain gardens, and natural wetlands. These systems reduce heat island effects, lower irrigation demand, manage stormwater at the source, and support biodiversity.

Compared to traditional approaches, ESS can reduce long-term operating and maintenance costs by minimizing mowing, irrigation, and chemical inputs. When implemented early, they also support smoother permitting and create visible, lasting community value.

Water Stewardship focuses on improving water balance, quality, and availability through nature-based solutions that deliver measurable outcomes at the watershed level.

For large-scale development projects with significant water demand or heightened watershed sensitivity, Water Stewardship strategies help offset operational water use by returning water to the system where it matters most. This is achieved through stream restoration, wetland creation, floodplain reconnection, and other approaches that slow water movement, increase groundwater recharge, and improve water quality.

These outcomes can be quantified—often through volumetric water benefit (VWB) methodologies—to measure water replenished, recharged, or improved within a specific watershed.

Water Stewardship solutions can be implemented on-site or off-site, providing flexibility to meet corporate water stewardship commitments regardless of site constraints.

Environmental mitigation 

Environmental mitigation is the required compensation for unavoidable impacts to wetlands, streams, and protected habitats during development. Mitigation requirements are typically triggered when construction affects regulated waters or the habitat of regulated species.

Mitigation can be delivered through three primary approaches: mitigation banking (purchasing credits from pre-approved restoration sites), in-lieu fee programs (funding future restoration within a service area), or permittee-responsible mitigation (designing and constructing custom restoration projects alongside development). Each approach carries different implications for timing, cost, and flexibility.

When mitigation bank credits are available, transactions can often be completed quickly. For larger or more complex projects, permittee-responsible mitigation can be approved as part of the construction permit—allowing development to move forward without delay while delivering meaningful ecological outcomes.