Low-impact development

Low-impact development may refer to:

• Low-impact development (Canada/US), the term is used in Canada and the United States to describe a land planning and engineering design approach to managing stormwater runoff. In recent years many states in the US have adopted LID concepts and standards to enhance their approach to reducing the harmful potential for storm water pollution in new construction projects. LID takes many forms but can generally be thought of as an effort to minimize or prevent concentrated flows of storm water leaving a site. To do this the LID practice suggests that when impervious surfaces (concrete, etc.) are used, they are periodically interrupted by pervious areas which can allow the storm water to infiltrate (soak into the earth). In general, this practice can work and it is being rapidly adopted by jurisdictions and design professionals as well. Of course, there are times and places where you definitely do not want to infiltrate, such as near a retaining wall or a basement wall. For this reason, LID embraces other solutions as well. The best way to think about LID is that it is an effort and philosophy to make land development more 'earth friendly' by thinking carefully about what rainfall runoff from the home or project will do in years to come. Most of the public embraces the effort as do Architects, Civil Engineers and Developers who think long-term.
• Low-impact development (UK), the term is used in the UK for a type of development which through its low negative environmental impact either enhances or does not significantly diminish environmental quality