May 2026 19

New technologies are opening up exciting possibilities for integrating safety and community-driven features into modern landscape architecture and civil engineering projects. Effective strategies for prioritizing sustainability elements like stormwater management, and for elevating and enhancing the pedestrian experience, are more easily implemented by utilizing these new technologies, and with purposeful planning in the early stages of a project.

“ Technology and safety are no longer parallel considerations; they are fully integrated into how we approach site design from the outset,” says Jacqui Trainer, PLA, landscape architect at Allen & Major Associates, Inc.“ In both landscape

architecture and civil engineering, we are leveraging advancements in lighting technology to enhance visibility, security, and user comfort without compromising aesthetics. At the same time, these systems are becoming more energyefficient, adaptable, and responsive to user needs. The result is an environment that

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feels both secure and welcoming, where safety is seamlessly embedded into the user experience rather than added as an afterthought.”

Nichole Langley, associate, senior project manager, and Douglas Hartnett, PE, partner, president, and managing principal, both of Highpoint Engineering, explain,“ Technology and safety / compliance considerations cannot be separated and are integral to effective site planning and design. Site designers are no longer checking safety and compliance codes as part of a code compliance audit at the end of the design phase but are referencing these codes early in the conceptual design phase to ensure design strategies integrate these requirements. This is especially true for site constraints that mandate important safety considerations such as emergency response, fire protection, building access / egress, accessibility, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, utility infrastructure, and stormwater management.”

In Copley Wolff Design Group’ s K – 12 academic landscapes, technology is allowing the firm to embed safety into the site design in proactive, largely invisible ways for teachers and students. Emily Hunt, PLA, CPSI, ASLA, senior associate at Copley Wolff, says,“ We use digital modeling, including Revit and SketchUP, to study sight lines from classrooms, corridors, and administrative spaces so that outdoor areas are naturally observable without fully relying on overt security elements like bollards or fencing. That visibility supports safety while maintaining an open, welcoming environment focused on learning rather than containment. Once those sight lines are established, we use digital shadow studies and three-dimensional modeling to ensure these spaces remain safe, comfortable, and functional throughout the school day and across seasons.”

On site, Brennan Consulting applies Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons( RRFBs), traffic calming measures, and advanced stormwater management techniques to reduce personal and property injuring. Chris Emilius, PE, vice president of Brennan Consulting, says,“ These applications reduce the risk incurred in mobility accidents, and environmental anomalies such as highrisk stormwater and flood events.”

Allen & Major Associates is incorporating charging stations and electrical access points within common areas and amenity spaces, to support everything from mobile work and social gathering to electric vehicle infrastructure, making sites more functional and futureready.“ Our approach is to thoughtfully incorporate these elements into the landscape so they enhance, rather than detract from, the overall design. Charging stations, seating areas with built-in power, and other electrical components are carefully sited and detailed to blend with the surrounding environment,” says Beth Dermody, PLA, landscape architect at Allen & Major Associates.“ By combining functionality with strong design principles, we create spaces that are both highly usable and visually cohesive, meeting modern demands while maintaining a high standard of design quality.”

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