Serenbe

The design of Serenbe was inspired by the past and built for the future.

At Serenbe, the community is a living part of its natural surroundings, instead of something constructed at the expense of nature.

The master plan for Serenbe calls for multiple hamlets based on English villages, all designed on sacred geometry principles with buildings clustered along serpentine-like omega forms fitted to the undulations of the land. This method of arranging the community requires minimal land disturbances and allows the community to reserve large areas of undeveloped green space.

Every facet of community development design is based on principles of environmental sustainability. These principles touch everything from methods of construction and certification to the organic produce grown by Serenbe Farms.

Land Use

Serenbe’s land-use planning demonstrates that development can occur in harmony with nature rather than with destructive intentions. Of Serenbe’s 1,000 acres, a minimum of 70% will always be preserved.

This goal is accomplished in a variety of ways such as minimally disturbing the land by building on smaller footprints of property and designing homes with front porches that open onto the street rather than a traditional large front lawn. Toxic chemicals aren’t used to keep the grass green, and far less water is used because of the closeness of the community. This closeness also encourages neighbors to know one another, and reduces the need for cars.

In addition, development is designed to reduce the impact on the land and preserve existing flora and fauna. It is standard practice in community developments to clear cut construction sites, which eliminates the natural landscape. Local utilities often require flat and clear swaths for  utility right-of-ways. Once the right-of-way is provided for gas, water, power, phone, internet, etc., only a barren landscape remains. The local government then requires a high percentage of this land to be covered with landscape to prevent stormwater runoff. The cheapest way to provide this is to cover the barren area with sod that – again – requires excessive amounts of water, chemicals and human time to maintain.

Land use that respects and preserves greenspace also results in cleaner air. Environmental pollutants resulting from lawn chemicals, pesticides, smog, and other factors strongly contribute to asthma and other respiratory ailments. While the CDC reports that 10% American children suffer from asthma, there are no such reported cases in Serenbe, which is largely attributable to natural landscaping and the preservation of land in Chattahoochee Hills.

Serenbe Farms is a certified organic farm that provides over 300 varieties of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruits to each of its farm-to-table restaurants, a Saturday farmers market, and its annual community supported agriculture (CSA) program. Choosing local, organic food supports the local economy, preserves the environment, and provides a diet that is far healthier than one based on processed foods.

Energy Systems

Serenbe demonstrates best practices in conservation of resources and renewable energy by incorporating geothermal heating and cooling, solar power, net zero homes, and natural, non-toxic landscaping.

Serenbe is an EarthCraft community, meaning that 100% of its homes and commercial buildings must be built to EarthCraft standards. EarthCraft is one of the nation’s most successful regional green building programs. It was developed in 1999 by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Southface, and now boasts over 40,000 certified homes and a commercial-building certification program.

While EarthCraft compliance is the baseline for Serenbe, many homes go beyond that. A Proud Green Home was recently completed involving many partners, and is certified to Earthcraft Platinum standards that are even more stringent. In addition, there are several Net Zero Energy homes already built and more planned. (LEED and WELL certifications, will add)

Stormwater Management

For stormwater management, Serenbe uses a combination of practices, including bioretention for the watershed, bioswales, and protective stream buffers and wetland preservation. Utilizing such practices requires dedication to preserving the environment in all phases of planning, design and construction.

Awareness and progressive model regulations at Serenbe have addressed ways to tackle these issues. This change embraces the concept of introducing housing into nature rather than eliminating the natural landscape to make room for housing, thus forcing people to live in a completely “man-made” community.

Wastewater Management

Utilizing a clustered septic system and an on-site waste treatment facility using natural techniques, Serenbe is able to conserve a large portion of its wastewater without the negative environmental impacts of large treatment plants. Freed from the individual leach fields required by conventional septic systems, water is conserved by landscaping and naturally-treating wastewater for ornamental irrigation, and more land is available for residential development.

Walkability

Currently, there are over 15 miles of paths and trails throughout the 1,000 acres of Serenbe. Where possible, the community has created paths along the bioretention stormwater corridors. These paths are planted with edible landscapes and natural vegetation, which encourage ecosystem corridors.

In developed areas, Serenbe is reminiscent of neighborhoods from decades past. Residents walk to restaurants and shops, walk their kids to school, and walk to see their friends and socialize. This reduces the need for cars, conserves energy, reduces pollution, and promotes good health, not only for individuals but also for the community as a whole as it encourages neighborly interaction.

Dark Sky Preservation

Serenbe actively supports and participates in the dark-sky movement, which is a campaign to reduce light pollution. Reduced light pollution increases star visibility and decreases energy usage.

Nocturnal animals can be harmed by light pollution because they are biologically evolved to depend on an environment with long periods of uninterrupted daytime and nighttime. The over-illumination of the night sky is affecting these organisms by confusing their natural instincts.

Light pollution has also been found to affect human circadian rhythms.

The dark-sky movement encourages the use of full-cutoff fixtures that cast little or no light upward in public areas and generally encourage communities to adopt lighting regulations.

Edible Landscaping

At Serenbe, children and adults are becoming aware of the sources of our food, as well as its seasonality, because of such practices as planting blueberries and other edible fruits at all crosswalks.

Development projects that incorporate edible landscaping, or that promote gardens in the family yard or terrace, produce enjoyable results in a short period of time. Plantings can be made in a various array of bushes to vines, offer healthy food options, and add natural color and life to a community.