Bill Chambers, project manager, got confirmation October 2007 that he passed three more sections of his Landscape Architecture licensure exam!  He has two more sections to complete until he is registered.

 

On June 24^th, 2007 the Jacqueline Fiske Healing Garden at Jupiter Medical Center, designed by Roy-Fisher Associates was featured in a Jupiter Courier article. Roy-Fisher Associates received an Award of Excellence for the garden design from the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects on July 27^th, 2007.   Complete article coming soon.

Roy-Fisher Associates is a founding member of the USGBC Treasure Coast-Palm Beach Branch. The U.S. Green Building Council's core purpose is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.  To join the Chapter please go to the USGBC Website, and go to chapters/Join the South Florida Chapter.  We are a branch of that Chapter. You will be directed to the appropriate branch based on your zip code.  Connie is the communications chair.  To join the communications committee please email us.

Connie Roy-Fisher became a LEED accredited professional on September 26^th, 2006.  She is one of forty-one LEED accredited Landscape Architects in the state of Florida.  What is LEED?  The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings and sites.  LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their projects' performance.  LEED promotes an integrated team approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

Connie Roy-Fisher is a spring 2006 graduate of the Palm Beach County Extension Service Master Gardener's program. The program is a 5 month intensive training that focuses on planting "The Right Plant in the Right Place" and includes classes on local ecology, plants, pests, invasive plants, resource protection and habitat creation.  Continuing Education and volunteer hours are a required to maintain the status of Master Gardener.  Connie hopes to involve other Master Gardeners in horticultural therapy at her healthcare garden projects and create a pilot green roof demonstration project as part of her volunteer efforts.

 

Connie Roy-Fisher is participating in EDAC, (Evidence Based Design Accreditation Criteria) for the Center for Health Design.  This national group of volunteers is laying the groundwork for a body of knowledge that is essential to practice evidence based design for Health Care Facility Projects.

 

Connie Roy-Fisher completed course work in Green Roof Technology provided by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.  Green roof development is the creation of "contained" green space on top of a man made structure below, above or at grade.  The benefits provided by green roofs include: longer lasting roof, lower energy costs and additional storm water management. These benefits offset the initial cost of the installation.  Additional benefits can include increased productivity of building occupants, wildlife habitat and additional real estate!  Connie hopes to incorporate green roofs into our healthcare practice to allow rooms in healthcare facilities to have a green view instead of tar and ballast!  Intensive green roofs can also allow additional space in urban healthcare facilities for patients, staff and caregivers to interact with nature and reduce stress.

 

Roy-Fisher Associates completed a Post-Occupancy Evaluation of the Jacqueline Fiske Healing Garden at Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida in late 2006.  This garden is currently in use by the public.  Detailed observation was made through a series of site visits.  Questionnaires were distributed to the staff and received a tremendous response.  The following are some of the comments we received:

Many thanks to the JMC Foundation for their assistance, JMC staff for their responses, and especially to the Fiske family for their support.