Environmental Sustainability

At Mont Luzerne, sustainability means building in concert with the natural elements of wind, sun, snow and rain, using materials of the highest quality and durability, and creating a beautiful community that compliments our unique mountain top setting.

The sewage that will be generated at Mont Luzerne will not be disposed into a city sewer system. Employing the most innovative and natural methods available today, it will be filtered to the highest standards within a man-made "wetlands" (see photo below). Then the clean, odorless water will be piped to various locations to be reused for non-potable water uses such as toilets, irrigation and man-made water features. The photo below is an example of the appearance of this type of sewage treatment facility.  Often, these systems become a park and/or recreation area. Mont Luzerne's system will harness the natural processes involving sun, wind, wetlands vegetation, soils and their associated microbial assemblages to assist in treating wastewater. The system will be designed to take advantage of many of the same filtration and metabolic cycles that occur in natural wetlands. These ecologies are deployed in a more controlled environment in which their biological usefulness is intensified or accelerated to convert waste streams into harmless natural by products, often enhancing the local habitat. We're also in the process of designing a rainwater catchment system and stormwater conveyance (treatment and reuse) system. 

A sewage treatment facility similar in appearance to Mont Luzerne's

Of the 2300 acres occupied by Mont Luzerne, nearly 70% will be left in its natural state. 

 Ponds and wetlands have been preserved and sustainability and low impact design are integral to Mont Luzerne's environmental plan. Through innovative engineering methods, we have developed systems that will be a model for other environmentally responsible developers for many years to come. Indigenous drought tolerant grasses, shrubs, flowers and plants will be used and minimal formal landscaping will be done to preserve the natural character of the mountain. "Gray water" will be filtered and re-used for toilet flushing, irrigation and community water features. Due to the significant amount of land Mont Luzerne occupies, we are able to avoid impacting sensitive areas such as wetlands and streams. Our design as a traditional neighborhood promotes walking and bicycling instead of automobile use and uses the land efficiently which allows for more open space in parks and conservation areas. The rural preserve located throughout the valley, features forested and open areas, trails and wetlands and is being assessed by environmental experts who will develop interpretive trails and habitat improvements for birds, small mammals and other wildlife.