Many people within the sustainability community point to the traditional patterns of land-use and development patterns for residential housing projects as being “unsustainable” – even when they include energy-efficient homes -- due to the energy required for transportation from housing located farther and farther from the workplaces, schools, and services families rely on every day. In fact, a DOE study shows that the energy consumed for transportation from these communities more than offsets gains made by the energy-efficient homes built within them. This area of study will explore the complex issues surrounding new visions for land use and planning and identify the hurdles that need to be cleared in order to apply innovative solutions to improve transportation, density, and affordability issues
Contemplating the Vision 2020 goals, the distance yet to cover can make the journey seem impossible at best--especially during this pre-presidential season when the intractability of reactionary political attitudes makes it difficult to maintain an optimistic view on the future of America, and perhaps even civilization. But this doesn’t deter two thought leaders who offer some hope: Joel Kotkin, distinguished presidential fellow in urban futures at Chapman University and the author of the new book, The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050, and Christopher B. Leinberger, Vision 2020 chair of sustainable communities, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, and author of The Option of Urbanism.
So, for a little spiritual pick-me-up, check out their two-part discussion at the Forum for Urban Design. This timely give-and-take on the actual challenges of developing sustainable communities today offers a sweeping (and opinionated) view of the future by Kotkin and then Leinberger’s very practical ideas on how to move forward, on a market basis, toward a sustainable future.
Conference aims higher by proposing the concept of a 'positive city,' which tries to put a stop to environmental impacts altogether.
Author Jeffrey Tumlin discusses why transportation figures prominently as a key element in sustainable cities and neighborhood developments.
A recent blog posting questions the market viability of higher density development.
High-density, walkable communities contribute far less in greenhouse gas emissions per capita than their low-density counterparts.
A public-private alliance seeks to reduce the consumption and environmental impacts of buildings.
Architect Thomas Dolan provides a complete and authoritative treatment of live-work housing, a cornerstone of the zero-commute housing ideal.
The city of Boulder, Colo., engaged the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado to help develop a sustainability matrix to assess new development and redevelopment in conformity with the city’s goals.
Christopher Leinberger, Visiting Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution
As a Visiting Fellow at The Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, Mr. Leinberger is researching land use strategies that transform suburban downtowns and promote “walkable urbanism.” He is the Director of the graduate Real Estate Program at University of Michigan, and a founding partner of Arcadia Land Company, a pioneering New Urbanism development firm.