Rewarding Builders Who Build In The Right Places

Several Smart Growth organizations that teamed up last year to compose new standards for developing what they consider to be great neighborhoods are looking for a few more good ideas. The team recently published its first draft of the standards, which it calls Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND). The standards provide a system for rating a proposed development’s environmental impact and Smart Growth characteristics, including walkability, access to public transportation, and zoning that allows residential, business, and retail activity within the same area. Now the group, which calls itself the LEED-ND Core Committee, wants to hear from citizens from all walks of life about what works, and what does not, in their communities.