The availability of green building technologies has been steadily increasing to the point of affordability. Some high-profile projects are setting the stage for broader acceptance and use.
"We are close to the tipping point at which green design becomes the default option for smart building."
The new Hearst Corporation building, recently opened in New York, has achieved a gold-level rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating program of the U.S. Green Building Council. The building required 20% less steel than a typical Manhattan high-rise and is expected to use 22% less energy and produce significantly less carbon dioxide emissions than the average city building.
LEED has also paved a path for new green building standards, including one that considers the entire life-span of a project and its materials.
"Quietly competing with LEED is the Cradle-to-Cradle protocol, developed by architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart. C2C considers the entire life cycle of a product, from manufacture to recycling; or, even better, 'up-cycling.' The first C2C home, a 1,623-square-foot, two-bedroom house in Roanoke, Va., will be completed next month."
FULL STORY: Green Wonders of the World

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont