Birth of the 'Cool Spot'

"Eliot Allen of Criterion Planners in Portland, Oregon, calls the idea 'Cool Spots,' a catchy name with a double meaning — it refers to compact, transit-oriented nodes that are both trendy and friendly to the climate. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is working with Allen to refine Cool Spots and is looking to complete a paper in 2008 that will bring the idea to policy analysts, environmental groups, and government officials, says Kaid Benfield, NRDC senior attorney and director the group’s smart growth program."

"Cool Spots is a regional planning tool that uses the Transect and pedestrian shed concepts, both of which are crucial to new urbanists. Key transit nodes are mapped in a region, along with pedestrian sheds to nearby destinations such as stores schools and parks. A Cool Spot is identified and divided into Transect zones. Form-based coding can then guide development."

"Cool Spots can reduce a neighborhood’s energy use and greenhouse emissions as much as 40 to 50 percent, Allen says. That’s based solely on land use and doesn’t include further reductions from alternative energy, hybrid vehicles, and other changes in technology and lifestyle."