CNU Climate Summit Highlights

Growing set of tools measures the impact of urban form on climate. Hazel Borys reviews highlights of the CNU Climate Summit held last weekend near Washington, D.C.

1 minute read

October 4, 2017, 7:00 AM PDT

By Scott Doyon


D.C. Metro Station

The King Street station on the DC Metro transit system in Alexandria . | melissamn / Shutterstock

"A group of concerned urban designers, architects, ecologists, and economists gathered last week in Alexandria, Virginia, to discuss resilience at the CNU Climate Summit. Unable to join, I reached a few participants by phone and followed the Twitter hashtag, #CNUClimate, to hear highlights of the presentations and working groups. Several of their ideas resonate with the resilience thread here, and is another step in the process of answering some of the questions we often pose."

"The central idea of the gathering, in the words of Shelly Poticha: 'Urbanists need a lot more friends to make an impact. More cross-sector collaboration is key to climate resilience.' Susan Henderson agrees, 'The Summit was an intense conversation between groups that usually work independently. One outcome is a wiki of resources that spans many organizations and tools, where we can organically learn from one another, post the value of an improved physical environment, and provide the narrative for change.'"

Borys goes on to talk context, storytelling, tools for measuring impacts, equity and adaptation, and lean regulations. She wraps up with an epic #FridayFollow come early of climate changers.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017 in PlaceShakers

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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