The emerging focus on sustainable design has moved into the realm of education, with architects and designers looking at the best ways to create green schools. But while the idea is popular, its implementation is meeting resistance.
"'Green schools' are part of a growing movement that is changing the environments in which students learn-and has parents clamoring to get their children on waiting lists. This is the business of sustainable school design; building high-performance facilities that are both better for the planet and for the children who learn in them."
"Green schools create a healthy atmosphere for learning that has measurable results. The combination of natural light, fresh air, open plans, and multi-use facilities that encourage community involvement has helped student test scores rise by 20 percent and reduced asthma rates by 39 percent. In green schools, teacher retention increases and missed school days decrease. The bottom line is that beyond their sustainability, green schools are simply better learning environments: Students and teachers are happier and get a lot more done in the classroom."
"'Still, the green-school movement faces some formidable obstacles. 'The irony here is that the greatest barrier is education,' says Bob Kobet, a sustainable-architecture consultant. 'There is still the misconception that green buildings cost more, that they are too complicated and take too long to build.'"
FULL STORY: Education by Design

What the US Intercity Rail System Could Look Like
An FRA study shows how new Amtrak lines could connect tens of millions more Americans to rail travel.

National Housing Group Criticizes Executive Orders
The National Low Income Housing Coalition issued a statement charging that Trump’s executive orders would worsen the housing crisis.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record
The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

Single-Stair Reform Gains Strength
The movement to legalize single-stair multi-story buildings is gathering momentum, with the typology offering a more efficient, flexible, and healthy way to build housing.

Boston Bus Signal Priority Project Yields Faster Travel Times
The city now plans to expand a year-long pilot project that reduced the time buses waited at traffic signals.

Condos, a Key Source of Affordable Housing for Homeowners, Are in Jeopardy
Decades of increasing costs and deferred maintenance could lead to people losing their homes unless changes are made.
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.
City of White Salmon
City of Naples
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
M-NCPPC Prince George's County Planning Department
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service