The Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve visitor center is so energy-efficient that is does not need an air conditioner or a furnace, despite fluctuating temperatures.
The center, designed and built in the early '80s, uses the desert sun for solar energy and mounds of dirt for insulation. The building also uses a passive cooling system to flush cool air throughout its rooms. The center, which was built for $450,000, was designed using a high-tech computer system to estimate the building's temperature changes. The Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve is just one of the California Department of Parks and Recreation's energy-efficient facilities.
Thanks to California 2000 Project
Read the full story: HIGH DESERT FACILITY IS AN ENERGY MODEL
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
SEPTA to bring nearby frequent transit to over 1 million new riders as part of decade-long plan
The agency's Accelerate plan will also bring frequent transit to twice the amount of jobs that are currently located near it.
NYC plants over 18,000 trees, the most new foliage in a decade
Many of the trees were planted in communities vulnerable to extreme heat.
New bill requires California data center developers to create water scarcity plans
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed 7 bills intended to give California communities more information about the impact of proposed data centers.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello