The LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) guidelines have existed for some time now, but are getting a new focus with an exhibit in Chicago and the launch of the first comprehensive city plan to include LEED-ND guidelines.
From the USGBC's press release on the exhibit, called "Neigbhorhoods Go Green!":
"The exhibit features text, photographs, and illustrations representing the features of a model green neighborhood, and showcases successful national and local projects. Today's popular culture often promotes sustainability with technological solutions, like light bulbs, hybrid cars, or green buildings. The Neighborhoods Go Green! Exhibit reveals the enormous potential of a whole neighborhood approach, and challenges visitors to think big."
Phillip Langdon writes that governments are starting to bring these ideas into their plans:
"The first explicit reference to LEED-ND in a municipal comprehensive plan appears in the comp plan of the City of Bellingham, Washington. It is mentioned there as a tool to assess the long-term sustainability of master plans for Urban Villages - part of Bellingham's growth management strategy."
Thanks to Robert Steuteville
FULL STORY: LEED-ND, focus of an exhibit, is gaining use among governments
Research Links Urban Design and Human Happiness
An emerging field of ‘neuroarchitectural’ research is revealing how building facades and urban design impact the human brain and body.
Reimagining Your Street
How to use free online tools to redesign your local streetscape.
Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
Washington Lawmakers Eye Rent Stabilization
Democrats are pushing for a statewide rent stabilization bill that would give renters some protections while offering more flexibility for landlords than blanket rent control policies.
Wildfires Devastate LA Outdoor Education Spaces and Schools
The current Los Angeles wildfires have destroyed schools and outdoor education spaces like Eaton Canyon, displacing families and disrupting vital learning and community resources while highlighting the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’
Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.
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.
Ada County Highway District
Charles County Government
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport