Angie Schmitt looks at the greenwash being applied to new sprawl developments in Ohio, Indiana, and Texas as developers market to consumer preferences for more walkable urban environments.
On Schmitt's radar are The Lakes of Orange, outside Cleveland ("Ohio's FIRST Green Certified Residential Community"), Saxony, outside Indianapolis, and The Bridgelands, far outside of Houston, which make varying dubious environmental claims in their marketing materials in order to respond to changing tastes.
Although "many of these new housing developments - to be fair - are real improvements over their 1990s counterparts," Schmitt looks beyond the greenwash to see that "any environmental savings these developments produce will likely be eclipsed by their near-total dependence on auto travel, which accounts for almost a third of Americans' energy use."
"The Lakes of Orange is on the undeveloped periphery of Cleveland - a shrinking city surrounded by a shrinking metro area. Literally 30,000 vacant homes that are already served by sewer, roads and water, sit closer to retail and work, accessible to the region's transit system."
While LEED-ND is intended to encourage more sustainable development patterns by awarding points for infill development and rehabbing existing buildings, only four or five projects have achieved certification.
"So when will we see a new 'Lakes of Orange' or ‘The Bridgelands' in a sustainable location with multiple transportation options and a LEED-ND seal? And when will that become the norm, not the exception? It's going to take a rethinking of the financial and regulatory incentives that favor sprawl, as well as increased awareness of what makes development truly sustainable - and that includes location efficiency, not just green roofs and compact fluorescent lightbulbs," concludes Schmitt.
FULL STORY: The Greenwashing of Sprawl
The Natalist Case For Sprawl (And Why It Fails)
Some commentators defend anti-urban government policies such as exclusionary zoning on the basis that homeowning suburbanites have high birth rates. But this doesn't seem to be true in recent decades.
Density and Disorder: The Imaginary Link
A recent article tries to tie public transit and walkability to social disorder — but in fact, sprawling Sunbelt cities like Memphis are as likely to have high crime rates as transit-rich metropolises such as New York and San Francisco.
How Autonomous Cars Can Induce Sprawl and Sabotage Climate Goals
Robotaxis can lead to longer, more frequent trips and are projected to increase VMT by as much as 83 percent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.
The EV “Charging Divide” Plaguing Rural America
With “the deck stacked” against rural areas, will the great electric American road trip ever be a reality?
Judge Halts Brooklyn Bike Lane Removal
Lawyers must prove the city was not acting “arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally” in ordering the hasty removal.
Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)