D.C. Unveils Ambitious Eco-District Plans

Upending the adage that nothing gets done in D.C. these days, last week the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) released their long range plans for remaking the Southwest area of the capital, capping two years of intense debate.

1 minute read

July 16, 2012, 7:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"Designed to undo the worst damage of the massive 'urban renewal'
projects inflicted on L'Enfant neighborhood over the past decades," the long range Southwest Eco-District plan intends to, "transform the spooky, almost pedestrian-free area just south
of the Mall into a highly sustainable, people-friendly cultural and
business destination," reports the ASLA's The Dirt blog. Guided by landscape architect Elizabeth Miller, ASLA, the "110-acre,
15-square block project is meant to showcase 'high performance buildings
and landscapes' while creating space for 19,000 new federal workers and
solving some of the worst pedestrian access problems."

"Miller outlined a vision for an Eco-District that provokes the
imagination, at least among sustainable designers. She said the new
District will 'capture, manage, and reuse water, energy, and waste' and
work beyond a single building, leveraging clusters of buildings to
create a new system. At the same time, the plan will take aim at the
incredible lack of public access - the barriers, the highways, and grade
changes - that keep people away, except for the federal workers that
have to go there for work."

The plan's green goals are ambitious, aiming for a "zero-net energy district as measured in carbon," reducing potable water use by 70%, managing all stormwater on site, reusing 75% of construction materials for the new buildings, and diverting 80% everyday waste from landfills.

Thursday, July 12, 2012 in THE DIRT

portrait of professional woman

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

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

"Altadena - Not For Sale" yard sign in front of burned down house after Eaton Fire in Altadena, California in January 2025.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations

Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

July 7 - Dwell

Dense multistory residential buildings in hilly San Francisco, California.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean

Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

July 7 - The San Francisco Standard

Blue self-driving Ford Transit van shuttle in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US

A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.

July 7 - Smart Cities Dive

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.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA