LEED
Green Building, Black Lung?
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED building rating system has helped grow the ranks of green buildings, but some say it ignores the human health impact of those buildings.
Sustainably Retrofitting a Mid-Century Skyscraper
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) were brought on board to bring a 1958 SOM skyscraper up to LEED standards. Architects found that the original plans, which weren't implemented, looked pretty good by today's standards.
Can Preservationists and Conservationists Work Together?
Blair Kamin, architecture critic for the Chicago Tribune, says that historic preservationists need to rethink their "preservation at all costs" strategies in light of global warming.
LEED Certification For Parking: Reserve Space For Low Emitters
A Marin County shopping mall hopes to be the first LEED-certified mall, partly by reserving parking space for low emitting vehicles. All spaces, for guzzlers and green vehicles alike, are unpriced, perhaps pointing to shortfalls of green building.
The Historic Costs of Going Green
Preservationists say a new California law that requires new construction to meet stringent green building standards could encourage demolition of historically significant buildings.
Improving on LEED
Bay Area non-profit TransForm has launched a new program called GreenTRIP that aims to supplement LEED requirements with a VMT calculation on each project.
LEED's Energy Problem
Two recent studies on the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certifications have found that many of the building's with the green certification are actually energy hogs. This piece from The Atlantic offers an explanation.
'No Credits, Just Prerequisites'
The Living Building Challenge is a new environmental rating system that focuses on required environmental design elements, diverging dramatically from the credit-based approach of the built environment's dominant rating system, LEED.
Halloween Costumes for Urban Planners - 2nd Edition
The second edition list of the best urban planning costume ideas.
LEED On Its Way Out?
As part of GOOD's Top 100 Ideas of 2009, author Jacob Gordon celebrates the fact that other standards of efficiency are gaining traction abroad and in the US.
Reborn Green
The New York Times takes a look at Greensburg, Kansas, the tornado-ravaged town that rebuilt itself to high environmental standards.
Sustainability is a Lifestyle, Not an Accessory
Witold Rybczynski bemoans the green movement's emphasis on sustainability measure that treat environmental action as a process of accessorizing rather than changing lifestyles.
Buildings That Are Green But Not Energy-Efficient
LEED-certified buildings may be constructed with little energy, but some are just as energy-intensive as non "green" buildings once they're in use. This disconnect is prompting the U.S. Green Building Council to change its rules.
Misleading LEED Claims
This piece from Grist looks at the use and abuse of the sustainability buzzword "LEED".
Sustainable Chalupas?
A new KFC/Taco Bell combo restaurant in Northhampton, Massachusetts has been awarded LEED certification.
Clinton Promoting 'Climate-Positive' Communities
Last week in Seoul, Bill Clinton announced a new collaboration between the Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council to go beyond the single LEED building and create new green development models for whole communities.
LEED Platinum for Dogs?
A redesign for an animal shelter in St. Louis works to make a space warmer and fuzzier than the usual pound to encourage adoption. HOK Architects, the pro bono designers, are pursuing a LEED Platinum rating for the pet palace.
Green School Building Bill Passes House
The Democrats of the U.S. House of Representatives have passed a bill that would create a green school building program in the U.S., investing more than $6 billion in its first year to build more environmentally friendly schools.
Vancouver's Sustainable Olympic Village
With goals of LEED-certification and plans for reuse after the games, Vancouver's Olympic Village is being called a model for event-based sustainability.
A Case for LEED-ND: The LEED Platinum Suburban Office Park
A new LEED Platinum building in suburban Minneapolis may be the greenest single building in the state, but what about all those who must drive there? The City of Lakes blog looks at the fallacy of LEED rankings when location is not factored in.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
