|
Draft Literature Search of
Prominent Sustainability Practices Related to the Built
Environment
Download Word Document (1.3
MB)
The AIA Center for Communities by Design, as part of its continuing
effort to enable a dialogue and provide resources to support
livable communities, introduces the first draft of a selection of
prominent sustainability practices.
The information outlined in this document offers a general
overview of how-to guidelines, community indicators/benchmarks, and
other sources as a reference starting point to understand the very
broad and wide-ranging field of community sustainability.
In particular this selection is an approach to facilitate
benchmarking models to evaluate the sustainability of a community
in their relationship to the Center's 10 Principles for Livable
Communities. Including Benchmarking Models equipping both
architects and their communities implementing sustainable
practices.
The 10 Principles for Sustainable Communities
- Design on a Human Scale
Compact, pedestrian-friendly communities allow residents to walk to
shops, services, cultural resources, and jobs and can reduce
traffic congestion and benefit people's health.
- Provide Choices
People want variety in housing, shopping, recreation,
transportation, and employment. Variety creates lively
neighborhoods and accommodates residents in different stages of
their lives.
- Encourage Mixed-Use Development
Integrating different land uses and varied building types creates
vibrant, pedestrian-friendly and diverse communities.
- Preserve Urban Centers
Restoring, revitalizing, and infilling urban centers takes
advantage of existing streets, services and buildings and avoids
the need for new infrastructure. This helps to curb sprawl and
promote stability for city neighborhoods.
- Vary Transportation Options
Giving people the option of walking, biking and using public
transit, in addition to driving, reduces traffic congestion,
protects the environment and encourages physical activity.
- Build Vibrant Public Spaces
Citizens need welcoming, well-defined public places to stimulate
face-to-face interaction, collectively celebrate and mourn,
encourage civic participation,
admire public art, and gather for public events.
- Create a Neighborhood Identity
A "sense of place" gives neighborhoods a unique character, enhances
the walking environment, and creates pride in the community.
- Protect Environmental Resources
A well-designed balance of nature and development preserves natural
systems, protects waterways from pollution, reduces air pollution,
and protects property values.
- Conserve Landscapes
Open space, farms, and wildlife habitat are essential for
environmental, recreational, and cultural reasons.
- Design Matters
Design excellence is the foundation of successful and healthy
communities.
|
