Sustainable Urbanism - Urban Design with Nature

A call to action and a comprehensive guide to sustainable urban design

"This book celebrates the magical power of design and of an emerging pattern of human settlement--Sustainable Urbanism--that holds the promise of strengthening the interdependence of all life on earth. . . . This book is a strategic call for leadership in the design and development of the places where Americans live, work, and play."
--From the Preface

Written by the chair of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) Core Committee, "Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature" is both an urgent call to action and a comprehensive introduction to "Sustainable Urbanism"--the growing sustainable design convergence that integrates walkable and diverse places with high-performance infrastructure and buildings.

Providing a historical perspective on the standards and regulations that got us and keep us on the course toward sprawl and unsustainable development, along with earlier attempts at reform, Douglas Farr makes a powerful case for Sustainable Urbanism, showing how architects and urban designers need to shape the built environment for the benefit of both humans and nature. He then explains how to implement Sustainable Urbanism in cities, towns, and neighbor-hoods through coordinated leadership and communication. Essays written by Farr and others delve into such issues as:

Increasing sustainability through density

Integrating transportation and land use in an auto-dependent era

Creating sustainable neighborhoods with walk-to-work neighborhood centers of locally owned businesses, share cars on every block, and walkable neighborhoods

The health andenvironmental benefits of linking humans to nature, including walk-to open spaces, neighborhood stormwater systems and waste treatment, and food production

High-performance buildings and neighborhood-scale infrastructure including district energy systems

Enriching the argument are in-depth case studies in Sustainable Urbanism, from BedZED in London, England, and Newington in Sydney, Australia, to New Railroad Square in Santa Rosa, California, and Dongtan, Shanghai, China. An epilogue looks to the future of Sustainable Urbanism over the next 200 years.

At once solidly researched and passionately argued, Sustainable Urbanism is the ideal guidebook for urban designers, planners, and architects who are eager to make a positive impact on our--and our descendants'--buildings, cities, and lives.