Sustainable Urban Design Webcast Notes

Introduction

• Speaker: Christine Dy Davis, Executive Director of the Ohio Chapter of the American Planning Association.
• Date: Friday, October 25th.
• Topic: Sustainable Urban Design - A Comprehensive Approach.
• Q&A Structure: Technical questions in the Q&A box; presentation-related questions at the end.
• Credits: 1.5 CM credits available, including sustainability and resilience credits.

Upcoming Webcasts

• Ethics session, law session, equity session, SNR session.
• Register at Ohio planning.org planning webcast.
• Recordings of past sessions available on the YouTube channel.

Sustainability and Resilience Series

• Speaker: Carla Ebach, Chair of the Sustainable Communities Division.
• Purpose: Provide planning professionals with knowledge on sustainability and resilience, offering AICP credits.
• Resources Available: 19 recordings on sustainability topics, accessible for free.

Importance of Sustainable Urban Design

• Urban Design is crucial for fostering sustainable and resilient communities.
• The field is fragmented; a unified approach is needed.
• Urban areas account for:
  • 55% of the global population.
  • 80% of global GDP.
  • 50% of waste.
  • 70% of natural resources.
  • 90% of innovations.

Keynote Speakers

1. Merl St Ledger: Senior Principal at Smith Group, immediate past chair of the Sustainable Communities Division.
2. Nico Larco: Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at University of Oregon, co-director of the Sustainable Cities Institute.
   • Developed the Sustainable Urban Design Framework.

Challenges in Sustainable Urban Design

• Difficulty in knowing how to implement sustainability in real-world projects.
• Urban Design's transformative impact on planning.
• Need for strategies addressing climate change, sustainability, and resiliency.

Sustainable Urban Design Handbook

• Organizes critical sustainability topics with design at every scale.
• Provides actionable resources for professionals to incorporate sustainability into urban design.
• Key to understanding complex relationships between sustainability and urban design.

Five Main Outcome Goals for Sustainability in Urban Design

1. Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Focus on reducing car dependency.
2. Stormwater Management: Minimize and mitigate runoff.
3. Ecology and Habitat: Protect areas and create microhabitats.
4. Energy Production: Address urban heat islands and embodied energy in buildings.
5. Equity and Health: Improve accessibility, affordability, and social mobility.

Framework Organization

• The framework organizes outcome goals by scales: region, city, district, neighborhood, block, and project.
• Each scale has specific actions to promote sustainability.
• Different physical elements outlined for implementation.

Application of the Framework

• Design Tool: Helps prioritize questions and define necessary actions in sustainability initiatives.
• Evaluation Tool: Assess existing conditions and identify areas for improvement.
• Community Engagement: Translate sustainability goals into actionable items for stakeholders.

Key Design Principles Discussed

• Importance of compact development for sustainability.
• Enhancing pedestrian networks and connectivity.
• Utilizing green infrastructure for stormwater management.
• Creating ecological corridors to support biodiversity.
• Addressing urban heat islands through strategic design.

Questions and Discussion Highlights

• Density: Critical to achieving sustainability goals; even modest increases in density can significantly impact sustainability.
• Community Engagement: Importance of involving community stakeholders in the design process.
• Cultural Considerations: Need for culturally sensitive approaches in urban design.
• Agricultural Integration: Urban agriculture can complement traditional farming practices.
• Zoning Flexibility: Movement towards form-based codes for more adaptable regulatory frameworks.

Closing Remarks

• Nico’s Takeaway: Sustainable Urban Design framework offers a way to simplify and organize complex sustainability topics into actionable items.
• Emphasis on the importance of community-specific solutions and partnerships to drive sustainability initiatives forward.