Sustainability by Design: Retrofitting our Cities, Communities and Neighborhoods

May 7, 2010
Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
UO in Portland, White Stag Block 152
Presenter: Darin Dinsmore
Dennis Wilde

Course Description

Sustainable City and Neighborhood design is a high priority for addressing climate change and quality of life. While we have some success stories, recent new models may provide further inspiration for transforming our communities. There will be a presentation and discussion on understanding and applying planning and sustainability innovations. Principles and practices for implementation will be studied, including the City of Vancouver Ecodensity model and the new Portland Eco-district concept.

We will present leading examples at city, community and neighborhood scales, and engage in a lively discussion and debate on the challenge of moving communities to the next level of sustainability. Participants will emerge from this presentation with valuable tools and strategies for facilitating sustainable and cost saving practices in their cities and communities, setting the green bar high and creating a sustainable legacy for future generations.

In this one-day workshop, we will study sustainable cities by design, sustainable communities, districts and neighborhoods, and will take part in an interactive sustainable redevelopment design session.

Morning

A) Principles and Practices
We will begin by reviewing best practices in creating sustainable and high-quality urban environments and analyze the principles, practices and policy-making that have made them successful.

B) Policies and Programs: Sustainable Cities by Design
We will learn from models from leading cities, including Vancouver's Living First strategy, recently adopted Ecodensity charter, and the new Greenest City initiative, and discuss ways to implement sustainability by city design. These will include creating high-quality urban environments, public private partnerships for placemaking, and developing public/family friendly amenities that improve quality of life.

C) Policies and Programs: Communities and Neighborhoods
We will also explore sustainability on the scale of communities, districts and neighborhoods, with strategies for creating livable, walkable places, as well as new Eco-districts that focus on urban patterns that consider energy efficiency and alternative energy, and urban services districts.

Afternoon

The afternoon session is aimed at applying the concepts we've learned, in a series of interactive design sessions on eco-districts and sustainable redevelopment.

Through exercises on a commercial corridor redesign and sustainable site design, participants will gain hands-on experience in designing an economically viable, livable, and sustainable neighborhood that reduces energy demand, minimizes GHG emissions and improves quality of life.

D) Plans and Projects: Sustainable Redevelopment Interactive Design Exercise-Commercial Corridor

E) Plans and Projects: Creating an Eco-district and Sustainable Site Design

Participants will emerge from this workshop with valuable tools and strategies for facilitating sustainable practices in their cities and communities, setting the green bar high and creating a sustainable legacy for future generations.

Who Should Attend

Elected and appointed officials, agency directors and staff, planners, developers, designers, and other professionals interested in seeking a deeper understanding of the complex interplay of land use decisions, economic viability, and sustainability.

Registration and Fees

• Non-Credit Fee: $279
• Earlybird Fee: $244
• Earlybird Registration Deadline: 04/23/2010
• Register for this course

More Information

• About Darin Dinsmore
  About Dennis Wilde
• Download the program brochure

Workshops

• Community Event Design and Management: A Triple Bottom Line Approach
• Public/Private Partnerships for Sustainability
• Equity and Sustainability: How to Balance Your Triple Bottom Line
• Writing Your Sustainability Plan: Process and Framework
• Forming and Facilitating Sustainability Teams: Engaging and Training Employees
• Power of Purchasing: Sustainable Procurement
• Accounting for Sustainability: Reporting Principles and Concepts
• Green Building Design and Operations: Benefits, Strategies and Resources
• Investment in Natural Infrastr.: Ecosystem Services as an Emerging Asset Class
• Carbon Footprints and Climate Risk: Tools for Business and Government
• Sustainability Indicators and Assessment for Government
• Sustainable Economic Development through Public Sector Investment
• Sustainability by Design: Retrofitting our Cities, Communities and Neighborhoods
• Energy Efficiency First: A Map to Reducing Costs and Carbon Footprint
• Land Use Planning: an Ecosystem Approach to Achieving Sustainability
• Sustainable Transportation Strategies: Processes, Indicators, and Measurements
• Writing Your Sustainability Plan: Process and Framework
• Climate Policy, Carbon Credits and Business Risk
• Energy and Climate Action Planning

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committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.