By Hannah Brown on
06 Sep 2016 •
openbook 4 minute read
We are breaking world records this year. And I’m not just talking about the Olympics. We are on track for the hottest year on record. Already, 15 of the 16 warmest years on record have occurred during the young 21st century, and this year is adding yet another extreme …
By Hannah Brown on
09 Aug 2016 •
openbook 4 minute read
"Imagine this design assignment: Design something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water, makes complex sugars and foods, changes colors with the seasons, and self-replicates.” —William McDonough, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We M …
By Jeni Miller on
01 Jun 2016 •
openbook 10 minute read
The St. Bernard Public Housing Development was already in severe disrepair and only 75 percent occupied on August 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit leaving much of the Bayou District neighborhood submerged in eight feet of water. One of four large public housing comp …
When I hear the news about federal, state and local governments at an impasse, it makes me all the more excited to be working on a city-focused, economy-boosting program that is pushing forward on sustainability goals while impacting the triple bottom line. The Pittsbur …
It’s been 5 months since we announced the launch of GRESB Infrastructure. Now, we’ve reached a major milestone: the pre-release of the 2016 GRESB Infrastructure Assessment. This marks an important step forward in our effort to create a new global benchmark for the …
To have a community which says it is sustainable, but is dependent on infrastructure which is not, is a contradiction in terms.
All communities rely on a range of different types of infrastructure to function. To put it simply, for everything that’s above or at gro …
This past Friday, world leaders convened at a United Nations summit meeting in New York to adopt a new platform for international development—the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs replace and improve upon the first major UN-led effort to reduce global pov …
By Sean McMahon on
10 Sep 2015 •
openbook 2 minute read
Green roofs have long been lauded as a solution for mitigating the urban heat island effect, the phenomenon where the density of buildings, pavement, and other non-natural cover in urban centers lead to significantly hotter temperatures than surrounding rural areas. The …
By Dulce Naime on
03 Aug 2015 •
openbook 4 minute read
The existence of pedestrian networks is one of the most important components of a sustainable city. The design and condition of sidewalks can positively or negatively influence the choices and behaviors of citizens. A comfortable network will promote walkability, social …
All over the country, cities are contemplating compact infill development projects. The green building industry, savvy developers, and sustainable land use professionals understand the well documented water efficient, transportation, housing affordability, and air quali …
