Sustainable Communities
Buildings don’t stand alone; they’re part of a community. If the fabric of that community supports goals like walkability and cycling, then efforts within the buildings to support those activities can really make a difference.
Sustainable Communities
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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Thinking Beyond Buildings: LEED for Neighborhood Development
Feature Article
LEED for Neighborhood Development is not yet final, but it's already clear that it's a different type of rating system. Lessons from the pilot projects show that cooperation among team members and with the local government is essential to a successful project.
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The Problem with Net-Zero Buildings (and the Case for Net-Zero Neighborhoods)
Feature Article
It can be tough to make an individual building into a zero energy building, while working at the community scale can offer up opportunities for energy efficiency and cost-effective renewable energy generation.
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Energy-Efficient Multifamily Housing
Feature Article
Now you can get LEED, Energy Star, and other labels for designing or retrofitting high-performance multifamily buildings.
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The Death and Rebirth of DC Power
Feature Article
Direct current is replacing AC in microgrids and other setups that maximize the efficiency of lighting, HVAC, and onsite renewables.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Sitting Is the New Smoking: Fad or Fact?
Explainer
Active design is looking less like a luxury and more like a public health imperative.
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Certified Communities: When Greening Neighborhoods One Building at a Time Isn’t Enough
Explainer
A comparison of community-scale certification programs.
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Circular Economy: Better Design from Start to … Start
Explainer
“Circularity” is about more than just recycling. It means building and buying things only when necessary—and without wasting anything.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Win the Turf Wars with Rubber-Free Artificial Fields
Product Review
You don’t have to choose between recycled tires and natural grass for athletic surfaces. There’s a spectrum of good options in between.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Federal Support for Sustainable Communities Grows
News Analysis
A partnership between three federal agencies, designed to facilitate sustainability planning, is bearing fruit, and may see a large funding increase in 2011.
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USGBC Launches LEED-ND
News Analysis
The U.S. Green Building Council has launched its LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system, and registrations are open.
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HUD Rethinking Affordable Housing Location, Financing
News Analysis
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is revamping many of its programs to encourage dense, mixed-use, transit-oriented development.
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More Cyclists + Better Design = Safer Roadways
News Analysis
Encouraging cycling and taking care to design roadways with cyclists in mind can increase traffic safety, something the new SmartCode Bicycle Module aims to help accomplish.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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No More Red Lines: Undoing Our Legacy of Urban Segregation
Spotlight Report
Redlining in the U.S. has left us with unsustainable, under-resourced neighborhoods. Inclusive green design can help them heal.
