CurriculuM

Landscape Architecture Class Develops Plans for
Sustainable Neighborhood during 2001-02:

Definition of Sustainable Neighborhood

A sustainable neighborhood is one in which human and non-human communities function as a whole, minimizing environmental impacts, using resources efficiently, and enhancing quality of life, while seeking to maintain or restore the integrity of the underlying natural systems.

Goals / Benefits of a Sustainable Neighborhood:

• to create an environment where each building and site improvement project can be a teaching tool, a means for learning and experiencing sustainability and environmental stewardship.
• to create an environment in which all building, landscape, utility, and use decisions are based upon sustainable criteria.
• to serve as a model for a Green Campus which will lead to changes in the larger university environment.
• to create an environment where open discussion about sustainability issues occurs.
• to enhance the image of the institution as a leader in environmental research, education, and
  outreach.

Objectives/Characteristics of a Sustainable Neighborhood

An environment in which people, buildings, infrastructure, the landscape, and underlying natural systems are integrated and function in a way that results in:

• minimal impacts through the conservation/efficient use of natural resources including energy, water, and land.
• responsible use of technologies and materials demonstrating better ways of doing things.
• environmental protection, conservation, and restoration of the university environment.
• the establishment of a sustainable environment which is dynamic, resilient, and adaptable.
• the design and construction of an aesthetically pleasing, safe, inclusive, and user friendly community which is sensitive to its context and expresses the local character.
• the design of new green buildings and sustainable landscapes and the retrofitting of existing buildings with sustainable materials and technologies.
• the creation of a neighborhood for living and teaching about sustainability
• limited maintenance requirements in the built environment modeled on a self-maintaining natural environment.

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