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APA Webinar: Regenerative Urban Developments Are Changing Planning

APA Webinar: Regenerative Urban Developments Are Changing Planning

August 28, 2019 by Afshan Hamid in

This Webinar focuses on the current sustainability planning predicament: sustainability-planning-as-usual may not produce sustainability in time as the accelerating trends close the window of opportunity. Yet, planning and planners can make a critical contribution to success. The session panelists share and discuss their research and studies on projects in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Ottawa, Canada, and other cities. These multiple projects are pursuing certifications such as Living Community Challenge (Sacramento Valley Station Master Plan), One Planet (Zibi Community, Ottawa, Canada), San Francisco Ecodistrict, etc., to inform and establish the absolutely necessary game-changing rules of 21st century urbanism.

Regenerative Urbanism Rising – Webinar & Resources

July 14, 2016 by Northern Section in / /

More resources on the APA Sustainable Communities Division web site here.

There is also a Sustainable Communities Division Group Linked In discussion here.

A list or key references and links can be found here (forthcoming July 16th).

SHORT Description.  Pivoting from a net negative to net positive trajectory soon is our current sustainability planning challenge.  Regeneration is the theme that is bubbling up across our plan, design, and build professions and the key to the pivot/shift.  The upcoming APA webcast planning series WEBINAR on Regenerative Urbanism Rising – Platform for Next Generation Practice, explores this challenge, theme, and potential as described below.  Click here to register.

 FULL DESCRIPTION

July 15,  WEBINAR:  Regenerative Urbanism Rising: Next-Generation Practice, APA Planning WebCast Series, FRI, July 15, 10-11:30 am (PST), (SCD description) (register).  This Webinar presents the case for the necessary sustainability pivot from net negative to net positive sustainability planning (Scott Edmondson, AICP, ISSP-SA; SF Planning Dept.; APA Sustainability Champion) and illustrates accelerating innovation across our plan-design-build professions of a net positive approach with two practice cases. The first is an integrated utility system based on “circular economy” principles and a new business model (Joshua Foss, President, The Ecala Group). It can be used as a primary vehicle for achieving net positive, restorative city development and goals. The second is a regenerative approach to planning and designing high-performance districts that creates better places at the same or lower costs than traditional development (Charles Kelley, AIA, Partner, ZGF Architects). The Webinar illustrates how a regenerative  built environment both becomes and creates a cornerstone of the needed ecological economy of a sustainable city and society. This Webinar re-presents the Sustainable Communities Division’s by-right session at the National APA Conference this past April 2016, and is offered as part of the Division’s Sustainability Champions Program. Go here to register. Go here for a LinkedIn pre-webinar discussion. Comments and questions to Scott.Edmondson@sfgov.org.

CM | 1.5.

[Post prepared by Scott T. Edmondson, AICP, founder/past co-director and Research Program Lead of the Northern Section’s Sustainability Committee, one of the APA Sustainable Communities Division’s Sustainability Champions, and a strategic sustainability planner-economist at the SF Planning Department.]

Regenerative Urbanism – A Summary

June 30, 2015 by Northern Section in /

This idea for a literature review of the emerging theoretical and practice arena of what usefully can be called “regenerative urbanism,” is worth the larger effort involved. Until then, this short summary and list of key resources will have to suffice.

As 21st century planning and design accelerate out of the first decade, a variety of emerging ideas and practices in the planning-design-build professions with roots in the 1990s and beyond are coalescing around the theme of living – living cities, living buildings, cities alive, ecocities, biophilic cities—or more generally, living systems. The core concept of this theme and living systems is “regeneration.” Hence, the title regenerative urbanism, planning, design, etc.

These emerging, coalescing trends can be interpreted as laying the foundation for the next step in sustainability planning—a necessary sustainability ‘pivot‘ from a net-negative, “doing-less-harm” mitigation approach or “paradigm” to a net-positive, “doing-good,” regenerative city paradigm. This shift represents a fundamental change not only for the planning-design-build professions, but for society itself. William McDonough and others have been characterizing this shift as one from a 19th century physics model of society, the economy, etc., to a 21st century biology model. Although simplistic as stated, and needing further development, this simple brushstroke helps illuminate a new source of understanding, innovation, and solutions with real potential for resolving the daunting, some might say impossible challenges humanity faces.

The posts and resources below provide a quick view into a subset of this emerging new regenerative systems paradigm.

APA California 2015 Conference Sustainability Sessions — The Upcoming Sustainability “Pivot” From “Less Damage” to “Regenerative Urbanism,” https://norcalapa.org/?s=regenerative&post_type=sustainability-blog#sthash.I5FhCIR0.dpuf

Toward a Regenerative Sustainability Paradigm for the Built Environment?! http://www.sustainability2030.com/sustainabilityclips/2013/12/1/toward-a-regenerative-sustainability-paradigm-for-the-built.html

 The Regenerative City 2030 Challenge, http://www.sustainability2030.com/state-of-sustainability-j/2015/1/25/the-regenerative-city-2030-challenge.html

Regenerative Planning & Design–Connecting to the Essence for Higher Value, http://www.sustainability2030.com/sustainabilityclips/2013/11/27/regenerative-planning-design-connecting-to-the-essence-for-h.html

 A Talk with David Waldron — Regenerative Neighborhood Sustainability, http://www.sustainability2030.com/sustainabilityclips/2013/12/1/a-talk-with-david-waldron-regenerative-neighborhood-sustaina.html

Regenerative Design and Development – A Pioneer’s Perspective — http://www.sustainability2030.com/state-of-sustainability-j/2012/5/23/regenerative-design-and-development-a-pioneers-perspective.html

Living Future’s Living Cities – Explorations of a Positive End Game, https://norcalapa.org/sustainability-blog/plan-it-sustainably-august-2012/#sthash.xlg011MW.dpuf

Mobilizing APA State Chapter Sustainability & the New Sustainable Community Division, https://norcalapa.org/sustainability-blog/connecting-apas-state-chapters-on-sustainability/#sthash.w6dSe55D.dpuf

Plan-it sustainably Column (Dec2013)–“Biophilic Urbanism” On the Rise Excerpt, https://norcalapa.org/sustainability-blog/plan-it-sustainably-column-dec2013-biophilic-urbanism-on-the-rise-excerpt/#sthash.QuLjV1PM.dpuf

Planning meets biomimicry? https://norcalapa.org/sustainability-blog/planning-meets-biomimicry/

Living community patterns — bits and pieces of next-generation urban form? https://norcalapa.org/?s=regenerative&post_type=sustainability-blog#sthash.d83XSGbD.dpuf

SPUR – Regenerative Design 091311 6 pm, https://norcalapa.org/sustainability-blog/spur-regenerative-design-091311-6-pm/

Regenerative Neighborhoods – scaling up from net positive buildings, https://norcalapa.org/?s=regenerative&post_type=sustainability-blog#sthash.I5FhCIR0.dpu

Comprehensive Ecological Design for a Carbon Neutral World, http://www.sustainability2030.com/sustainabilityclips/2011/8/12/comprehensive-ecological-design-for-a-carbon-neutral-world.html

SSI2030’s New Year 2013 Challenge: Catalyze an “Educating the World for Regenerative Success” Campaign, http://www.sustainability2030.com/state-of-sustainability-j/2013/1/19/ssi2030s-new-year-2013-challenge-catalyze-an-educating-the-w.html

Whole Systems Methodology is Alive in 2013, http://www.sustainability2030.com/sustainabilityclips/2013/11/30/whole-systems-methodology-is-alive-in-2013.html

[Post prepared by Scott T. Edmondson, AICP, founder/past co-director and Research Program Lead of the Northern Section’s Sustainability Committee, one of the APA Sustainable Communities Division’s Sustainability Champions, and a strategic sustainability planner-economist at the SF Planning Department.]

APA California 2015 Conference Sustainability Sessions — The Upcoming Sustainability “Pivot” From “Less Damage” to “Regenerative Urbanism”

June 29, 2015 by Northern Section in / / /

The sustainability sessions in APA California’s Conference 2015 reflect emerging best practices in sustainability planning across the planning-design-build professions.  Topics covered include water reuse, urban food, GHG cap & trade, green infrastructure, spaces for makers, health, affordability, district-scale initiatives, equity, innovation economics, and resilience (the new sustainability).   These innovative techniques and policy trends can be interpreted as laying the foundation for the next step in sustainability planning–a ‘pivot‘ from a net-negative, “doing-less-harm” mitigation approach to a net-positive, “doing-good,” regenerative city approach (see summary http://bit.ly/1efG7QD).

And what more appropriate place to hold this conference than the City of Oakland? The San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose Bay Area has been innovating for sustainability since the Brundtland Report (http://bit.ly/1CFWgVA ) first issued the challenge in 1987 and the UN Earth Summit (http://bit.ly/1LEU3Sn) put it on the world development agenda in 1992.

Key Bay Area innovations include:

  1. Joint Venture Silicon Valley Indicators (annual, since 1995; http://bit.ly/1dtII8M)
  2. Blue Print for a Sustainable Bay Area, Urban Ecology (1996; http://bit.ly/1HvtLRW)
  3. Sustainable Oakland Program, City Council (1997; http://bit.ly/1Lz45DK)
  4. Sustainability Plan for the City and County of San Francisco and a new Commission on the Environment (1997; http://bit.ly/1LESV1b and http://bit.ly/1Ip6ZtN)
  5. Bay Area Alliance for Sustainable Communities Regional Initiative and the Compact for a Sustainable Bay Area (1998-9; http://bit.ly/1efFuXt and the Compact http://bit.ly/1LET6cM)
  6. Marin Countywide Plan: Sustainable Marin – Nature, Built Environment & People (2007; General Plan (http://bit.ly/1GWjwT4)
  7. San Jose’s Envision 2040 General Plan (http://bit.ly/1IIjZq5 ) & Green Vision (http://bit.ly/1R0M6dW; 2007)
  8. Plan Bay Area 2040 (2013; http://bit.ly/1IIgQXf)
  9. Palo Alto Forward: Sustainability + Mobility As A Service (2015; http://bit.ly/1Lz4q9p)

In recent years, APA National has strongly embraced sustainability with powerful initiatives:

  1. Policy Guide on Planning for Sustainability (2000; http://bit.ly/1Km6SPK)
  2. Sustaining Places Initiative (2010; http://bit.ly/1Lz4tC3)
  3. Sustaining Places: The Role of the Comprehensive Plan (PAS 567, 2012; http://bit.ly/1NuDTbW)
  4. Comprehensive Plan Standards for Sustaining Places (2013+; http://bit.ly/1CFVAzw)
  5. Sustainable Communities Division (SCD; 2013; http://bit.ly/1GW8j5b)

The APA California Chapter supports sustainability through its annual conference and its Sections’ local initiatives. The Northern Section Board under Hansom Hom’s leadership launched its Sustainability Committee in January 2011 to provide a resource to advance sustainability planning best practices by establishing a learning/practice network (Committee http://bit.ly/1gQx2ge). As of 2013, it was one of only five sustainability committees of APA State Chapters nationally (Summary, http://bit.ly/1Lz4E0b). Recently, the California Chapter under Hing Wong began working with the Sustainable Communities Division’s (SCD’s) local Sustainability Champion to accelerate and deepen sustainability planning in California (summary post, http://bit.ly/APASCDSustChampProg; and SCD Newsletter Article, p 4, http://bit.ly/1Km7chf). The Chapter’s upcoming Oakland conference continues this tradition of innovation with a rich set of sustainability sessions and workshops that illuminate the leading edge.

Three sessions submissions prompted by the Northern Sustainability Committee were made the competitive proposal process. They illustrate key threads of the emerging, next-generation approach to sustainability planning—an ecosystems approach to regenerative city planning that delivers higher value and multiple benefits compared to traditional “silo” approaches. Explore this approach in these two sessions.

  • The Ecological City: A Design Workshop, SUN, Oct 3rd, 1:15 pm – 2:45 pm (Session Block #3). Explore the challenges, opportunities, and a framework to apply ecological ideas to city planning around three goals: (1) connecting humans to nature; (2) connecting sites to ecosystems; and (3) integrating systemic impacts into decision-making.
  • Bay Area Sustainability: Wicked Planning and Conflict Identification at Local and Regional Scales, SUN, Oct 3rd, 1:15 pm – 2:45 pm (Session Block # 3). Climate change and sustainability are “wicked” problems representing conflicts over the greater good. Using Plan Bay Area and sustainability plans of 11 cities across the region, this session will provide tools for conflict identification and methods for planners to help adversarial stakeholders find common ground while retaining their core values.
  • Utilizing Integrated Utility Systems to Deliver Restorative City Goals, MON, Oct 5th, 1:15-2:45pm (Session Block #7). This interactive session will present a pioneering restorative city framework and an Integrated Utility System (IUS) model that planners can use to unlock new levels of environmental, social, and economic sustainability performance. It will also outline a “turnkey” approach to assessing, designing, financing, and delivering an IUS at no cost to cities.

In addition, the Northern Section’s Sustainability Committee will host a pre-conference meet-up social (complimentary wine/appetizers) and then tour of Swan’s Market and Co-housing, followed by dinner at Swan’s Market (5:30-8:30pm FRI Oct 2nd; details here (http://bit.ly/1UzCfs6).

Conference Sustainability Sessions

Please see the following post in this Plan-it sustainably blog for a list of the more than 30 conference sessions anticipated on the topic of sustainability. You may also find this summary of regenerative urbanism useful.

(Scott T. Edmondson, AICP, is the founder/past co-director/current Research Lead of the California APA Northern Sustainability Committee, a Sustainable Communities Division Sustainability Champion, and a strategic sustainability planner-economist with the San Francisco Planning Department.)

Regenerative Neighborhoods – scaling up from net positive buildings

December 13, 2014 by Northern Section in /

Stream 5 – Pushing the Boundaries: Net Positive Buildings (SB13), CaGBC National Conference and Expo, Vancouver BC, June 4-6, 2013

D. Waldron, Synapse Strategies/University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

A. Cayuela, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

D. Miller, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

ABSTRACT: Emerging approaches support regenerative design and development at the building scale. Buildings such as the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability at the University of British Columbia (UBC) are attempting to demonstrate that net-zero and even netpositive performance with respect to energy, water and carbon, health, happiness and productivity is technically, financially and institutionally possible. Building-scale applications also demonstrate the limitations of applying regenerative sustainability principles at the building level (e.g., missed opportunities for integration of energy and transport infrastructure, water and wastewater, urban form, community engagement). This paper presents the early findings of the UBC Regenerative Neighbourhoods Project. This includes a scan of the urban sustainability context, a rationale for neighbourhood scale application, and insights on process and potential performance standards.

[click here for full article]

SPUR – Regenerative Design 091311 6 pm

August 31, 2011 by Northern Section in

EVENT:  Sustainability remains at the forefront of innovation in the design professions as our urban challenges persist. LEED and other metrics have brought the conversation to the mainstream, and yet there is doubt that such measures can make a big enough difference to solve the problems at hand. Sandy Mendler, Robert L. Thayer and Sim Van der Ryn will explore the future of sustainable design, with a focus on regenerative design solutions. Co-presented with UC Berkeley Extension’s Sustainable Design Program.

This event is free and open to the public.

Regenerative design

Tuesday, September 13, 2011
6:00 pm

Build It Green – Executive Director

October 16, 2020 by Northern Section in /

Based in Oakland, Build It Green (BIG) has been making healthy, sustainable homes more accessible for families across California for over 15 years. After successfully building a field around sustainable residential building through the introduction and expansion of its GreenPoint Rated home certification program and the creation of a now-independent utility consulting practice, BIG is now reconnecting with its roots as an industry catalyst to pursue an ambitious new vision.

Read More

RAPID Climate Action Network starts up

RAPID Climate Action Network starts up

March 11, 2020 by Naphtali Knox in /

By Mindy Craig

There are lots of big visions and strategies for acting on climate change. But what should be a priority, and what can be done to catalyze immediate action?

In January, BluePoint Planning launched the RAPID Climate Action Network as a way to amplify and accelerate action for climate change. The effort was born out of the numerous climate emergency resolutions and the lack of actual action related to the emergency.

The RAPID Climate Action Forum, hosted by BluePoint, ReScape California, and BayREN in San Francisco on January 23 provided the motivation and foundation for the Network. Five RAPID Action Platforms were designed, with teams now meeting to achieve six-month goals in these areas (links open PDFs):

The model for the forum and post-forum engagement — clarifying existing work and making it actionable — can be scaled and replicated in California and nationally. In response to the demand to host more forums, we are actively planning one in Sacramento, another in Boulder and Denver and with the City of Boulder, Colorado, and a third in Contra Costa County with a consortium of nonprofits.

I am interested in the need for rapid action, sharing the concept, and inspiring engagement from planners who are very often left out of the discussion. The Forum process can help.

You can check out the Network website here.

Mindy Craig is Owner and Principal at BluePoint Planning, which she founded in 2011. Before that, she was a principal at MIG, 2000–2011.

 

BluePoint Planning is a for-profit DBE consulting service based in Oakland, California, that provides policy and strategic planning, facilitation, communications, and financial feasibility services.

 

RAPID Climate Action Network is in the process of becoming a nonprofit project to coordinate and convene nongovernmental activities related to climate change.

Sustainability

June 20, 2017 by Northern Section in

About the Sustainability Committee

The Sustainability Committee advances community sustainability and serves Northern section planners with credible knowledge, powerful tools, and inspiring cases. The Committee takes an integrative approach to sustainability planning, but also emphasizes strategic approach. In particular, the Committee monitors and advances the emerging arena of regenerative urbanism and city planning because it represents the core concept for creating the built environment, prosperity, and well-being of truly sustainable communities. The Committee also collaborates on events and research to advance thought leadership with local universities, institutes, and planning departments and to provide opportunities for student/planner dialogue.

Sustainability News Archive

UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design Now Accepting Applications for Planning-Focused Summer Programs

Disc* (Design & Innovation for Sustainable Cities) is a five week summer program geared towards currently enrolled undergraduates with any level of previous experience in planning. Participants conduct field work, develop visual communication, mapping and design software skills, and connect with practitioners and faculty in a series of lectures and seminars on climate resiliency, global

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Future-ready City-Regions: The Next Competitive Edge?

A recent post by Alex Steffan poses some provocative challenges to urban planning and urban planners, and municipal executives around the world. In a sense, it illuminates the core challenge and intention of the world’s new Sustainable Development Goals and New Urban Agenda. The following paraphrases and excerpts the key points.

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EVENT: Habitat III And Bay Area Sustainability Planning

Dates/Times:  THUR Nov. 17th and TUES Nov. 22nd (come one or both days). Time:   2-3:30 pm (student presentations), 3:45-4:30pm (tentative Debrief/Q&A w Prof. Acey; must RSVP here/below) Please RSVP (1) for attending the student presentations (courtesy option) and (2) for the Debrief (required) in the google form below (or click). Location:  ROOM 106, Wurster Hall, University of California, Berkeley

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Webinar (111716): Creating Living Communities

APA Sustainable Communities Division Webinar Series Co-hosted by APA California and the Northern Section Sustainability Committee CM | 1.0 (live viewing only) Thurs. Nov. 17, 2016, Noon to 1pm (PST) REGISTER HERE In this webinar, we will explore The Living Community Challenge (LCC), a new design framework developed by the International Living Future Institute (the

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Event: UCB/APA Habitat III — Implications for Local Planning

Held September 27–Habitat 3 and the New Urban Agenda: Global Negotiations, Local Implications, UC Berkeley, 112 Wurster Hall, Berkeley, 6:00-7:30 pm. The UCB IURD and APA California Norther Sustainability Committee co-hosted a panel discussion on the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat 3) held from October 17-20 in Quito, Ecuador. /1/  The Conference

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From Biophilic Buildings to Cities Workshop – SF, Arup, CMU-BCA, BCN

Biophilia – The DNA for Resilient, Sustainable, and Human 21st Century Cities   OR   Should Cities be “Green” with Nature? “We need nature in our lives more than ever today, and as more of us are living in cities it must be urban nature. Biophilic Cities are cities that contain abundant nature; they are

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Sustainable City Template–Hammarby

Sustainable new build: Hammarby Sjöstad is Stockholm’s largest urban construction project. The “Hammarby model” has become a tool for environmentally friendly city development around the world. When completed in 2017, 26,000 people will be living here in 11,500 apartments. The district has been planned using an eco-cycle approach and is intended to showcase ecological and environmentally sensitive construction and

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Biophilic City Planning & Design References

Some References of some of the leading pioneers: Biophilic Cities Network (BCN) Home Page: http://biophiliccities.org Stephen Kellert Yale Bio: https://environment.yale.edu/profile/kellert/ See also his recent book Birthright-People in Nature in the Modern World, which is exceptional (link to NPR interview here: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/20/169523283/connectingwithnature-to-reclaim-our-natural-birthright Recording of Kellert’s Keynote to the Biophilic Cities network Launch Event: http://biophiliccities.org/launch/ (includes link

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Sustainability Champions Launch

The APA’s Sustainable Communities Division (SCD) launched its sustainability leadership program, the Sustainability Champion (SC) program after nominations were made and champions were selected in August-September, 2014. Scott T. Edmondson, AICP, ISSP-SA, of the APA California Northern Section was selected as one of the champions and is looking forward to working with the California Chapter Board

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Regenerative Urbanism Rising – Webinar & Resources

More resources on the APA Sustainable Communities Division web site here. There is also a Sustainable Communities Division Group Linked In discussion here. A list or key references and links can be found here (forthcoming July 16th). SHORT Description.  Pivoting from a net negative to net positive trajectory soon is our current sustainability planning challenge. 

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The Greening of Planning Credentials – Top Recommendations

This is a cross post from Planetizen written by Eliot Allen, LEED AP-ND, who is an instructor for TransformativeTools.org and a principal at Criterion Planners of Portland Oregon. Monday, November 9, 2015 – 2:00pm PST. As sustainability initiatives gain momentum, planners have a growing number of options for credentialing their green skills. Introduction:  “With this year on track to be

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UCB/APA Briefing: The UN’s New SDGs & Implications for Local Practice

SUMMARY.  December 8 & 10 (TUES & THURS), 2:00-5pm (the Briefing starts at 3pm; the optional pre-briefing review of city cases starts at 2pm), University of California, College of Environmental Design, Wurster Hall, Room 106, Berkeley. Please attend one or both days. The briefing will be the same each day but half the cases will be covered

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The “Wicked” Planning Problem of Bay Area Sustainability

One session at the APA California Conference in Oakland–Bay Area Sustainability:  Wicked Planning and Conflict Identification at Local and Regional Scales–addressed the value-laden challenges of sustainability planning and politics. This “class” of problem was christened “wicked” by Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber in their seminal 1973 article.  As UCB Professors Charisma Acey and Karen Trapenberg

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NEW Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities

NEWS–The World Has New SD Goals Historic Event. The Global Goals For Sustainable Development. “This weekend (Sept. 26-27, 2015) 193 world leaders committed to 17 Global Goals to achieve three extraordinary things over the next 15 years: end extreme poverty, fight inequality and fix climate change – in all countries, for all people.” See Bioregional’s

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Sustainability at the APA California Conference 2015

The October 2015 Northern News, Plan-it sustainably Column summarizes the conferences sessions in terms of an emerging sustainability “pivot” from mitigation to regeneration. (see page 10) One of our blog posts expands on the Emerging Sustainability “Pivot” Column. Another blog post lists the Conference’s sustainability offerings: In addition, these two PDFs of the two blog

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Biophilic City Planning & Design References

August 20, 2016 by Northern Section in / /

Some References of some of the leading pioneers:

  1. Biophilic Cities Network (BCN) Home Page: http://biophiliccities.org
  2. Stephen Kellert Yale Bio: https://environment.yale.edu/profile/kellert/
    1. See also his recent book Birthright-People in Nature in the Modern World, which is exceptional (link to NPR interview here: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/20/169523283/connectingwithnature-to-reclaim-our-natural-birthright
  3. Recording of Kellert’s Keynote to the Biophilic Cities network Launch Event: http://biophiliccities.org/launch/ (includes link to Jennifer Wolch’s also)
  4. BCN Singapore Profile, including link to the film on BioP Singapore: http://biophiliccities.org/what-are-biophilic-cities/singapore/
  5. Film links: http://biophiliccities.org/films/
    1. Biophilic Design – Architecture for Life (also their site: http://www.biophilicdesign.net/
    2. Others . . . see list at the URL
  6. Terrapin About Green is one pioneer (see “About Terrapin” below):
    1. All reports: http://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/publications/
    2. 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design: http://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/report/14-patterns/
    3. The Economics of Biophilia http://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/report/economics-of-biophilia/

About Terrapin. Focusing on transformative action for society, Terrapin utilizes whole-systems thinking to develop integrated design strategies, Terrapin challenges design and ownership teams to create restorative, regenerative environments. Terrapin believes in finding solutions that reconnect people with nature and mimic natural systems as this focus offers boundless opportunities to improve the quality of life for all. They also believe that high performance design means fundamentally improving health and productivity, while improving overall economic and environmental performance.

[Post prepared by Scott T. Edmondson, AICP, founder/past co-director and Research Program Lead of the Northern Section’s Sustainability Committee, one of the APA Sustainable Communities Division’s Sustainability Champions, and a strategic sustainability planner-economist at the SF Planning Department.]