Information on Urban Sustainability by Topic
Categories on this page:
Composite Information, Environmental Quality, Governance, Measuring Progress, Resource Conservation, Risk Management, Social Aspects, Sustainable Building, Transport, Urban Design, Landscape, & Form, and Urban Economics
- Composite Information
- BEQUEST (Building Environmental Quality Evaluation for Sustainability through Time)
Practical action, research and training which identifies the basis for common understanding and implementation of integrated sustainable urban development. Author: European Commission
- Best Practices Database
Searchable database containing over 1,600 examples of urban best practice in a variety of dimensions from more than 140 developing and developed countries. Relates to common social, economic and environmental urban problems and provides contact details for projects. Author: UN-Habitat and The Together Foundation
- Building sustainable communities
Outlines the UK government’s priority areas for sustainable development which includes building sustainable communities. Author: Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)—Sustainable Development Unit
- Campaign Interactive
Knowledge and idea exchange forum in various urban sustainability fields and Local Agenda 21 in Europe. Author: European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign (ESCTC)
- Care 2 Make A Difference
A practical and comprehensive website which provides detailed information about a range of topics with a sustainability message including day-to-day living, healthy lifestyle and sustainable building—includes some very useful links. Author: Care2.com
- CitiesPlus Project
In addition to information on the award winning Cities Planning for Long-Term Urban Sustainability (CITIES PLUS) project, this private-public partnership has embarked on an innovative initiative which includes integrated resource management, building performance, sustainable buildings and communities. Author: Sheltair Group
- Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
Promotes architectural design that is sustainable, responsive to context, aesthetically pleasing and an expression of functional requirements. Includes access to downloadable material on sustainable communities, urban design, space creation, better housing and tall buildings. - EcoSustainable Developments
Facilitates and develops links, resources, directories and tools across a wide range of topics about urban sustainability. Author: EcoSustainable Developments Pty Ltd
- GREENBUZZ
Every week they summarise what’s new in the world of business and the environment. - International Center for Sustainable Cities (ICSC)
Undertakes practical demonstration projects and serves as a broker to bring together private, public and civil sectors for mutual benefit. It brings Canadian experience and technology to assist cities around the world in addressing issues of urban sustainability. - International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)
An international association of internationally-spread local governments implementing sustainable development. It includes project information about to city initiatives on Agenda 21, climate change, water resources. - International Environmental Technology Centre
Provides information on Urban Activity projects which include: environmental management systems (EMS) for cities; energy for cities; sustainable building and construction; and innovative communities. Author: UNEP—Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (Japan)
- Natural Step Story, The
Book: Using a framework backed by the natural laws of conservation, an outline is provided for a general audience on how they can promote broader social interests. The book serves as a positive ‘how to manual’ for productive, consensual approaches for social change. Author: Robèrt K-H
Publisher: New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, BC
Publication Date: 2002
- Natural Step, The
A methodological approach which addresses environmental problems (whether urban or natural) at the source and turns them into opportunities for innovation. The sites provide many links and practical resources for addressing contemporary environmental issues. - Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
An extensive site established which offers resources in areas including renewable energy, buildings and land, communities, transportation and resource conservation. Practical books and other information such as a quarterly newsletter can also be ordered or downloaded from the site. - Smart Growth America (SGA)
Provides information on housing, urban revitalisation, transportation, social equity, open spaces, etc based on Smart Growth resources.
- Stockholm Partnerships for Sustainable Cities, The
Dissemination of comprehensive knowledge and information on innovative and inspiring urban sustainability projects worldwide. Author: City of Stockholm Economic Development Agency
- Sustainable Cities Programme, The
A joint UN-HABITAT/UNEP facility for building capacities in urban environmental planning and management. Author: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- Sustainable Communities Knowledge Network : Centre for Sustainable Community Development
Provides best practice information on a number of themes including sustainable communities, resource conservation, transportation and urban development. Author: Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)
- Sustainable Development Information System
An information database demonstrating what Canada is doing in support of sustainable development. Federal programs and products relate to an array of sustainability issues, including safeguarding public health, transportation, climate change, and sustainable production and consumption. Author: Ecosystems and Environmental Resources Directorate, Environment Canada
- Sustainable Portland
Describes and provides information regarding resource and energy conservation, solid waste and recycling, a green home building scheme, and other sustainable practices. Author: City of Portland
- United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
An extensive site with several resources about urban sustainability. Key projects include: Urban Environment Initiative, ENERGY STAR, Green Communities Assistance Kit and the Transportation Air Quality Center. - Urban Environment
An extensive site with an urban environment focus. Access is available to information in key urban issues areas such measuring progress (European Common Indicators project), European Sustainable Cities and environment/health. Author: European Commission—Environment Directorate General (ECEDG)
- US Department of Energy (DOE)
The US DOE provides a gateway to urban sustainability topics with practical application including: green building, transportation, renewable energy and smart (growth) communities. Initiatives include Million Solar Roofs, Smart Communities Network and Rebuild America. - Whistler: It’s Our Nature
A program encouraging businesses, households and other organisations in Whistler to practice sustainability using The Natural Step Framework as their ‘sustainability compass’. Author: Whistler Center for Sustainability
- Environmental Quality
- Environment in the European Union at the turn of the century (PDF)
Website report: Examines current and future environmental performance and against agreed political targets at the EU level. Topics covered include the wider impacts of environmental degradation on human and activities in key economic sectors contributing to environmental trends. (summary report)
Downloadable full report or separately available sections of interest. Author: European Environment Agency
Publication Date: 1999
- Environmental Management Secretariat (EMS-SEMA)
Focuses on managing urban environmental problems through the promotion of applied research with emphasis on holistic and participatory approaches. - Global Footprints
A resource developed for primary schools aimed at empowering the whole school community, but particularly the young, to take steps to a more sustainable lifestyle. Provides links to sites specifically related to the concept of the ecological footprint. Author: Department for International Development (DFID) and European Union
- Green Initiatives/Urban Water
Includes information on home energy ratings, building ventilation, an urban water program, integrated land use transport-environment, modelling and energy efficient design. Author: CSIRO Manufacturing & Infrastructure Technology (CMIT)
- Low Impact Development (LID) Center
Provides practical information to individuals and organisations wishing to protect and enhance water resources through site design techniques that replicate pre-existing hydrologic site conditions. Refers to useful urban-based projects and publications. - Natural Approaches to Stormwater Management (PDF)
Website report: Promotes a more natural way to manage land development and storm water using a low impact development (LID) approach. Examples are used to highlight applicability to individual homes and residential subdivisions. Author: Wulkan B, Tilley S and Droscher T
Publication Date: 2003
- Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO)
Provides practical information on improving the relationship between urban land use and protection of natural resources with a strong focus on storm water and landscaping aspects. Case studies include alternatives to pavements, reducing road run-off, and blending buildings into landscapes. - Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS)
Provides an introduction to sustainable drainage systems and updates on current good practice in their use. There are links to case studies and access to a bulletin ‘Sustainable Drainage News’. Author: Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA)
- Governance
- Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD)
An organisation similar to New Zealand’s Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment which oversees the Canadian federal government’s efforts to protect the environment and foster (urban) sustainable development. - Global Campaign on Urban Governance, The
A campaign to increase the capacity of local government and other stakeholders to practice good urban governance, developed in 1999 to support the Habitat Agenda goal of developing sustainable human settlements. Author: United Nations—Habitat
- Healthy Cities and Urban Governance
Provides national and local governments with information and strategies on the health aspects of issues associated with sustainable development, care and social support, urban planning and transport. A major current project is ‘Healthy Cities and Networks’. Author: World Health Organisation
- Institute on Governance
Promotes effective governance, and includes publications on a variety of subjects including accountability and performance measurement, capacity building, technology and youth. - Urban Governance
Provides information on urban and community governance. There are links to documents, reports and special topics such as leadership and gender issues. Author: The Global Development Research Center (GDRC)
- Urban Governance Initiative (TUGI), The
Promotes good urban governance and contains resource material on child-friendly cities, indicators and report cards. Author: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Measuring Progress
- Australia State of the Environment 2001
Website report: Provides a 5 year overview of progress concerning the pressures on, state of and responses in relation to key resources and the (urban) environment in Australia. Key areas such as human settlements, water and air are profiled. (downloadable in PDF format as complete document or in sections) Author: Environment Australia
Publication Date: 2002
- Construction and City Related Sustainability Indicators (CRISP).
Aims to develop and validate criteria and relevant, efficient indicators to measure the sustainability of construction projects particularly within the urban built environment. Author: CSTB and VTT
- Genuine Progress Indicator for Atlantic Canada
Outlines work on the GPI, an index of sustainable development and well being using Nova Scotia as a pilot. Author: GPI Atlantic
- Global Alliance for Building Sustainability (GABS)
A partnership that has been formed to accelerate the achievement of sustainable development in the land, property, construction, facilities management, infrastructure and development sectors, worldwide. Author: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
- Health in Sustainable Development Planning: The Role of Indicators
Website report: Discusses the development and use of indicators for health and sustainable development planning. Author: von Schirding Y
Publication Date: 2002
- International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)
Information on standards for society as a whole. Includes information relating to monitoring and improving environmental performance such as the ISO 14000 series on environmental management systems. - International Sustainability Indicators Network (ISIN)
Examines how indicators are used to measure progress toward sustainability in communities internationally. - Redefining Progress
Looks at tools such as a household ecological footprint spreadsheet and a Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI). - State of the Debate on the Environment and the Economy: Environment and Sustainable Development Indicators for Canada, The (PDF)
Website report: A program aimed at developing a set of credible and understandable indicators augmenting GDP and CPI) to track progress of Canada’s economic activities. Author: National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy
- Urban Environment Information Gateway
Provides access to urban State of the Environment (SOE) reports globally and information on preparing SOE reports. Author: Cities Environment Reports on the Internet (CEROI)
- Resource Conservation
- About: Sustainability
Website report: A guide, prepared for the Design Council (UK), on sustainable design which covers topics such as dematerialisation, disassembly, energy use, life extension, and transport. Author: Otto B K
- Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling (ACRR)
An international network of cities and regions for the exchange of information and experiences on the prevention at source, recycling and recovery of municipal solid waste. - Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things
Book: Describes how an industrial system that ‘takes, makes and wastes’ can become a creator of goods and services that generate ecological, social and economic value. Relatively new concepts such as ‘triple top line’ and ‘eco-effectiveness’ are discussed. Author: McDonough W and Braungart M
Publisher: North Point Press, New York
Publication Date: 2002
- Factor Four: Doubling wealth, halving resource use
Book: Factor Four describes a wealth of examples of how to revolutionise productivity; how at least four times as much wealth can be extracted sustainably from the resources the world. Author: von Weizäcker E U, Lovins A B and Lovins L H
Publisher: Earthscan, London
Publication Date: 1997
- Green Development: Integrating Ecology and Real Estate
Book: Uses 80 case studies where environmental considerations are viewed as opportunities rather than obstacles to create fundamentally better buildings and communities. Can be ordered online. Author: Wilson A, Seal J L, McManigal L A, Lovins L H, Cureton M, and Browning W D
Publication Date: 1998
- Home Resource Efficiency
Provides links to practical information of interest to local authorities and consumers on home resource efficiency. - McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC)
Examines how products and services can be designed based on patterns found in nature, eliminating the concept of waste entirely. Applications are transferable from the industrial to the urban environment. - Research and Consultancy for a Sustainable Society
Provides background information on a number of sustainability related projects in areas including sustainable building, energy, quality of living and cleaner production. Author: IVAM (Universiteit van Amsterdam Holding BV)
- Restorative Redevelopment: The Nine Mile Run Model
Presents a model for resolving a history of chronic sewer overflows in the Pittsburgh (US) region. Examines how urban communities and watersheds can be restored and revitalised. Author: Ferguson B, Pinkham R and Collins T
Publication Date: 2001
- Save Energy UK
Contains a wealth of information designed to help homeowners proceed on a sustainable path to save resources, reduce waste and rehabilitate their home. Author: Various UK Energy Efficiency Advice Centres
- Save Water
A guide for saving water in residential settings. For example, this site provides a ‘virtual house tour’ allowing the homeowner to identify those aspects where resource savings can be made. Author: savewater.co.au
- Small is Profitable: The hidden economic benefits of making electrical resources the right size
Book: Describes how distributed energy resources could displace traditional electricity generation and transmission by using new technologies, market forces, institutional structures, analytic methods and societal preferences. Author: Datta E K, Feiler T, Lehmann A, Lovins A B, Ra'bago K R, Swisher J N and Wicker K
Publisher: Rocky Mountain Institute, Snowmass, Colorado
Publication Date: 2002
- Stormwater Paradigms
Provides an informative overview about the evolution of US storm water practice detailing progress from early to modern storm water paradigms and the challenges involved in establishing a new paradigm. Author: Reese A J
Publication Date: 2001
- Sustainable Energy Authority of Victoria (SEAV)
Presents new initiatives to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy across all sectors of the Victorian economy. - Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA)
Outlines ways in which greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced so as to bring benefits to the NSW communities by accelerating the transition to sustainable production and use of energy. - Risk Management
- A Review of Recent and Current Initiatives on Climate Change and its Impact on the Built Environment: Impact, effectiveness and recommendations
Website report: Examines the need to ensure climate change adaptation strategies are developed with due consideration for other agendas for change within the construction industry and the built environment. Author: Lowe R
Publication Date: 2001
- Australian Greenhouse Calculator, The
Available on-line or as CD-ROM, this programme calculates yearly greenhouse gas emissions for households and is suitable as a school teaching resource, and for home advisory services, consumer organisations, etc. Author: Victorian EPA
Publication Date: 2002
- Climate adaptation: Risk uncertainty and decision-making (UKCIP Technical Report)
Website report: Provides a step-by-step decision-making framework designed to help decision-makers manage their activities in the face of an uncertain future climate. Author: Willows R I and Connell R K (Eds.)
Publication Date: 2003
E-Mail:
- Decarbonising Modern Societies
Assesses options for decarbonising modern societies in line with the global, UK and local contexts of sustainable development. Projects include the Community Carbon Reduction Project (www.cred-uk.org). Author: Tyndall Centre for Climate Change
- Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment Volumes I and II
Book: Volume I addresses environmental impact assessment (EIA) in the context of sustainable development. Volume II considers EIA practice internationally and provides ‘how to’ guidance. Author: Petts J (Editor)
Publisher: Blackwall Science, Malden, MA
Publication Date: 1999
- Handbook of Environmental Risk Assessment and Management
Book: Explains, with examples, how scientific methodologies can be used to assess risk from human activities, and the risk from those wastes on people and the (urban) environment. Author: Callow P (Editor)
Publisher: Blackwall Science, Oxford; Malden, MA
Publication Date: 1997
- Human Health and Climate Change in Oceania: a risk assessment 2002 (PDF)
Website report: Provides, from a health perspective, a risk assessment of various potential health impacts of climate change over the coming decades in Australasia and the Pacific Islands. Examines ways of assessing and estimating risk factor-disease relationships particularly in urban and coastal settlements. Author: McMichael A, Woodruff R, Whetton P, Hennessy K, Nicholls, N, Hales S, Woodward A and Kjellstrom T
Publication Date: 2003
- Urban Tree Risk Management
A community guide, prepared for the USDA Forest Service, to assist the development and implementation of programmes to manage risks to urban trees. Author: O’Brien J G
Publication Date: 1992
- Social Aspects
- Active Living By Design
Establishes and evaluates innovative approaches to increase physical activity through community design, public policies and communications strategies. Contains a selection of tools for implementing such approaches plus access to extensive publications and links. Author: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community
Book: Examines how American citizens have largely abandoned the values that constitute basic neighbourliness to the point where civic malaise is increasing despite economic prosperity. Contains information suggesting how citizens can be ‘re-engaged’ and improve urban social capital. Author: Putnam R D
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 2000
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Provides good information promoting the concept of using sustainable practices to create better houses. Includes practical information via links to the Healthy Housing and Sustainable Community Planning projects. - City Repair Project, The
Practical information pertaining to a Portland, Oregon initiative formed by citizens who are aiming to create a more community-oriented and ecologically sustainable society. Author: City Repair
- Future Dilemmas: Options to 2050 for Australia’s population, technology, resources and environment (PDF)
Website report: A technical report which explores the effect of three population scenarios on infrastructure, resource and environmental issues out to 2050. Author: Foran B and Poldy F
Publication Date: 2002
- Kid Friendly Cities
Provides material on how to make cities more friendly and healthy for children, including report cards on US cities. Author: Population Connection
- MOST (Management of Social Transformations) Programme
Describes the MOST project ‘Towards socially sustainable cities: building a knowledge base for urban management’. Using international case studies, the project looks at city management from a social sustainability perspective. A text (The Social Sustainability of Cities, 2000) can be ordered from the site. Author: Governments of Canada and Québec and United Towns Organisation (UTO)
- Rose-Network.Com
Provides information using international case studies to highlight the development of diverse, mixed-use, transit-accessible, mixed-income communities or components focused on nodes of transportation. Contains useful resources pertaining to urban revitalisation and green building. Author: Jonathan Rose Companies LLC
- Social Science Information Gateway (SOSIG)
Provides a gateway to resources about topics including urban growth, the built environment and the urban community. - Sustainable Building
- Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction in Developing Countries (PDF)
Website report: This discussion document represents both a sector response and a developing country response to the challenge of sustainable development building upon the principles of Agenda 21. Hardcopy can ordered from hbekker@csir.co.za Author: du Plessis C
Publication Date: 2002
- Australian EcoSpecifier Project, The
Provides advice on sourcing environmentally preferable building materials. Author: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
- Australian Green Development Forum (AGDF)
Aims to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices in the building and development industry through application of voluntary industry guidelines and market-based mechanisms. - Center for Resourceful Building Technology (CRBT)
Promotes environmentally responsible practices in construction by encouraging technologies which involve the sustainable and efficient use of resources. - Centre for the Built Environment (CeBE)
Research and projects that contribute to the long term sustainability of the built environment. - Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (DINPR)
Contains material on BASIX (the Building Sustainability Index), and Sustainable Urban Settlement Guidelines, as well as guidance on urban design and affordable housing. - Florida Design Initiative (FDI)
This initiative serves to help those who plan and develop communities by using new standards of practice that include the design and construction of high-performance, energy-effi cient, and sustainable buildings and communities. - Housing Innovation Site, The
Provides an extensive resource on topics relating to innovation in housing. Includes information on initiatives and projects both in the UK and worldwide. Author: Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB)
Provides a global network for exchanging information on building and construction research and innovation. - International Initiative for Sustainable Built Environment (iiSBE)
Aims to facilitate and promote the adoption of tools, methods and policies for progress towards a global sustainable built environment. Contains a useful and extensive database—the Sustainable Building Information System. - National Australian Building Environmental Rating Scheme (NABERS) (PDF)
Website report: NABERS is a ‘broad brush’ tool designed to give a rating of the overall environmental impact of a building. A second version is currently under development. Author: Vale R, Vale B and Fay R (for Environment Australia)
Publication Date: 2001
- New Approaches to Housing
Contains strategies for affordable housing in sustainable communities, and the Smart Housing initiative Author: Queensland Government Department of Housing
- New Autonomous House, The
Book: Features include the theory, practice and performance of building a zero-emissions house in the UK. There is some discussion of relevance to the New Zealand situation in the book. Author: Vale B and Vale R
Publisher: Thames & Hudson, London
Publication Date: 2000
- New Buildings Institute (NBI)
Provides on guidelines, codes and standards relating to materials and resources required to produce sustainable buildings. - Oikos Green Building Source
Dedicated to sustainable and energy-efficient construction. Its frequently updated newsletter and green building product database is particularly useful. Author: Oikos
- Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PNPPRC)
Provides good information and facilitates information exchange for a number of (urban) pollution prevention projects. Other themes dealt with include green building (with calculator tools) and children’s development (e.g. Sustainable Designs for Schools—practical applications (1999). - Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH)
A public-private initiative dedicated to accelerating the development and use of technologies that radically improve the quality, durability, energy efficiency, environmental performance, and affordability of housing in the US. - Passiv Haus Institut
Includes various studies of high-efficiency energy systems in houses, including the CEPHEUS (Cost Efficient Passive Houses as European Standards). - Reshaping the Built Environment: Ecology, ethics, and economics
Book: Discusses a new direction for building construction which emphasises a role for natural systems. Provides information on topics including decision making, urban economics, building materials, resource conservation. Author: Kibert C J (Editor)
Publisher: Island Press, Washington D.C.
Publication Date: 1999
- Sustainable Building Sourcebook
Developed to complement the Green Building Program. Provides practical information on appropriate building options. Author: City of Austin
- Sustainable Design Resource Guide
A well-researched and well-presented introduction to some of the key issues in sustainable building design. Special emphasis is placed on building materials, with whole chapters devoted to concrete, metals, wood and plastics, and finishes. Also includes a checklist of product questions, a full glossary, and plenty of leads for additional resources. Author: Co-produced by AIA and Architects, Designers, and Planners for Social Responsibility
- Sustainable Housing Solutions: Transferring good practice from the margins to the mainstream
Website report: Outcomes and practical options for reducing the barriers to and creating a market for sustainable housing solutions. Author: Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF)
Publication Date: 2002
- Sustainable Settlement in South Africa
Provides a central point of access to information and organisations in southern Africa that support the creation of a sustainable built environment. Author: CSIR Building and Construction Technology
- US Green Building Council (USGBC)
Provides sustainable design tools and resources available to assist green building practitioners and building industry stakeholders. - Usable Buildings
Information on producing safe, comfortable, convenient and healthy improvement of buildings through better design, construction and management. Author: Bordass W and Leaman A
- Your Home: Design for Lifestyle and the future
A suite of consumer and technical guidance material to encourage the design, construction or renovation of homes to be healthy, comfortable and environmentally sustainable. The associated book contains fact sheets and case studies available on a CD-ROM. A text (Your Home Your Future Your Lifestyle, 2001) can be ordered online via: http://yourhome.gov.au/ Author: Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO)
- Transport
- Car-free Housing in European Cities
Presents information, including case studies, on urban living strategies which contribute to a high quality of life without the need to own or use a car. Author: Scheurer J
- Carfree Cities and carfree.com
Book and Offers practical solutions to urban problems caused by a reliance on cars and trucks. Author: Crawford J H
Publisher: International Books, Utrecht. The book can be ordered via
Publication Date: 2002
- Centre for Sustainable Transportation, The
Provides a range of material to inform stakeholders and raise awareness about sustainable transportation. - Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT)
Provides independent advice to the UK Government on the implementation of integrated transport policy, to monitor cross-sector transport developments, environment, health and other sectors and to review progress towards meeting sustainability objectives. - Cycling: the way ahead for towns and cities (PDF)
Book: Examines the issues connected with the use of the bicycle as a regular mode of transport in the urban environment. Author: Dekoster J and Schollaert U
Publication Date: 1999
- Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST)
Establishes a framework for government to set goals, objectives, targets or standards and initiate actions to assist in achieving an environmentally sustainable transport system. Author: Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD)
- Final Report of the Transportation and Land Use Study Committee (PDF)
Website report: Presents the recommendations of State of Florida’s Transport and Land Use Study Committee which recommends implementation of Smart Growth and Smart Communities principles. Author: State of Florida
Publication Date: 1999
- Greening of Urban Transport: Planning for walking and cycling in Western cities, The
Book: Presents a thorough review of how the quality of our life in Western cities can be improved by environmentally sensitive transport planning. It provides a primer on the ‘green modes’—walking and cycling—and describes the theory and illustrates the practice. Author: Tolley R (Editor)
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Chichester
Publication Date: 2002 - 2nd edition
- How Land Use and Transportation Systems Impact Public Health—Active Community Environments (ACEs) Working Papers #1 and #2 (PDF)
Website report: Discusses how urban form affects public health, specifically through the ways in which the built environment encourages or discourages physical activity levels. Author: Frank L D, Engelke P, Hourigan D, Schmid T L and Killingsworth R
Publication Date: 2001
- Impact Of Transport Policy On Children’s Development, The
Outline of strategies intended to return to children the wide range of opportunities that they need for their development. Author: Hillman M
Publication Date: 1999
- Mobility 2001 (PDF)
Website report: Examines sustainable mobility as a ‘snapshot’: how mobile people and goods are in various regions; and the extent to which mobility is threatening to become unsustainable. Author: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) (2002)
- Sustainable Transport in Sustainable Cities
Contains the findings of this research to develop a strategic plan for managing accessibility in cities in the 21st century. Author: Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering
- Transport, Environment and Health (PDF)
Website report: Aims to inform policy analysts, decision makers, and politicians about the health and environment effects of transport and the means to reduce those effects. Author: Dora C and Phillips M (Editors)
Publisher: WHO Regional Publications, European Series, No. 89
Publication Date: 2000
- University of California Transportation Center
Provides access to a large range of transport research results through working papers, journal articles and its magazine ACCESS, in which recent articles cover parkways, bicycle safety, congestion, induced travel, and freight. Author: University of California
- US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Provides access to transportation reports on topics such as: transport corridors, pedestrian access, travel and land use, bicycling and walking. - Victoria Transport Policy Institute (VTPI)
An independent research organisation dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transportation problems. Their website has numerous information resources addressing a wide range of transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also provides consulting services. E-Mail:
- World Bank—Urban Transport
Offers access to reports on environmental and energy impacts, transportation planning, transport strategies and urban development. Author: World Bank
- Urban Design, Landscape, & Form
- Affordable Housing Design Advisor
A guide to designing affordable houses that are functional, durable, respond to context, and enhance the neighbourhood. Author: US Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Achieving Sustainable Urban Form
Book: Moves the debate from theory to reporting a wide variety of research results and best practice. Author: Jenks M, Burton E, and Williams K (Editors)
Publisher: E & FN Spon: London
Publication Date: 2000
- Australia’s Guide to Good Residential Design
Book: A guide to designing quality homes that are good to live in, fit well into the neighbourhood, and takes into account safety and wider urban design issues. Author: National Office of Local Government
Publisher: National Office of Local Government Canberra, ACT
Publication Date: 1997
- Australian Green Building Council (AGBC)
Promotes a sustainable property industry in Australia and the adoption of green building practices through marketbased solutions. - Cities for Tomorrow—Integrating Land Use, Transport and the Environment
Book and CD: Prepared for Austroads, it comprises A Guide to Better Practice (Vol 1) and Resource Document (Vol 2) Author: Westerman H L
Publisher: ARRB Transport Research Ltd, Victoria
Publication Date: 1998
- Competitiveness of the Construction Industry: An Agenda for sustainable construction in Europe (PDF)
Website report: Aimed at raising the sustainability of construction activities and the quality of the built environment in Europe on a broad front. Author: European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC)
Publication Date: 2001
- Context-Sensitive Signage Design
A report for citizens and professionals on the issue of signage, downloadable from the website of the American Planning Association. Author: APA Research Department
- Creating Quality Places: Successful Communities by Design
Fosters the design of quality places, providing quality principles, policy tools and case studies. Author: Mid-America Regional Council (MARC)
- Database on Sustainable Urban Development in Europe—SURBAN
A best practice database (SURBAN) which aims to encourage exchange of experience amongst local government decision makers in all spheres of sustainable urban development. Author: European Academy of the Urban Environment (EAUE)
- Design Center for the American Urban Landscape
Examines how design can be used to make the metropolitan landscape more liveable and sustainable. Author: University of Minnesota
- Embrace Open Space
Details a joint effort campaign of 11 organisations concerned about protecting open spaces in the Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota (US). Author: The McKnight Foundation
- Green Building & Environmental Design Program
Promotes environmentally sensitive building and site design techniques. Author: Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Hockerton Housing Project
Gives practical information on an autonomous UK housing development with features including ‘zero-emissions’, on-site food production and renewably-powered transport. Contains useful publications and links on sustainable living. Author: Hockerton Housing Project Trading
E-Mail:
- How To Turn a Place Around: A handbook for creating successful public spaces
Book: A guide for on how to create successful places organised around eleven basic principles. Author: Project for Public Spaces
Publisher: Can be ordered online
Publication Date: 2000
- Kent Design
Website report: A guide (available as CD-ROM) promoting sustainability and good design with application to all types of development. Author: Local Authorities of Kent (UK)
Publication Date: 2000
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- PlaceMatters.com
Identifies and provides techniques to help create more liveable communities by using community participation to evaluate community needs. Documents what is available by way of practical tools and case studies. Author: PlaceMatters.com
- Quality and Sustainable Design
Contains material on crime prevention through urban design, and designing for high quality sustainable development. Author: ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA)
- Resource for Urban Design Information (RUDI)
Contains a considerable amount of material on urban design, including downloadable urban design journals from around the world. A free subscription for a week is available. Author: RUDI Ltd
- Solving Sprawl: Models of smart growth in communities across America
Book: Looks at case studies from 35 communities in US cities and suburbs that have followed the principles of Smart Growth to concentrate development on infrastructure already in place and revitalise older communities. Author: Benfield F K, Terris J and Vorsanger N
Publisher: Natural Resources Defense Council, New York, N.Y.
Publication Date: 2001
- Suburban Nation: The rise of sprawl and the decline of the American dream
Book: Examines how it is possible to replace automobile dominated settlement patterns of the last fifty years with a return to more traditional planning principles. Author: Duany A, Plater-Zyberk E and Speck J
Publisher: North Point Press, New York
Publication Date: 2000
- Sustainable Urban Landscape Information Series (SULIS)
Contains practical information on the sustainable landscape process that includes: planting, installation, construction and maintenance. Author: University of Minnesota
- Transit Oriented Sustainable Developments (PDF)
Website report: Discusses the concept of Transit Oriented Developments (TODs) and describes typical TOD characteristics using case studies. It also outlines the guiding principles needed to facilitate TOD in urban Australia. Author: Gilbert D and Ginn S
Publication Date: 2001
- Transit Villages in the 21st Century
Book: A guide to how transit village communities that hug metropolitan rail systems reduce traffic congestion and stimulate growth. Author: Bernick M S and Cervero R
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Book Co, New York
Publication Date: 1996
- Urban Advantage: Envisioning Smart Growth
Uses digital technology to aid in visualizing growth options with the intent of turning vision into reality. Produces photo-real images to assist architects, planners and residents to envisage how pedestrian-friendly and socially-interactive communities can be created. Author: Urban Advantage
- Urban Design Alliance (UDAL)
Promotes awareness of how urban design can help make healthier, more sustainable, and safer communities. Available under the ‘urban visions’ link are practical guides on making roads/streets people-friendly, managing urban waterways & creating better places for business. - Urban Land Institute (ULI)
Provides a range of resources for land use professionals and developers, including access to research. - Urban Economics
- Chrysalis Economy: how citizen CEOs and corporations can fuse values and value creation, The
Book: Aimed at a wide cross-section audience and provides some preliminary navigation tools for making progress towards the ‘moving target’ of sustainability. Author: Elkington J
Publisher: Capstone, Oxford
Publication Date: 2002
- Dancing with the Tiger: Learning sustainability step by natural step
Book: Presents case studies from individuals, teams and organisations learning about change and sustainability, and then acting on that learning. Case studies include some of the most successful companies and communities in North America. Author: Nattrass B and Altomare M
Publisher: New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, BC
Publication Date: 2002
- Economic Value of Walkability (PDF)
Website report: Describes ways to quantify the value of walking (the activity) and walkability (the quality of walking conditions, including safety, comfort and convenience). Author: Litman T A
Publication Date: 2003
- Natural Capitalism: Creating the next industrial revolution
Book: Describes a future in which business and environmental interests increasingly overlap, and simultaneously, ways in which businesses can better satisfy their customers’ needs, increase profits, and help solve (urban) environmental problems. Author: Hawken P, Lovins A B and Lovins L H
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co, Boston
Publication Date: 1999
- New Business Climate: A guide to lower carbon emissions and better business performance, The
Book: An easy to follow guide which outlines opportunities for business, educational and governmental organisations to get involved in renewable energy, fuel cells, energy efficient products and climate change remediation technologies. Author: Swisher J
Publisher: Rocky Mountain Institute, Snowmass, Colorado
Publication Date: 2003
- Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing human impact on the earth
Book: Discusses sustainability by representing the ecological footprint as a powerful tool for measuring and visualizing the resources required to sustain households and communities. Author: Wackernagel M and Rees W
Publisher: New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, BC
Publication Date: 1996
- SustainAbility
Encourages the evolution and widespread adoption of thinking and practices which are economically competitive, environmentally sound, and socially responsible—the ‘triple-bottom line of sustainable development’. Has an extensive range of reports and resources which can be ordered online. - Walking the Talk: The business case for sustainable management
Book: Uses case studies which argue business can, and indeed must, be an agent of positive change for the environment and to reduce prime social ailments such as poverty. Author: Holliday Jr C O, Schmidheiny S and Watts P
Publisher: Greenleaf, Sheffield
Publication Date: 2002
- World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), The
Aims to demonstrate business progress in environmental and resource management and corporate social responsibility and to disseminate leading-edge sustainable practices. Access is available to reports and case studies covering topics such as ‘sustainable livelihoods’, eco-efficiency and risk management. List last updated 2004-08-23. New items in the preceding 30 days are (marked) as such. For suggestions or corrections, please contact the web master.
The original information in this database was prepared for the ministry for the Environment's Sustainable Management Fund by Rachel Hargreaves (BRANZ) and Kathryn Davies (UNITEC), we would like to thank them for permission to use it.
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