In today’s ailing environmental and financial climate, buildings and infrastructure have the ability to influence change.  More specifically, planners and developers have the opportunity both to shift resident energy habits and shore up utility spending with policymaking directed towards building and infrastructure.

If recent history has proven anything, it is that new construction has outpaced efforts to promote infill, density or efficient development of greenspace – all measures that could mitigate energy and spending habits.

It should be noted that new construction for housing, in fact, has outpaced population growth.  Between 1970 and 1990, for example, Chicago’s metropolitan population grew by 4% while new housing development grew as much as 46%.  Similarly in Cleveland, though population fell over the same period by 11%, developed land still increased by 33%.

And of course, all those new homes affect raw material use and energy demands.

In August, 2005 a joint survey developed by the American Planning Association (APA) and Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) investigated the attitudes of planners regarding the demand of development on energy.  Conducted online, the survey asked 4,798 APA members and netted 377 responses representing a diversity of thought concerning energy awareness in the individual planner’s community.

When asked how specific planning issues were connected to energy efficiency, sustainability ranked highest at 83.6%, environmental protection fourth at 76.7% and economic development ranked fifth at 59.9%.  Public health ranked dead last at 39.3%.

Clearly, the survey results and the benefits of green building, like economic development, are incongruous.  Perhaps the survey results indicate that planners are primarily influenced not by contemporary urban needs and innovative design, but by the planning priorities of their communities – a fair attitude to take to be sure.

What’s more, however, is that amongst the planners surveyed, their perceived roles do not poll a practicing knowledge – or, perhaps simply an understanding – of the interconnectedness between a healthy environment, a strong economy and social, or community well-being.

Nor do the survey results acknowledge that the same interconnectedness could not only combat abusive energy practices but also ameliorate their communities concerns regarding policies perceived to be as disparate as economic development and sustainability as noted above.

A different perspective may suggest that the survey’s findings indicate that climate change concerns pale in comparison to the individual community member’s desire to decrease utility bills.

A planner’s attitude on community development can therefore reflect the individual homeowner’s desire to understand the conservation of natural resources through personal finance.  This observation seems fair as green building and renewable energy systems often are discouraged in housing covenants due to their perceived unattractiveness.  More often, the price of entry into green building is prohibitive.

Lastly, when surveyed about their familiarity with green building methods and standards, 55.4% of planners were “somewhat familiar” with LEED while 21.8% said they were “very familiar,” yet 22.8% were “not familiar.”  And when asked if their own community had an energy plan, 85.5% said they did not.

It is clear that recent history has not demanded planners to demonstrate to their communities how to shift energy habits and shore up utility spending to save money through green building design.

In today’s ailing environmental and financial climate, because buildings and infrastructure have the ability to influence change, perhaps planners should demonstrate to their communities the dollars and cents – how to save money through green building design.  Planners should design not for the demands of new construction, but for the necessity of a healthy and prosperous community.

Regardless if it is the wellbeing of the environment that is of concern to the individual homeowner, or issues of aesthetic and affordability, REthink Development can demonstrate the collective spirit of the individual community member, the planner as well as the environmental and financial climate.  Concerns regarding energy consumption can be addressed through the design of your home.  Visit the ‘Projects’ tab on our website to see how.

Source:
Lewis, Megan; Naomi Friedman; and Lynn Ross.  “The Roll of Planning in the New Energy Era: Results of a Survey.”  APA 2006.