Sustainable suburb design: applying LEED for neighbourhood development in a southern Alberta context
Date
2009
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Abstract
Sustainability and sprawl in cities has become a topic of discussion in the literature in the past couple of decades. Sprawl is described as having the characteristics of unsustainable design and critics are calling for changes to be made to our current paradigms of urban development. Recent research has shown that Smart Growth and New Urbanism hold promise and are widely accepted in planning literature, however implementation is lacking. In addition to accreditation, the required and optional criteria of LEED ND provide a comprehensive framework of indicators and design guidelines for the implementation of Smart Growth and New Urbanism principles in new development. Using the LEED ND rating system, this project assessed the end-result designs for the neighbourhood of Williamstown in Airdrie, Alberta. The intent was to apply the rating system in order to understand the potential of the LEED ND framework of indicators to guide future sustainable development in Airdrie. While the results of the analysis show that Williamstown would not be eligible to receive accreditation, it also highlighted the emphasis of the rating criteria on projects that are located on infill sites that are surrounded by compact, walkable, and diverse development. The results of this project have shown that there are few barriers to implementing the requirements of LEED ND in the City of Airdrie. However for successful implementation, the Airdrie City Plan must take a more active role in supporting the direct objectives of LEED ND in order to obtain results that meet the benchmarks.
Description
Bibliography: p. 125-130
Some pages are in colour.
Includes oversized pages.
Some pages are in colour.
Includes oversized pages.
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Citation
Ferguson, B. K. (2009). Sustainable suburb design: applying LEED for neighbourhood development in a southern Alberta context (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/3307