From traditional stormwater management to storm surge abatement and conserving drinking water and watersheds, green infrastructure improves our cities, explains Adrian Benepe of the Trust for Public Land.
According to Adrian Benepe, the term green infrastructure (GI) occupies an interdisciplinary threshold even though its textbook definition relates simply to stormwater management.
He chronicles the history of GI, beginning with Olmsted's design for Back Bay Fens in Boston, and how, in recent years, NYC under Mayor Bloomberg and Philadelphia under Mayor Nutter have implemented GI to update, improve and expand urban parkland and abate water pollution in their cities.
With "Greenstreet" initiatives that bring together engineers, landscape designers, nonprofits and local government and collaborations between their departments of environment and education, both cities have redefined the look and function of urban surfaces and the runoff systems beneath them, capturing and redirecting thousands of gallons of runoff.
Benepe also discusses how other major U.S. cities, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Washington, D.C. have tackled stormwater management with the protection of their rivers in mind.
FULL STORY: Green infrastructure as parks: how need, design, and technology can make cities better
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
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A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
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How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing
Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.
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Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
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The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research