UrbanGreen Selected Project Vignettes
The following projects demonstrate a cross section of our recent work. If you would like more detail on any of these projects, or wish to inquire about our experience with a particular type of project, please request more information.
| THE PEARLS DESIGN SYSTEM |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
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| Codes and Standards • Collaboration Management • Strategy |
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Organized an international team of experienced sustainable design leaders to create a new Rating Method and Design Guide for Land and Communities, for the government of a rapidly growing middle eastern emirate. Spanning 12 months, the work required reviewing and cataloging leading global rating systems and then creating a new ‘higher bar’ approach. Innovations of the system include carbon and living systems, transect approach to land development credit weights, and a pre-requisite for the Integrated Design Process as a way to improve performance at reduced cost. |
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THE BEST* HOME |
Phoenix, AZ |
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| Facilitation • Action Plans |
| Workshop facilitation to determine most effective elements of a high performance, single-family home for a private homebuilder. Objective was to create a model home that would educate homebuyers while providing the master developer with practical understanding of sustainable community features that make a measurable difference. |
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GROSVENOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES EVALUATION |
San Francisco, CA |
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| Education • Expertise |
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Sustainability metrics and benchmarking for leading international property developer. Performed a comparative analysis of two ‘on-the-boards’ projects - a grocery anchored suburban shopping center and an adaptive reuse of an urban core retail building. Summarized performance strategies that could be adopted now, and created internal education tool to demonstrate how different early stage decisions could have resulted in higher performance without additional cost. |
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GALISTEO BASIN PRESERVE |
Santa Fe, NM |
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Sustainable Master Plan • Strategy • Facilitation • Consultant Sourcing |
Team sourcing, facilitation and ongoing strategic services for non-government organization undertaking an innovative 13,000 acre conservation development southeast of Santa Fe, NM. Innovations include green infrastructure strategies, charter high school, significant product diversity and new bio-climatic architectural language derived from UrbanGreen organized and managed charrette. |
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| Image Credit: Elizabeth Day |
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BAKERS BAY |
Abaco, Bahamas |
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Expertise • Communication Tools • Strategy |
Peer review, sustainability strategies and communication tools for master developer creating an environmentally sensitive, second home community on a private island in the Abacos, Bahamas. Initial recommendations resulted in over $4 million in infrastructure cost savings. Created environmental website portal to better communicate master developer efforts to government agencies and potential buyers. Resident stewardship guide developed to educate homeowner’s on their responsibilities for protecting the island’s unique ecosystem. |
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| Image Credit: UrbanGreen |
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SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY INNOVATION BENCHMARK STUDY |
Denver, CO |
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Research • Expertise |
| Sustainable community innovations audit and benchmarking analysis for international master developer of mixed-use communities. Ultimate purpose was to assist business strategy by identifying new market opportunities where their experience and execution capabilities could create increased demand. Researched market leading efforts in water, energy, carbon reduction, community supported agriculture. Also evaluated emerging state regulations and funding sources in client’s identified target markets. |
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ESTRELLA CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN |
Goodyear, AZ |
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Research • Expertise |
| Action plan for for collecting and diverting single family home construction waste for a 50,000 unit, 20,000 acre new community located in the Southwestern U.S. Plan included cost structures, revenue sources, logistic challenges and several scenarios with resulting potential diversion rates. Prepared final recommendations for board of national planned community developer. |
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EXECUTIVE TRAINING- SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DESIGN |
Calgary, Canada |
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Education • Expertise |
| Custom half day training program for 50 senior executives of quasi-public governmental land development agency. Training topics covered sustainable community definitions, economic benefits, threshold decisions that they can make as land owners, emerging solutions and best practices from the United States and Canada. |
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THE PRACTICE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT |
Urban Land Institute (ULI) |
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| Education • Research |
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Professional training and education course focused on sustainable land use and development. Two day workshop is directed to private developers, consultants and public policy makers. Developed primary content and serve as primary instructor. Course has been delivered in 10 states and three countries since its development in 2000. |
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ABU DHABI SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CODE |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
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Codes and Standards • Expertise |
As Subconsultant to Otak
Provided sustainability expertise in a rapidly growing urban context, as part of a team creating an innovative new development code for the rapidly growing Middle Eastern capital city of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Retained as part of an international team working for the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, a public agency charged with directing the character and form of the Emirate’s built environment. |
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HORIZON UPTOWN DESIGN STANDARDS |
Aurora, CO |
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Codes and Standards • Expertise • Facilitation • Communication Tools |
Collaboration management and green design standard development for a mixed use town center and new community, located within asuburban community east of Denver, CO. Produced for industry-leading, international master developer, as part of their first new community offering in the United States. |
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Advisory • Facilitation • Consultant Sourcing • Expertise |
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Team sourcing, collaboration management and sustainable development strategies for a groundbreaking eco-resort located in the Pacific Northwest. Services provided as part of the legacy landowner’s management team, to meet 90 day entitlement submission timetable, amidst a contentious approval process. |
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Advisory • Facilitation • Consultant Sourcing • Expertise |
Team sourcing, integrated design management, and real estate process services for master developer undertaking 707 acre traditional neighborhood development with significant conservation development component, east of Boise, ID. Approved master plan, won amidst highly contentious opposition, resulted in 1350 units in 19 product types, with over 50% open space protected and stewarded through innovative Conservation Stewardship Organization (CSO). Fifteen month process resulted in successful entitlement of entire project and first plat. |
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| Image Credit: Civitas |
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