Transportation, Sustainable Buildings, Green Construction (Coursera)

There will also be a case study of the Victoria Canada parking management approach that investigates problems with current work on parking planning and discusses the cost of parking facilities and potential savings from improved management. There will also be an introduction to the use of form-based codes for application to sustainable cities. A variety of building forms such as mid-rise and high-rise buildings, apartment houses, live/work buildings, single-family homes, and row houses will be assessed. A particular emphasis will be on vacant property strategies for equitable and healthy communities. Vacant property strategies for reclamation will be evaluated with an analysis of the revitalization cycle. Green building construction principles will be evaluated in consideration for natural light and ventilation, solar orientation, use of sustainable building materials, energy efficient design and on-site energy generation as well as other considerations. Building architectural design will leverage climate, construction materials, and the culture and history of the area. Architecture choices should have a consistent appearance within the community and provide residential privacy. Other considerations include protection and preservation of historic buildings, use of universal design concepts, careful placement of civic buildings and the appropriate use of subsidized housing.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Survey and evaluate a variety of parking policies that support sustainable cities and environmental quality.
2. Compare different parking options such as parking sheds, neighborhood parking, parking lot access, permeable parking spaces, and a variety of ways to hide parking lots.
3. Describe the approach that the state of Minnesota used in developing a greenhouse gas reduction plan for their transportation sector.
4. Examine issues of implementing climate – friendly transportation pricing and the concept of “fix it first” transportation policy.
5. Evaluate the concept of form-based codes and their benefits for creating sustainable cities.
6. Assess smart green construction practices such as use of sustainable building materials, on site energy generation, proper solar orientation, and the use of green building standards.

Target Audience
• Government Officials involved planning, designing, monitoring, enforcement, and assessment of sustainable project developments at the local, state, and federal level.
• Private sector companies in the transportation and municipal design and construction business
• Architects interested in advancing sustainable concepts for cities and communities
• Foundations, associations, and other NGOs that support smart growth strategies
• Academic faculty and students studying and researching community sustainability and resilience
• Private citizens interested in improving their communities and living conditions
Course 4 of 4 in the Sustainable Cities Specialization

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Parking Management and Minnesota Transportation GHG Reduction Plan
This module will present and evaluate the following topics: downtown parking policy, the high cost of free parking, the use of parking sheds, neighborhood parking, hiding parking lots, parking lot environmental quality, parking conversions, parking lot access, and rear access parking. The module will also introduce a parking rating system and an overview of the Victoria Canada parking management best practices.

WEEK 2
Sustainable Cities Building Types, Vacant Property Strategies for Equitable and Healthy Communities, and the Revitalization Cycle
Sustainable smart growth codes describe buildings, not in terms of their use for specific measurements, but in terms of their form. Using this framework, the resulting building types that will be described in this module. This module will also address vacant property strategies for equitable and healthy communities as well as the revitalization cycle.

WEEK 3
Green Construction and Architectural Design
Green Construction and Green buildings are an important part of the sustainable city. This module will assess 12 different aspects of green buildings and green construction to meet smart growth objectives. The importance of architecture will also be accessed.
The architectural design of the building should be reflective of the climate and culture of the neighborhood. Most appropriate and ecological buildings often have the character of the local building traditions. The consistency of appearance is also valuable in fortifying the character of the neighborhood and establishing pride in the community.