Urban Sustainability Best Practices
Urban Sustainability Best Practices and Case Studies
2014 – 2018
There is a dearth of documented sustainability best practices for urban systems in arid and semi-arid environments. Practitioners and policymakers in Arizona seek best practices and case studies from which to draw information for comparative purposes for improved decision-making.
Urban Sustainability Best Practices and Case Studies was a graduate and senior-level course in the School of Sustainability designed by Nalini Chhetri and advised by Anne Reichman, Director of the Sustainable Cities Network. In this applied course, students collaborated with stakeholders from cities and municipalities to document and analyze best practices, draft case studies, and provide insight on various sustainability topics. Using standardized practices, this highly collaborative work forms the basis of the cities’ real-time case studies and best practices in any chosen sector.
Urban Sustainability Best Practices and Case Studies projects
Fall 2015
Complete streets, best desert parks management practices, urban forests, climate vulnerability assessments, University Sustainability Practices at ASU, water conservation, green governments, air quality, and housing.
Fall 2014
Household hazardous waste, low impact development, green building programs, bioremediation, feedstock consolidation solutions, impacts of energy disclosure ordinances, circular economy, waste diversion, demonstration gardens, and constructed wetlands.
Fall 2018 projects
Maricopa County: Sustainability Benchmarks
A Collaborative Approach for a Resilient Maricopa County: Sustainability Benchmark Recommendations Report
By Christopher Ryan, Peyton James, Kevin Lane, Collin Mieras, Ronald Turner, Tsz Wong, Asya Vo, Christina Schmitt, Whitney Hermann, and Grant Falvo
Maricopa County Sustainability Benchmark Recommendations: Infrastructure Challenges & Opportunities
By Payton James and Chris Ryan
Maricopa County Sustainability Benchmark Recommendations: Water in a Drying Climate
By Kevin Lane and Collin Mieras
Maricopa County Sustainability Benchmark Recommendations: Energizing the Future of Maricopa County
By Ron Tuner and Tze Wong
Maricopa County Sustainability Benchmark Recommendations: Waste Management
By Christina Schmitt and Aysa Vo
Maricopa County Sustainability Benchmark Recommendations: Food and Agriculture in Maricopa County
By Grant Falvo and Whitney Herrmann
Fall 2017 projects
City of Surprise: Urban Sustainability Communication Plan
Urban Sustainability Communication Plan
By Dylan Bingham, J. Leah Jones, Siddharth Mazumdar, Athishourya Pradhan, and Rachael Rosenstein
Town of Gilbert: Circular Economy
Green Gilbert: Trashing the Idea of a Linear Economy in Gilbert
By Athishourya Pradhan, Caroline Cloud, and Siddharth Mazumdar
City of Goodyear: Long-Term Water Planning
City of Goodyear: Drought Resiliency and Long-Term Water Planning
By Dylan Bingham, Makenna Welsch, and Sean McElroy
West Valley: Strategic Water Planning
A Strategic Water Plan for the West Valley
By J. Leah Jones, Rachael Rosenstein, and Benjamin Strouse
City of Scottsdale: Energy Efficiency
City of Scottsdale – Energy Efficiency & Alternative Fuel
By Nicole Sonnenburg, Kyle Hoopes, Daisy De La Rosa, and Siddharth Mazumdar
Fall 2016 projects
City of Apache Junction: Sustainability and Solid Waste
City of Apache Junction: Sustainability and Solid Waste
By Muriel Adams, Nicolas Ansara, Nagelle Fernandes, Ryan Ferree, Dave Howes, Austin Ogden, and Allison Powell
City of Surprise: Sustainability Planning
City of Surprise: The Future of Social Sustainability
By Muriel Adams, Nicolas Ansara, Nagelle Fernandes, Ryan Ferree, Dave Howes, Austin Ogden, and Allison Powell
Fall 2015 projects
City of Avondale: Complete Streets
City of Avondale: Complete Streets
By Christine DeMyers, Keelie Howell, Andrew McIntyre, and Morgan Moore
City of Peoria: Sustainable Desert Community Parks
City of Peoria: Best Management Practices for Sustainable Desert Community Parks
By Alex Slaymaker, Andrew McIntyre, Taylor Reimann, and Christopher Brush
City of Tempe: Master Urban Forester Program
City of Tempe: Master Urban Forester Program
By Alex Slaymaker, Aryn Musgrave, Martin Smith, Nikole Bunger, and Neng Iong Chan
City of Phoenix: Urban Tree Planting
Urban Tree Planting: Benefits Outweigh Costs to Phoenix
By Neng Iong Chan, Michael Marston, Erin Pulford, and Martin Smith
City of Florence: Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Planning for a Resilient Future: A Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the Florence Military Reservation
By Alex Slaymaker and Aryn Musgrave
Arizona State University: Sparky’s Guide to Sustainability
Sparky’s Guide to Sustainability: University Sustainability Practices at ASU
By Aryn Musgrave, Christopher Brush, Keelie Howell, Morgan Moore, and Joseph Zarroli
City of Mesa: Multi-Family Housing
Mesa Multi-Family Housing Program
By Taylor Reimann, Nikole Bunger, Joseph Zarroli, and Christopher Brush
City of Glendale: Water Conservation
Mesa Multi-Family Housing Program
By Andrew McIntyre, Erin Pulford, Joseph Zarroli, Michael Marston, and Nikole Bunger
Maricopa County: Green Government
Mesa Multi-Family Housing Program
By Christine DeMyers, Taylor Reimann, Erin Pulford, Neng Iong Chan
Maricopa County: Air Quality
Mesa Multi-Family Housing Program
By Christine DeMyers, Keelie Howell, Michael Marston, Morgan Moore, and Martin Smith
Fall 2014 projects
City of Mesa: Household Hazardous Waste
City of Mesa: A Permanent Facility for Household Hazardous Waste
By Andy Stein, Patricia Garland, and Saritha Ramakrishna
City of Mesa: Low Impact Development
City of Mesa: Low Impact Development
By Haley Gilles and Van Patterson
City of Tucson: Low Impact Development
City of Tucson: Low Impact Development
By Dylan Bingham, Makenna Welsch, and Sean McElroy
City of Scottsdale: Green Building Program
City of Scottsdale: Green Building Program
By Benjamin Frelka and Tomasz Jasinki
Luke Air Force Base: Bioremediation
Luke Air Force Base: Bioremediation
By Jeanette Macias, Wayne Warrington, and Benjamin Frelka
City of Phoenix: Feedstock Regionalization
Walton Sustainability Solutions Service: Feedstock Regionalization and Consolidation
By Patricia Garland and Tomasz Jasinki
City of Phoenix: Energy Disclosure Ordinances
Walton Sustainability Solutions Service: Economic Impacts of Energy Disclosure Ordinances
By Shari Awalt and Kimberly Kruse
City of Phoenix: Circular Economy
Walton Sustainability Solutions Service: Creating a Circular Economy for Green Organics
By Haley Gilles and Kimberly Kruse
City of Phoenix: Recycling Best Practices
Walton Sustainability Solutions Service: Best Practices, Recycling Diversion and Contamination
By Tamsin Foucrier and Saritha Ramakrishna
City of Goodyear: Constructed Wetlands
City of Goodyear: Constructed Wetlands for Brine Water Management
By Tamsin Foucrier and Christopher Robinson