I really liked the smart building module and I wanted to see what the Government was doing to help coastal communities ‘get smart’. If you take a look at the webpages for NOAA and EPA there is a list of 10 Smart Building Principles that coastal development managers and governments can use as a tool to base their developmental ideas and plans. These 10 principles include: ‘mix land uses, compact building design, range of housing options, walk-able communities, distinctive and attractive communities with strong sense of place, preserve open spaces, strengthen and direct development toward existing communities, provide various transportation options, make development predictable, fair, and cost effective, and encourage community in development decisions.” By combining these 10 elements into the developmental plans for growing coastal communities, local governments and managers can not only promote their communities bringing in more tourist and tax dollars, but also ensure their towns are living cohesively with their natural surroundings and limiting their own carbon footprints to help with climate change.
There are many case studies provided on these webpages that show smart growth in action here in the U.S.. From Portland, Maine to Santa Cruz, California, smart building practices are seemingly increasing across the country. The EPA provides awards to communities for employing smart growth projects that include various elements of the 10 principles. Most of the winners since 2007 have included towns that focused on building with ‘green’ infrastructure and water elements such as stormwater runoff and more efficient use of water.
Cited:
http://coastalsmartgrowth.noaa.gov/approaches.html
https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-and-water