Meet the Needs of the New Generation
April 2, 2008

In cities around the world, leaders are realizing that their economic futures hinge, not so much on luring new companies to town or on economic development strategies of the past, but on their ability to engage the next generation of professionals. As described in the Business Facilities magazine article, “Capturing the Creative Class”, this new generation includes "creative professionals" who work in healthcare, business, and finance, for example, and the "super-creative core," which includes scientists, engineers, and innovators, as well as artists, designers, writers, and musicians. This class is projected to be the core force of growth in our future economy, and will add millions of jobs in the next decade.

Rankings show that Austin, Texas, leads the U.S. in a "creativity index", as measured by patents per capita; high-tech industry; and diversity, followed by San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Raleigh-Durham, Portland, Minneapolis, Washington-Baltimore, Sacramento, and Denver. Austin has worked hard to provide a broad creative ecosystem, founded on a 1994 Sustainable Development Resolution with the ultimate goal of making Austin a model "Sustainable City", and other pro-active efforts like the city's Sustainable Communities Initiative, which exists to help the greater Austin region achieve economic prosperity, social justice, and ecological health - the highest possible quality of life in the best possible environment.

These are lofty and difficult to achieve goals, as documented by the Austin-based Center for Sustainable Development, a research center of the School of Architecture at the University of Texas, that has published a recent report, Local Government Efforts to Promote the “Three Es” of Sustainable, which indicates that despite the familiarity with the concept of sustainability, sustainable development has not emerged as a planning paradigm for most cities across the U.S.

Now is the time for you to get serious about learning how to apply the principles of sustainable development. Join with Sustainable Land Development International,the University of Texas Center for Sustainable Development, the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin, and other industry leaders in Austin for the next Land Development Breakthroughs Leadership Conference to help achieve economic prosperity, social justice, and ecological health.

Your participation and comments are welcome.

Terry Mock
Executive Director
Sustainable Land Development International

Promoting land development worldwide that balances the needs of people, planet & profit - for today and future generations.

People, Planet and Profit

Beyond Buildings

Welcome to SLDI

SLDI is holding its upcoming Land Development Breakthroughs Conference at the beautiful Renaissance at the Arboretum in Austin, TX May 1-2, 2008.

The event allows developers and their core groups the opportunity to:

• gain the latest perspectives on maximizing social, environmental and economic profit
• develop new professional relationships throughout the development process;
• review and discuss the latest innovations with over 50 product and service vendors;
• attend a broad range of breakout seminars and keynote speakers;
• review current or future site plans with expert planners;
• review and present visionary projects which recognize the best developments in the industry;

More information is available and registrations are being taken at www.LDBaustin.com.

Sign up now and receive a $100.00 discount by using priority code AUMSLTX

• You Are How You Live
  (March 2008) Instead of adding eco-friendly touches to existing neighborhoods, developers are building whole new communities designed along green principles. Some of these developments offer very basic solutions to environmental concerns, such as street layouts that promote walking and discourage driving. Source: Wall Street Journal/USGBC

• New Life in Warehouse Districts
  (Spring 2008) Although you would never know it from reading the press releases from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there is far more to sustainable development than so-called green buildings. As the Washington-based architect Carl Elefante likes to say, “The greenest building is the one that isn’t torn down and dumped at the landfill.”
  Source: Sustainable Urban Redevelopment

• MBA Releases 4th Quarter 2007 Commercial Real Estate/ Multifamily Finance Report
  (March 26, 2008) The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) released its Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance Quarterly Data Book for the fourth quarter of 2007. The Data Book compiles the most up-to-date information on topics of interest to financial investment industry participants and observers.
  Source: Mortgage Bankers Association

• Ethics in a Downturn – Will you survive?
  (March 11, 2008) As recession looms, it is time for corporate responsibility professionals to prove their worth.
  Source: Ethical Corporation

• Coast urged to Start Planning for Threat from Rising Seas
  (March 30, 2008) Coastal communities in South Florida need to start planning now if they want to avoid damage from rising sea levels, federal and state officials said Friday.
  Source: Palm Beach Post

• Thoroughly Modern Do-Gooders
  (March 21, 2008) Fashions in goodness change, just like fashions in anything else, and these days some of the very noblest people have assumed the manners of the business world, even though they don't aim for profit. They call themselves social entrepreneurs, and you can find them in the neediest places on earth.
  Source: International Herald Times

• Cities around the World are 'Going Green'
  (March 19, 2008) “Green cities” are working to reduce energy use and pollution in new and creative ways. Such efforts by city governments not only help reverse the effects of climate change.
  Source: Voice of America

• San Francisco to Boast the Greenest Buildings
  (March 30, 2008) Last week, the local government took a decisive step towards agreeing on what are probably the toughest environmental construction standards in the country.
  Source: New Scientist, England.

• Not just for Tree Huggers
  (March 30, 2008) Despite the free fall in housing prices nationwide, green homes are still red hot.
  Source: Newsweek

• Seven in Philadelphia Region Honored for Environment
  (March 4, 2008) A regional tree-planting effort, a youth group that refurbishes bicycles, and a solar-home builder are among seven regional "sustainability innovators" recognized by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
  Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

• City looks at Green Building Standards
  (March 28, 2008) Hoping to do its part in reducing global warming, the city of Chula Vista, California is considering mandatory “green” building standards for new homes and businesses, the first in the country.
  Source: San Diego Union-Tribune

• Eco thinking is Business as usual for Des Moines
  (March 18, 2008) Des Moines is among a growing number of U.S. cities trying to make wise environmental choices. Mayor Frank Cownie has made energy and environmental issues among his top priorities as Des Moines' leader.
  Source: Des Moines Register

• Green Buildings may be Cheapest way to Slow Global Warming
  (March 18, 2008) By building green--and retrofitting existing buildings--the countries of North America could cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25 percent.
  Source: Scientific American

• Pushing the Green Envelope
  (March 28, 2008) A steel facade is just one of numerous “green” features in Piper Lucas’ newly built house and commercial building, located a short walk from Sisters’ downtown.
  Source: Bend Bulletin

• The Giving Trees
  (February 29, 2008) Protecting ancient trees could also be an important new strategy.
  Source: onEarth

• Isle of Eigg a Model of Energy Self-Sufficiency
  (March 27, 2008) On Feb. 1, all of Eigg, a spectacularly scenic island off the west coast of Scotland, switched on its own continuous, clean, and renewable energy supply.
  Source: Christian Science Monitor

• Mixed-use Village is also Green
  (March 20, 2008) The Village also is one of the first mixed-use projects in the United States to earn a special "green" designation from the U.S. Green Building Council.
  Source: Charlotte Observer

• Chamblee makes 'Going Green' a Must
  (March 19, 2008) On Tuesday, the Chamblee council approved a proposal to make DeKalb County the first in Georgia to make major developers "go green."
  Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution