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U.S. EPA Updates and Re-releases Report on Built Environment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released “Our Built and Natural Environments: A Technical Review of the Interactions among Land Use, Transportation, and Environmental Quality.” As part of its smart growth program, this second edition of a report from 2001 details how the environment and public health can be affected by the way cities and towns are developed.  The report does not discuss the economic impacts of different land use, development, or transportation decisions. The report provides a summary of trends in the expansion of developed land, population growth, buildings, and travel behavior and attempts to make the case that development strategies (i.e., how we build our communities) impacts public health and the environment. It includes a section on green building techniques. The report looks at the direct and indirect effects of the built environment on human health and the natural environment.  It provides information on how development strategies may impact habitat, future land use, water resources and air quality.  It also explores climate issues and health and safety, such as vehicle crashes. EPA hosted a webinar on this report on July 24, 2013. The presentation slides are available for download – click here.  To request the recording from the webinar, email smartgrowth@epa.gov. Building a Green Future In 2010, AGC of America released a report that explored ways to stimulate demand for green construction projects, boost infrastructure capacity, improve building efficiency and green construction practices.  “You can’t wish for a green future---you have to build it.”  In its Building a Green Future report, AGC maintains that construction and renovation ultimately are the most immediate and effective ways to improve the built environment.  AGC recommends this plan to guide policymakers, educate the public and provide members with a tool they can use to develop an environmental strategy for their firm. For more information, please contact AGC’s Melinda Tomaino at tomainom@agc.org.