Design should include clean, efficient, and sustainable uses of water, energy, buildings, roadways, waste disposal, and buffer and riparian zones to keep environmental impact to a minimum.
Teacher Resource:
Process/Skill Questions:
- What are the limitations of the land (e.g., water, topography, distance from major cities)?
- What technologies can be used to aid in designing a community that will have a minimum impact on the environment?
- What are some examples of environmentally friendly development?
- How can best management practices (direct and indirect) in urban areas be implemented to decrease stormwater runoff and increase groundwater recharge?
- What techniques can be used to decrease the amount of energy used, and what alternative development methods can be employed?
- What is the rationale of keeping environmental impacts to a minimum?