Print this pageSmart Growth
Jim Newton, P.E., DEE
Course Outline
This two hour course provides valuable information for those individuals who participate in the operations and management of local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), governmental agencies and any other individuals with an interest in protecting the planet and being a better world citizen. Completion of this course will provide the student the necessary information and testing to meet the continuing education requirements in order to renew their licenses. It was designed by an instructor who has developed and implemented numerous similar training courses.
This course requires the completion of a multiple-choice quiz at its conclusion in order to obtain the necessary certification.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand basic smart growth principles;
- Understand the benefits of smart growth;
- Understand the planning of smart growth;
- Understand design approaches to smart growth;
- Understand where smart growth development occurs;
- Understand how smart growth development occurs;
- Understand the costs of smart growth;
- Understand how to finance smart growth;
- Understand who are the key participants in smart growth;
- Understand the strategies for developing a smart growth program;
- Understand strategies for engaging the community;
- Understand possible investment opportunities;
- Understand the role of the community in a smart growth;
- Understand various funding sources;
- Understand the federal programs available for smart growth;
- Understand the state programs available for smart growth;
- Understand the local programs available for smart growth;
- Understand how High Point WA practices smart growth;
- Under stand how Arlington VA practices smart growth; and
- Understand available additional resources.
Intended Audience
The intended audience for this course is any professional who is involved in the operation and management of schools, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), governmental agencies and any other individual with an interest in protecting the planet and being a better world citizen.
Benefit to Attendees
Attendees of this course will understand the basic concepts of energy efficiency and how to implement these.
Course Introduction
Community design affects energy consumption and vehicle use, and thus greenhouse gas emissions. By addressing these factors through planning, application of smart growth principles, measures to reduce urban heat islands, and other initiatives, local and regional governments can encourage economic development while preserving their open spaces and critical environmental habitats, protecting water and air quality, and helping to mitigate climate changes.
Community planning and design programs generally act to reduce energy demand, as opposed to increasing energy efficiency. For example, by promoting mixed use development and public transportation, communities can reduce the need for residents to drive a car for shopping, commuting to work or getting to and from school. Similarly, measures to reduce the urban heat island effect, such as planting trees or installing cool roofs, reduce a community’s cooling energy requirements.
Course Content
This course is based upon the following book:
In this course, you are required to study the US EPA publication, “Smart Growth” provided as a pdf document as a part of this course. This document describes the steps to promote smart growth techniques to reduce GHG emissions.
Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Course Summary
This course discusses basic smart growth concepts.
Related Links
For additional information related to this subject, please visit the following websites or web pages:
U.S Environmental Protection Agency
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
