Mission

Purpose

The Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) is unique in its successful integration of diverse interests to develop creative, balanced, achievable solutions to the physical and social challenges facing the planning, construction, and preservation of buildings, neighborhoods, and regions.

We see the interconnected nature of the ‘sustainability challenge’ as central to our work; we attempt—through our projects, interdisciplinary teaching and ongoing working groups—to better understand the connections between environment, economic prosperity and social justice.

CSD Core Interests

• Ecology – encompassing both ecological planning techniques and green building systems.
• Social Equity – ensuring that all people, including future generations, gain adequate access to vital natural and human resources.
  
• Economy – understanding economic development, job creation and public finance as a primary form of sustenance for the development of healthy communities.
  
• Design – including both the contemporary aesthetics and the vernacular cultural practices that stimulate, enhance and empower our surroundings with meaning.
  
• Policy Making – applying the ethics of sustainability in pragmatic, sensible and balanced ways that can be operationalized by our civic leaders.