The nature and role of higher education is changing. The relationship between the University, the student, and greater society is shifting. Internal (e.g., concerns about accessibility and inclusion) and external (e.g., funding and market demands) forces are converging in a way that demands a reconceptulization of higher education and the learning process. This thesis tries to identify and integrate varying facets that contribute to the changing landscape of university education, specifically focusing on the increased interest in applied learning opportunities at the post-secondary level, and the ways in which different professional and academic programs are incorporating such opportunities into their programs. These findings are interpreted in the context of graduate planning education at the University of British Columbia's School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP). This qualitative study is grounded in an analytical reflection informed by my own experiences as a graduate planning student, by a review of academic, professional, government, and public press literature, and by interviews with various academics, administrators, and practitioners. The thesis presents an overview of literature from the field of planning education, and an introduction to the literature of higher education. This is followed by an examination of graduate planning schools in Canada and analogous professional/academic programs in British Columbia, which provide ample evidence and support for the emerging practice of incorporating indifferent types of applied learning opportunities (e.g., co-op program, internship, and practicum). A summary of trends, models of innovation, best practice ideals, and recommendations for graduate planning education at SCARP conclude the thesis. Most importantly, the recommendation is made for the school to continue and improve its trial internship program as well as persist in exploring ways of providing applied learning opportunities to students. Programs in higher education must continue to link theory and practice in ways that best serve students in today's changing society. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Although the idea of the entrepreneurial city is nothing new, recent research in contemporary urban geography and related disciplines indicates that the modus operandi of such entrepreneurial endeavors has shifted, as a result of an increasing recognition and acceptance of global climate change, to include and even prioritize sustainable urban development discourses and practices. While these discourses purportedly culminate in the production of the “sustainable city,” they often fail to deliver upon their promise to create a greener, more sustainable city for all. Such practices, in an effort to help cities obtain an urban sustainability fix (While et al. 2004), often lead to the selective uptake and implementation of “sustainable” policies and projects by local governments and members of the urban elite in their efforts to positively market their respective cities to potential residents and investors. The city of Lexington, Kentucky’s ongoing efforts to establish a new downtown park system—the Town Branch Commons—along the route of a once buried stream, is representative of how such a sustainability fix is both conceived of and ultimately produced by urban elites in the contemporary neoliberal city.

The Portland metropolitan region has seen unprecedented growth in the last three decades, resulting in both economic expansion and considerable gentrification. While lauded for its commitment to sustainability and a "smart development" ethos, many questions remain for the city with respect to the needs of displaced residents and a burgeoning population of young professionals. This study examines how various levels of government implement growth management policies to accommodate these demographic changes, and aims to assess whether and how the consequences of growth, especially gentrification and displacement, are meaningfully addressed. Qualitative interviews were conducted with staff members and elected officials from city, county, and regional government structures across the Portland metropolitan area to investigate the "regional housing crisis." Inductive analysis of these data considers the implications of Portland's layered government structure for making equitable growth-related decisions. Participants expressed a mismatch in what was expected of them--both from higher levels of government and their constituents--and their perceived capacity to do so. While government officials advocate the need for new development of affordable housing units, they see themselves as limited by a series of technical barriers in the stratified planning process, as well as an unequal distribution of influential power in public involvement processes. Findings are synthesized to offer policy recommendations and consider alternative government responses to public housing issues.

An examination of necessary infrastructure improvements in the United States.

In a world that is quickly urbanizing with a climate that is rapidly changing, the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) Living Community Challenge (LCC) offers a whimsical yet highly relevant model for sustainable development—creating cities that are as connected and beautiful as forests. As no certified Living Community exists yet, this thesis serves as an “uncase study” of North Rainier, a neighborhood in Seattle that has registered for the Challenge. In an effort to assess the LCC’s perceived effectiveness as a model for sustainable development, this thesis first summarizes nearly 400 centuries of U.S. developmental history to give greater context to the current moment and how we can quickly, effectively, and fundamentally transform the built environment to support a more sustainable future. A comparative analysis with EcoDistricts and LEED for Neighborhood Development revealed strengths (i.e., advocacy and capacity building) and weaknesses (i.e., equity and stasis) of predominant urban assessment tools in the U.S. The case study then uses a combination of GIS analysis, community surveys, and semi-structured interviews with members of the neighborhood association overseeing the pursuit of the LCC in North Rainier as well as with staff members at ILFI to assess the LCC’s effectiveness. Environmental health disparities in North Rainier found within the GIS analysis were echoed in the surveys and interviews, which indicated feelings of neglect from the city of Seattle who is occupied with record-setting growth, demonstrates how the LCC can be considered as an “act of optimism” and as a rejection of historically imposed top-down planning. Overall, in theory, several of the LCC’s Petals address many of the systemic issues facing the built environment (i.e., sprawl and dependence on automobiles and fossil fuels). However, despite its vision for a socially just and culturally rich future, the LCC—specifically the Equity Petal—does not offer a guarantee that displacement of low-income and communities of color and/or environmental injustices will not be perpetuated.

Urban spatial expansion resulting from urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is growing and will not stabilize in the near future. Sub-Saharan Africa’s urban growth rate is climbing faster than developing economies. Efforts should be concentrated on accommodating this phenomenon through the promotion of sustainable urban planning and development. Relying on secondary data, this research examines models of indigenous Sub-Saharan African urban forms and residential architecture vernacular to understand these forms and their characteristics, and how these models and associated management, design, and planning principles can be adopted in a contemporary context. Also, studies of established indigenous building materials and technology, which can be adapted to suit a low-cost and sustainable economy, are explored.

Our current system of research and production is no longer suitable for solving the problems we face today. As climate change threatens our cities and livelihoods, the global economic system preys on the weak. A more responsive, equitable, and resilient system needs to be implemented. Our post industrial cities are both products and victims of the boom-bust economies employed for the last few centuries. While some communities have survived by converting to retail and services based economies, others have not been so fortunate and have become run-down husks of their former bustling selves. The key to revitalizing these cities is to create new industries that empower people, unlike the service economies that deride and devalue them. Peer to Peer (P2P) development models like open source software communities create platforms for people to collaborate on projects and share resources. On the scale of cities, the goal is to stimulate the growth of closed loop, local, micro-economies that are inherently more stable than traditional, centralized economic models.Commons Based Peer Production (CBPP) is a term coined by Professor Yochai Benkler at Harvard Law School. It describes a new model of socio-economic production in which the labor of large numbers of people is coordinated (usually with the aid of the Internet) mostly without traditional hierarchical organization. It is based on low thresholds for participation, freely available modular tasks, and community verification of quality (peer governance). CBPP usually only applies to intellectual output, from software to libraries of quantitative data to human-readable documents (manuals, books, encyclopedias, reviews, blogs, periodicals, and more); however, this system can be adapted for physical manufacturing. A P2P system of development for material goods must be explored through the production of a common resource. Mycelium is the “roots” of fungi. It can be grown anywhere with agricultural refuse as a substrate. It has properties that make it ideal for building insulation and it is environmentally innocuous. It is Cradle to Cradle certified, and it requires little specialized equipment to produce. As a consumer product, it has had trouble gaining traction in a notoriously stubborn market dominated by hydrocarbon based market leaders like extruded polystyrene (XPS). Mycelium products are ripe for development as a regenerative building material. The goal is to increase the R-value of the material, decrease the cost of manufacturing, and carve out a market for this extraordinary product. The purpose of applying a CBPP approach is to increase the speed of development and aid in market penetration. The strategy is to decentralize manufacturing of and experimentation with the product. This requires a robust network of production nodes. Essentially, this involves setting up franchises in select markets (like the Pioneer Valley), where there is a strong interest in local, sustainable products. The nodes would be small cooperative businesses that are licensed to produce the material as well as collect data on the manufacturing and performance of mycelium insulation. The data will then be used to improve the production process. The bulk of the thesis is in designing one such node in Greenfield, MA, located adjacent to the new John W. Olver Transit Center on Bank Row St.

Disasters happen all the time, attention should be paid to refugees and help them build new homelands. Japan is an earthquake-prone area, every year there is at least 1 earthquake above 6 magnitude happens there. In 2011, Japan suffered from the 9.0 magnitude earthquake, tsunami and meltdown, the triple disasters. About 100 people died in the earthquake itself, and 20,000 people lost their lives in the tsunami, 465,000 people were evacuated after the disaster. Two years later after the triple disaster, more than half refugees still lived in temporary shelters. Efforts should be concentrated on the development of long living communities. Relying on existing shelters data and the specific Japanese living styles, the research examines a model of continuous living styles. Develop from a basic rapid shelter unit with low cost and limited functional space to a long-term living place. Japan has a long architecture history, its buildings have strong characteristics which shouldn’t be abandoned in the modern society. My research here is to develop a series of living types immediately following disasters until 2 years later. Typical and traditional Japanese features will be kept, at the same time combine with new aesthetics and technologies.

The notion of placemaking and sustainability are central to planning practice. However, is there a connection between the goals of sustainability and the impacts of placemaking initiatives? The ultimate goal of sustainable planning is the creation of a sustainable community which include the defining features of a healthy climate and environment, social wellbeing, and economic security. Yet, sustainable planning is heavily focused on the environment. Placemaking initiatives focus on underutilized space, permanently or temporarily highlighting location, locale, and sense, the three realms of place. In attempt to answer whether placemaking can contribute to sustainable planning, this research focuses on the case study of the east side neighborhoods of Cleveland, Ohio and three placemaking initiatives which take place in those neighborhoods. Placemaking attendees were surveyed on their perspectives of the impact that the placemaking initiative has on the community. After coding the responses for common themes, these themes were related back to the larger defining features of a sustainable community. It was found that placemaking can be used to support the social and economic realms within sustainable planning and communities. The main characteristics which make these initiatives successful are free and open to the public, expression of uniqueness, and the support of local businesses. Placemaking offers benefits to both community and non-community members. Ultimately, placemaking is a beneficial tool that should be utilized by planners to aid in sustainable planning.

Energy storage is becoming a crucial element to the renewable energy grid, and new facilities will have to go somewhere. This thesis will propose to co-locate compressed air energy storage on a site with residential units, and a community park. This thesis will make the argument that co-locating a compressed air energy storage system with residential units could create a new start for the communities most harmed by fossil fuel infrastructure. This thesis will propose a design for a site in East Boston; a community badly scarred by heating oil and natural gas storage; with the goal of creating a model for healing both the physical site, and the social injustices created by the fossil fuel grid, arguing for using compressed air energy storage as both a spatial and an economic resource.