Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone Project / Abstract Suburbs have long been a place near and dear to the hearts of many, they provide private property, large homes and a sense of security. They have traditionally been located far from city centers and also far from jobs. The following paper researchers whether or not suburban homes can be updated to compensate for the extra distance their inhabitants have to commute to work. The study looks at three case houses in the focus area of Continental Ranch, a Pulte suburb. The follow research was performed using a cost benefit analysis on three case homes and four case vehicles. The results were calculated using available data, estimates and website based calculators. The five upgrades calculated were CFL/LED light bulb replacement, water fixture upgrades, fridge replacement, rainwater harvesting and installation of solar panels. The case homes varied in size from 1,369 to 3,609 square feet and were built between 1989 and 2001. The homes have between two to five bedrooms and two to three bathrooms. The cars chosen as vehicle options for comparison were the Toyota Prius, the Honda Civic, the Honda Odyssey and the Chevrolet Tahoe, all 2016 models. The results found that all three homes could be upgraded to compensate for the annual cost of gas consumption of all four car options. It should be noted that these calculations did not take into account the cost of the upgrades, but rather the savings it would procure.

This research investigates contemporary architecture's difficulty in distinguishing new civic buildings from commercial and other non-public building types. Historically, the desire to create a clear typological distinction for the civic has come and gone through periods of time and key practitioners. Through projects, the masters attempts to formulate strategies to speak of the civic in the contemporary condition. The research aims to consider architectural language and its use in the context of new public buildings to establish a sense of difference from dominant urban typologies, and be grounded within a contemporary reading of the civic. This project-based research features three principal resolved design projects - a Civic Centre in Mildura; Council Offices for the City of Hume, Broadmeadows; and a new 'civic school' in the Melbourne outer suburb of Mill Park. The design process undertaken for each project is subject to investigation of selected precedents, both contemporary and historical, and these are explored through an illustrated written chapter.

In early 2005, increasing social and infrastructural costs associated with the rapidly expanding Greater Toronto Area [GTA] pressed the Province of Ontario to initiate a growth management strategy for the region. The Provincial <em>Growth Plan</em>, coupled with its <em>Greenbelt Plan</em>, effectively legislates a minimum of 40 per cent infill development by 2015 and limits land supply until 2031. This book explores the extents and implications of this legislation, with a particular focus on the Town of Milton, a key community west of downtown Toronto, where city and Greenbelt meet. <br>    The structure of suburban communities can and should be modified to improve their sense of identity, and reduce their environmental impact and dependency on automobiles. The thesis aims to reflect the policies inherent in the Provincial Growth Plan, which advocates placing walkable infill development in close proximity to public transit. A design proposal links natural corridors and recreational spaces with a public thoroughfare along the existing railway line in Milton, Ontario. A dense new community flanks this public armature which connects the public realm network of this rapidly developing town to the larger network of the Metropolitan Greenbelt. <br>    The Town of Milton becomes a test case for scenarios which are common within the GTA, and examines the human impact on environmental systems moving towards symbiosis. The context of this city-building predicts a fundamental conceptual shift in the priorities of urban living, where residents understand the value of the natural environment and their relationship to it. That is to say, its context is one in which nature matters.

The provision and pricing of parking are recognized as important tools for achieving transportation demand management (TDM) objectives. Much of the existing literature on the topic concentrates on downtown cores and calls for the application of maximum parking allowances to limit supplies. This thesis presents an analysis of existing suburban parking supplies in order to quantify parking maxima. The total number of spaces provided, footprint required to accommodate the spaces and the employment to which parking is providing are quantified. The totals are separated by different land use categories and quantities of employment are normalized to account for high trip-generating jobs such as retail. Parking supplies are examined as a function of traditional land use market theory and across primary land use categories. The results indicate that employment is a fairly weak indicator of parking supply, while weighted employment that considers the effects of retail is a much stronger indicator. On average, very high and very low land use densities have the lowest parking requirements per employee (0.39 spaces per employee) while moderate land use densities have the least diversity of land use, yet the highest supply of employee parking (4.01 spaces per employee). The methodology applied may be used to produce quantitative maxima to be incorporated into local parking bylaws that are recognized as potentially strong TDM tools. Further research that compares the observed parking supply patterns across a series of mid-sized cities is recommended to make stronger conclusions regarding the range of maximum values.

In early 2005, increasing social and infrastructural costs associated with the rapidly expanding Greater Toronto Area [GTA] pressed the Province of Ontario to initiate a growth management strategy for the region. The Provincial <em>Growth Plan</em>, coupled with its <em>Greenbelt Plan</em>, effectively legislates a minimum of 40 per cent infill development by 2015 and limits land supply until 2031. This book explores the extents and implications of this legislation, with a particular focus on the Town of Milton, a key community west of downtown Toronto, where city and Greenbelt meet. <br>    The structure of suburban communities can and should be modified to improve their sense of identity, and reduce their environmental impact and dependency on automobiles. The thesis aims to reflect the policies inherent in the Provincial Growth Plan, which advocates placing walkable infill development in close proximity to public transit. A design proposal links natural corridors and recreational spaces with a public thoroughfare along the existing railway line in Milton, Ontario. A dense new community flanks this public armature which connects the public realm network of this rapidly developing town to the larger network of the Metropolitan Greenbelt. <br>    The Town of Milton becomes a test case for scenarios which are common within the GTA, and examines the human impact on environmental systems moving towards symbiosis. The context of this city-building predicts a fundamental conceptual shift in the priorities of urban living, where residents understand the value of the natural environment and their relationship to it. That is to say, its context is one in which nature matters.

The provision and pricing of parking are recognized as important tools for achieving transportation demand management (TDM) objectives. Much of the existing literature on the topic concentrates on downtown cores and calls for the application of maximum parking allowances to limit supplies. This thesis presents an analysis of existing suburban parking supplies in order to quantify parking maxima. The total number of spaces provided, footprint required to accommodate the spaces and the employment to which parking is providing are quantified. The totals are separated by different land use categories and quantities of employment are normalized to account for high trip-generating jobs such as retail. Parking supplies are examined as a function of traditional land use market theory and across primary land use categories. The results indicate that employment is a fairly weak indicator of parking supply, while weighted employment that considers the effects of retail is a much stronger indicator. On average, very high and very low land use densities have the lowest parking requirements per employee (0.39 spaces per employee) while moderate land use densities have the least diversity of land use, yet the highest supply of employee parking (4.01 spaces per employee). The methodology applied may be used to produce quantitative maxima to be incorporated into local parking bylaws that are recognized as potentially strong TDM tools. Further research that compares the observed parking supply patterns across a series of mid-sized cities is recommended to make stronger conclusions regarding the range of maximum values.

The possibility of urban decline in metropolitan post-war inner suburbs is currently being examined in the planning literature, particularly in the United States. Inner suburbs are built between 1946 and 1971 and are therefore older and structurally different from the later suburbs. At the same time, they lack the amenities of the core and the inner cities. This thesis aims to examine whether inner suburban decline is occurring in Canada. 15 largest Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) are selected for the purpose of this study. All CMAs are then separated into five urban zones: the core, the inner suburbs, the outer suburbs, and the fringe/exurbs. All zones are then assessed for decline based on relative changes in median household income, average dwelling values, and average gross rent in the period between 1986 and 2006. Subsequently, nine of the largest CMAs are also assessed for declines in the prosperity factor and the exclusivity factor. These variables are extracted via a factor analysis which includes variables measuring demographic, socio-economic, and housing characteristics. Results indicate that inner suburbs declined in median household income, the average value of dwelling, and the prosperity factor measures. In contrast, average gross rent and the exclusivity factor showed less clear results. Overall, the results obtained in this study suggest that Canada’s inner suburbs are experiencing decline. The possible causes of inner suburban decline remain poorly understood. A number of possible explanations are offered, ranging from the lack of urban appeal of the inner suburbs, the decline of the industrial employment sector, to aging housing stock, the movement of displaced low-income immigrants, and the aging of seniors with limited income. More research is necessary in order to establish plausible mechanisms beyond preliminary speculation. A number of policy approaches to inner suburban decline are outlined. Emphasis is placed on the revitalization of housing, greater cooperation between metropolitan regions and implementation of smart growth strategies. Further research avenues include the confirmation of the phenomenon in Canada, as well as policy case studies examining the success of planning approaches in arresting inner suburban decline.

This research study was conducted as a qualitative case study of six middle class African American mothers living in a suburban community. Their children attended a predominantly White suburban junior high school in their community. The study was designed to hear the voices of the six mothers and their perceptions of their children’s experiences in suburban schools. The intent of this study was to broaden the limited research base relating to the academic achievement of African American students from the mothers’ perspective. Specifically, this study investigated the African American mothers’ perception of their children’s interactions with their White teachers and the difficulties their children faced in advanced placement courses. This study used the specific words of the mothers to share their narratives. Data were collected through open-ended, semi-structured individual interviews followed by focus group sessions. Data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously from the interviews, focus group sessions, and field notes. From the analysis, themes emerged and were formulated into categories. The results revealed that mothers perceived: (a) teachers as holding a lack of cultural appreciation for their children’s culture, (b) low expectations held by the teachers (students constantly had to prove their ability), (c) a lack of communication from the teacher to the mother, (d) the teachers’ lack of understanding of the mothers’ preparation of the success of their children, (e) the need to maintain a role of advocacy, (f) the need to maintain a role of visibility, and (g) the need to maintain a role of proactive parenting.

This study examines the readiness of suburban towns in Austin for the potential development of affordable and low-income housing through their comprehensive plans and land use policies. The study consists of four sections: an overview of the greater Austin MSA and the developing poverty in the suburban areas, a literature review of the effects of local land use policies on affordable housing production and development, the establishment of a “best practices” metric for local land use policies amenable to affordable housing production, and application of the metric to four localities in the Austin MSA, including Elgin, Dripping Springs, Kyle, and Georgetown. The findings reveal primarily low scores overall for the four localities, and expose the challenges suburban jurisdictions in a high-growth MSA in Texas face when addressing the needs of increasing low-income residents, and display best practices that localities with successful methods use to address those needs. / text

The possibility of urban decline in metropolitan post-war inner suburbs is currently being examined in the planning literature, particularly in the United States. Inner suburbs are built between 1946 and 1971 and are therefore older and structurally different from the later suburbs. At the same time, they lack the amenities of the core and the inner cities. This thesis aims to examine whether inner suburban decline is occurring in Canada. 15 largest Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) are selected for the purpose of this study. All CMAs are then separated into five urban zones: the core, the inner suburbs, the outer suburbs, and the fringe/exurbs. All zones are then assessed for decline based on relative changes in median household income, average dwelling values, and average gross rent in the period between 1986 and 2006. Subsequently, nine of the largest CMAs are also assessed for declines in the prosperity factor and the exclusivity factor. These variables are extracted via a factor analysis which includes variables measuring demographic, socio-economic, and housing characteristics. Results indicate that inner suburbs declined in median household income, the average value of dwelling, and the prosperity factor measures. In contrast, average gross rent and the exclusivity factor showed less clear results. Overall, the results obtained in this study suggest that Canada’s inner suburbs are experiencing decline. The possible causes of inner suburban decline remain poorly understood. A number of possible explanations are offered, ranging from the lack of urban appeal of the inner suburbs, the decline of the industrial employment sector, to aging housing stock, the movement of displaced low-income immigrants, and the aging of seniors with limited income. More research is necessary in order to establish plausible mechanisms beyond preliminary speculation. A number of policy approaches to inner suburban decline are outlined. Emphasis is placed on the revitalization of housing, greater cooperation between metropolitan regions and implementation of smart growth strategies. Further research avenues include the confirmation of the phenomenon in Canada, as well as policy case studies examining the success of planning approaches in arresting inner suburban decline.