Supporting model green communities across the US, Global Green USA has announced it will give eight communities a free design consultation over the next six months.

Supporting model green communities across the US, Global Green USA has announced it will give eight communities a free design consultation over the next six months. Each of the chosen neighborhoods will recieve a 3-day visit from four sustainability experts who will give a comprehensive review and recommendations about how to improve infrastructure and urban design. The suggestions will ensure that these communities become more environmentally responsible, more resource-efficient and support healthy lifestyles.

Spanning the country, the winners of the sustainability consultations are: Lafayette, Indiana; Dearborn, Michigan; Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Greensboro, North Carolina; Lakewood, Colorado; Oakland, California; Louisville, Kentucky; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With grant support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Sustainable Communities under the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program, each of these sites were selected out of a pool of 18 applicants for reasons including need, urgency, and community engagement.

Some of the communities have already put innovative projects into place which drew specific attention from the selection committee. These included initiatives like the West Corridor light rail line in Lakewood, CO – which looks set to serve spur reinvestment in mixed-use development – bike share programs, and an inlux of affordable housing units. Its hoped that each of the selected projects will serve as a model for future sustainable development, providing inspiring examples for other communities.

+ Global Green USA

Images courtesy of Global Green USA