Sustainability | Planetizen Courses

Sustainability planning involves strategies and practices that reduce carbon emissions and the reliance on fossil fuels, conserve natural resources, promote infill development and density, and support renewable energy. Sustainable urban planning ensures the long-term ecological, economic, and social health of cities through policies and regulatory mechanisms that focus on energy efficiency and smart growth.

Sustainability Courses

exterior of leed building

Greening the Neighborhood: LEED-ND Core Concepts

29 Mins

AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

large landfill with electronics and computers

Wasted Urban Opportunities

53 Mins

CIP
AICP CM

cars in traffic

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounting for Cities

Michael R. Boswell, Tammy Seale

60 Mins

AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park.

History of U.S. Landscape Architecture, Part 1

Kristin Faurest

64 Mins

AIA CES
AICP CM

graphic of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

UN Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Cities in Implementation

75 Mins

CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

view of downtown minneapolis from bridge

Greening the Neighborhood: LEED-ND Metrics

65 Mins

AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

detached accessory dwelling unit ADU in backyard

Accessory Dwelling Units: Understanding America’s Newest Housing Typology

57 Mins

CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

beach houses on coastline

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for Cities

Michael R. Boswell

59 Mins

AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Brooklyn Bridge Park at golden hour

History of U.S. Landscape Architecture, Part 2

Kristin Faurest

61 Mins

AIA CES
AICP CM

bicyclists with city bus in background in santa monica

Incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals into the Planning Process

66 Mins

CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

leed buildings with green space in foreground

Greening the Neighborhood: LEED-ND Globally and v.4 Update

51 Mins

AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

parking meter on sidewalk

The Right Price for Curb Parking

51 Mins

CIP
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

group of bicyclists in bike lane

Creating a Low-Carbon, Resilient City

Michael R. Boswell, Tammy Seale

48 Mins

AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Findlay market on a colorful street in Ohio.

Landscape Design for Social Sustainability, Part 1

Kristin Faurest

57 Mins

CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM

solar panels on roof with large buildings in the background

Introduction to Corporate Sustainability

45 Mins

AICP CM

smoke and air pollution from smokestack

Economic Thinking for Planners: Economics of the Environment

56 Mins

AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

Denver union station with city skyline aerial photo

Introduction to Transit Oriented Development

51 Mins

CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

exterior and interior of tiny home for urban planning course

Regulatory Implications of Tiny Homes

58 Mins

AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A

A busy street in Vienna, Austria.

Landscape Design for Social Sustainability, Part 2

Kristin Faurest

53 Mins

CIP
AICP CM

closeup map of texas showing weather conditions

Developing a Fact Basis for Hazard Planning

Shannon Van Zandt

62 Mins

SACPLAN CPD

materiality determination graphic

Principles of Materiality, Responsiveness, Inclusivity, and Impact

61 Mins

CIP
AICP CM

child playing with bubbles in park

Introduction to Healthy Communities

72 Mins

AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

aerial of denver with buildings and transit

Equitable Transit Oriented Development

57 Mins

CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

3d model created in cityengine for urban planning course

CityEngine for Planners 3: Integration and GIS

70 Mins

AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

Top Sustainability Instructors

Eliot Allen

Eliot Allen, certified, LEED AP-ND, is an urban planner and Principal with Criterion Planners of Portland...

Chris Holtkamp

Chris Holtkamp is a certified planner and is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning at the...

Carlos Zapata

Carlos Zapata is a Sustainability and ESG professional who is a graduate of Yale's MBA in...

Kristin Faurest

Kristin Faurest is a public garden education and outreach professional, author, and landscape architecture educator, committed...

Seema Thomas

Seema is an urban development professional focused on developing and expanding innovative and inclusive initiatives to...

Michael R. Boswell

Michael R. Boswell is a Professor of City & Regional Planning at California Polytechnic State University...

Richard Willson

Richard Willson is a professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at California State...

Tammy Seale

Tammy Seale is a principal with Michael Baker International and director of the Sustainability and Climate...

Jeff Speck

Jeff Speck is a city planner who advocates internationally for more walkable cities.

David Rouse

David is a consultant, educator, and author with over 40 years of experience in urban and...

David Dixon

David is well known for helping create new, mixed-use urban districts (in both cities and suburbs)...

John Hersey

John is a planner with two decades of experience critically evaluating and advancing transit-oriented development as...

Matt Raimi

Matt Raimi is the president and founder of Raimi + Associates, a Berkeley-based planning, design and...

Lauren Dunning

Lauren Dunning is a lawyer and public health practitioner whose work has focused on developing strategies...

Jonathan Ochshorn

Jonathan is a registered architect with an academic background in structural engineering and urban design as...

Lindsay Malbon

Lindsay is an urban lighting and dark sky educator. Her lighting research has been featured in...

Jenny Schuetz

Jenny is a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and an expert in housing policy.

Jason Neville

Jason is an experienced urban planner, redevelopment professional, and affordable housing developer.

Donald Shoup

Donald Shoup is Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA. His research...

James Brasuell

James Brasuell is the managing editor of Planetizen.

William Fulton

William Fulton is the director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research and the former mayor...

Scott Frazier

Scott Frazier is one of the hosts of the L.A. Podcast. Scott is also Director of...

Mariela Alfonzo

Mariela Alfonzo is the founder and CEO of State of Place. Mariela also has a PhD...

Allison Arieff

Allison Arieff is the editorial director of SPUR and a columnist for The New York Times.

Master Urban Planning Skills With A Planetizen Courses Subscription.

Sign up

All Sustainability Courses

Enhancing Public Participation with Generative AI

Instructor: Tom Sanchez

This tutorial shows how generative AI can enhance inclusive and responsive public participation in urban planning by summarizing feedback, tailoring outreach, and visualizing scenarios using real-world tools and examples.

4.37

77 Mins

CIP

AIA CES

AICP CM

Designing a Wayfinding System

Instructor: Adam Fine

Learn how to create a comprehensive wayfinding signage system for your municipality from start to finish.

4.54

58 Mins

CIP

AIA CES

AICP CM

Planning a Municipal Wayfinding System

Instructor: Adam Fine

Often overlooked, wayfinding is important for urban design, accessibility, and economic development. Learn the elements of a successful wayfinding system in this course.

4.63

57 Mins

CIP

AIA CES

AICP CM