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

solar panels on roof with large buildings in the background
Introduction to Corporate Sustainability
Carlos Zapata
45 Mins
  • AICP CM
smoke and air pollution from smokestack
Economic Thinking for Planners: Economics of the Environment
Peter Gordon
56 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD
Denver union station with city skyline aerial photo
Introduction to Transit Oriented Development
John Hersey
51 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD
exterior and interior of tiny home for urban planning course
Regulatory Implications of Tiny Homes
Malak Hakim
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
Carlos Zapata
61 Mins
  • CIP
  • AICP CM
child playing with bubbles in park
Introduction to Healthy Communities
Matt Raimi
72 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD
aerial of denver with buildings and transit
Equitable Transit Oriented Development
John Hersey
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
Elliot Hartley
70 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD
A city with digital icons.
Planning in an Era of Disruptive Change
David Rouse
47 Mins
  • AICP CM
homes being rebuilt from natural disaster
Disaster Resilience and Recovery Through Land Use Planning
Walter Gillis Peacock
78 Mins
  • SACPLAN CPD
wide angle shot of Austin Texas with a freeway and city skyline
Environmental and Sustainability Standards
Carlos Zapata
61 Mins
  • CIP
  • AICP CM
runners and bicyclists in park
Comprehensive Planning for Healthy Communities
Matt Raimi
78 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD
aerial of los angeles with apartment buildings
Prospects for Zoning Reform
Jenny Schuetz
96 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
cars in traffic emitting pollution
Transportation Planning: Effects on the Environment, Health, and Social Justice
Richard Willson
57 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD
Philadelphia Neighborhood
Green Infrastructure
David Rouse
56 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
bike lane
Bicycle-Friendly Streets: Design Standards
Michelle DeRobertis
41 Mins
  • SACPLAN CPD
people working in a warehouse surrounded with boxes
Sustainable Supply Chains
Carlos Zapata
59 Mins
  • CIP
  • AICP CM
neighborhood with buildings and metro train
Introduction to Urban Sustainability Appraisal Tools
Eliot Allen
69 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD
mixed-use development with people walking, retail stores
Walkable Density: Building Livable, Equitable, and Resilient Communities
David Dixon
60 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD
metro train with buildings in background
Transportation Planning: Land Use and Transportation Systems
Richard Willson
62 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD
Waves impact breakwater
Resilience Planning for Coastal Hazards
Chris Holtkamp
81 Mins
  • CIP
  • AICP CM
vegetables at farmers market
Healthy Urban Food Systems: Planning Retail Facilities
Lauren Dunning
55 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

Top Sustainability Instructors

Eliot Allen

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

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Chris Holtkamp

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

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Carlos Zapata

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

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Kristin Faurest

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

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Seema Thomas

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

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Michael R. Boswell

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

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Richard Willson

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

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Tammy Seale

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

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Jeff Speck

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

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David Rouse

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

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David Dixon

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

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John Hersey

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

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Matt Raimi

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

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Lauren Dunning

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

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Jonathan Ochshorn

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

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Lindsay Malbon

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

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Jenny Schuetz

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

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Jason Neville

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

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Donald Shoup

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

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James Brasuell

James Brasuell is the managing editor of Planetizen.

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William Fulton

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

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Scott Frazier

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

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Mariela Alfonzo

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

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Allison Arieff

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

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All Sustainability Courses

Digital Accessibility for Planners: Documents - Part 1 Sign Up

Digital Accessibility for Planners: Documents - Part 1

Instructor: Jonathan Katz-Ouziel

By the end of this course, planners will be able to address common access barriers in documents they produce. The first course will provide an introduction to the topic and initial skills, while the second course will dive into more "advanced" skills.

4.42
102 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
Generative AI, Ethics, and the Future of Urban Planning Sign Up

Generative AI, Ethics, and the Future of Urban Planning

Instructor: Tom Sanchez

Explore the ethical and equity implications of using generative AI in urban planning. This course addresses bias, transparency, public trust, emerging tools like digital twins, and offers practical guidance for responsible adoption.

4.30
66 Mins
CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
What Is Generative AI and Why It Matters for Urban Planning

What Is Generative AI and Why It Matters for Urban Planning

Instructor: Tom Sanchez

This course introduces urban planners to Generative AI (GenAI), covering its fundamentals and demonstrating how it can create text, images, videos, and designs to enhance planning practices.

4.37
61 Mins
CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
Free

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