About

The New England Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU New England) is proud to host the Sustainable Urbanism Summit. Throughout its history, CNU New England has focused on the improvement of the built and natural environment of New England. After many years of advocacy and design guidance, NOW is the critical time for action. As the political and economic conditions of our country change, it is imperative that we tackle our environmental crisis, collectively identifying challenges, exploring opportunities, and planning for a better, more resilient way of life in New England.

The Sustainable Urbanism Summit aims to inspire and connect professionals, public servants, academics and citizens, who together will seed a larger campaign. New England has the physical framework to become a model for sustainable urbanism at every scale. Healthy and complete town centers are one of the most comprehensive solutions to climate change. Building on this assumption, Summit speakers will address the critical challenges facing our towns.

The Sustainable Urbanism Summit will investigate a variety of factors inhibiting progress and change, in an effort to stimulate creative thinking, active dialogue, and group problem solving. Speakers, including James Howard Kunstler, author of The Long Emergency, Parin Shah, from Green for All, and Juli Beth Hinds from Vanasse Hangen Brustlin’s Vermont office, will address many of the following critical questions.

The Human Habitat: How can New England reinvigorate its historic centers to provide human habitat that, once again, promotes “life in the street?” What tools are available to New England towns that want to promote retrofit and infill of decaying suburban development as a viable alternative to sprawl?

Smart Towns and Smart States: How can towns and states use financial incentives to promote development in designated centers? How can model form-based codes and the charrette process be retooled so that small towns can afford to make big plans for their future? How can current and future rounds of funding be steered to support smart and sustainable growth, not auto-oriented sprawl?

The New Economy: How can green energy and green jobs boost New England’s economy and quality of life? What opportunities can be found in local agriculture? What tools and mechanisms are available to finance investments in smaller building increments? What affordable technologies are available for small New England towns with no public sewer and water?

You Can Get There From Here: How can New England promote alternative forms of transportation, including walking, biking, bus, and train service? How can New England towns work with DOTs to promote context sensitive roadway design and redesign of auto-oriented arterials into pedestrian-friendly avenues and boulevards? What tools and methods can towns use to build new neighborhood streets that increase connectivity across multiple parcels held by different owners?

We are responsible for making our homes, our villages, our towns, our cities, and our region more prosperous and enduring. Success requires a resilient, sustainable urbanism. Please join us on April 2-3, 2009 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. More information on the CNU climate change initiative can be found at www.cnu.org. Please also visit the Connect section of the summit website to join the on-going conversation.

Conference Committee Members

Christina Carlson, Donald Powers Architects
Andrew Consigli, Elkus-Manfredi Architects
Matthew Lawlor, Robinson & Cole
Ben Morton, Carol R. Johnson Associates
Russell S. Preston, Committee Chair, Cornish Associates
Kathryn Schulte, Elkus-Manfredi Architects
Jennifer Strobel
Matt Valero, Donald Powers Architects
Kara Wilbur, Wilbur & Company Town Planning
Matt Valero, Donald Powers Architects
Darlene Wynne, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin
Stephanie Zurek, Donald Powers Architects