SUSTAINABLE HORIZONS: EXPLORING DESIGN INITIATIVES TO SHAPE VIBRANT COLLEGE TOWN, GREENVILLE, NC.

Abstract

This project explores the balance between architectural innovation and ecological consciousness. Sustainable design revolves around many professionals working towards solutions that are environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially equitable. The goal of sustainable design is to meet all the needs of the present generations, without compromising the ability of future generations of meeting their own needs. We will learn the significance of sustainable design in urban environments and its profound impact on communities and the environment. The benefits can be categorized into three areas; quality of life, health and wellbeing. With sustainable design, there is an increase in job satisfaction, health, and productivity. Improved traffic with less congestion, pleasant commutes, and alternate modes of transport. Building and construction methods that incorporate green design create less waste, use less energy, and less water consumption. In turn, this would reduce the need for more landfalls, more energy plants, water treatment plants, and fossil fuel pipelines. The utility buildings we already have would also be more efficient with sustainable design. Through a combination of real-world examples and case studies, we delve into the advantages and challenges associated with implementing sustainable design principles in urban planning and design decisions. This journey toward a more sustainable future takes us from green cities like Freiburg, towards a closer examination of Greenville's BUILD Projects (at least two sections of West 5th Street Streetscape, and Town Common Connector Street Section, Greenville, NC). Greenville is the home of East Carolina University, the third largest university in North Carolina state (~28,718 enrollment), and the sites in the Uptown district were selected carefully within the recreational hub, considering the most frequent movements of the massive, diverse student population. This qualitative research studies Jane Jacobs’s masterpiece, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” to create analysis rubrics, features, and the necessary criteria to conduct more in-depth assessments. Researchers also discuss some of the key features of city planning and sustainable design from the selected case studies, highlighting the importance of urban form, diversity in neighborhoods, importance of Mixed-Use developments, green infrastructure, and renewable energy. Ultimately, the study concludes that simultaneous cultural, contextual, and technological interpretations can potentially suggest more sustainable urban settings for a community, offering many benefits for the environment, society, and the economy