While design guidelines and program certifications are long established in architecture—such as LEED, Fitwel, WELL, and Living Future—as catalysts for defining quality standards, those related specifically to urban design are also expanding in both utilization and impact.
Urban design–related programs such as LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND), the STAR Community Rating System (STAR) by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), and the Living Community Challenge by Living Future categorize critical components of urban quality.
The ten principles of the AIA Framework for Design Excellence "…informs progress toward a zero-carbon, healthy, just, resilient, and equitable environment". The Design for Equitable Communities Principle states that "Good design positively impacts the future by helping communities thrive–socially, economically, and environmentally." Within the framework, Design for Equitable Communities poses penetrating inquiries to designers such as, "How could this project contribute to creating a diverse, accessible, walkable, just, and human-scaled community?." Topics include community engagement and empowerment, community resilience, and mobility and access-- each with detailed actions and resources.
The Urban Land Institute Building Healthy Places Toolkit provides a concise outline of ten principles including "Put People First," "Recognize the Economic Value," "Empower Champions for Health," "Energize Shared Spaces," "Make Healthy Choices Easy," "Ensure Equitable Access," "Mix it Up," "Embrace Unique Character,"
"Promote Access to Healthy Food," and "Make it Active."
The American Planning Association publishes member-driven policy guides on a range of issues including Housing, Healthy Communities, Equity in Zoning, Smart Growth, etc. Such planning initiatives can influence municipal ordinances, codes, policies, incentives, and funding priorities.
Urban design-related aspects such fresh food access, affordable housing, emergent technologies, and multimodal transportation evolve as key priorities shift with individual community needs, cultural influence, political leadership, and economic impacts. Current guidelines, programs, policies, certifications, journals, books, websites, and podcasts all promote various strategies, standards, benchmarks and metrics towards better envisioning, integrating, and enhancing the built environment.
Each resource can provide valuable insights that directly affect both quality of place and quality of life. The challenge is to keep abreast of the growing body of information, research, and discourse, recognize opportunities to apply best practices, and work towards advancing urban design principles to best serve our communities.
Rex Cabaniss AIA, AICP
2026 Vice-Chair, Regional and Urban Design Committee