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Now showing 1 - 10 of 12
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Atlanta NPU-G Community Master Plan - A Live-Work-Play Approach to Upward Mobility

2010-12-15 , Allen, Colleen , Caiafa, Tom , Clark, Jesse , Gitt, Sarah , Liwag, Kenneth , McClendon, Emily , McBurney, Andy , Pochowski, Alek , Robertson, Evan , Rosintoski, Erin

This report focuses on Neighborhood Planning Unit G (NPU-G), a relatively unknown and seemingly forgotten area located just northwest of Atlanta’s city center. NPU-G is a neighborhood of contrasts: beautiful natural resources comingle with human-made nuisances; one of the oldest established neighborhoods where residents of 30 or more years still live has a severe lack of everyday-living resources. Containing natural features such as the Chattahoochee River, a rural aspect, and dedicated parks, NPU-G has unique appeal in a city known for its urban greenspaces. However, NPU-G is also known for large tracts of public housing, one of the biggest landfills in the city, and minimal provision of basic services. Although the lack of development in NPU-G has preserved the natural resources already available, it has also created a state of neglect for the residents of the neighborhood. NPU-G provides the perfect forum for current policy to be implemented and showcased, and for Atlanta to demonstrate the capacity for rebirth for which the city is known. The conditions of NPU-G supply the ideal opportunity for the City of Atlanta to implement sustainable and innovative solutions at lower costs. The lack of existing infrastructure or development provides a clean slate rare for new projects within the city limits. The natural resources, especially the Chattahoochee River, are unique to the area and will generate opportunities unavailable in other neighborhoods, drawing interest in and resources to the area.

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A Social Network Analysis of Sustainability in Georgia’s Carpet Industry

2010-12 , Robertson, Evan D.

Ideas are a funny thing. Some simply die off at the moment of inception, never gaining any traction in the world. Others spread like wildfire, permeating through all parts of the world and altering its landscape for generations. This is a paper about the latter type of idea. Sustainability entered Georgia’s carpet industry as an epiphany. Ray Anderson, CEO of Interface, suddenly realized the impending ecological crisis that our planet now faces and his company’s role in perpetuating the crisis (Anderson, 2009). With this epiphany came sweeping changes occurring throughout all parts of Interface’s production process. Production workers as well as marketing staff were involved in reducing the environmental footprint at Interface. It is likely that this initial spark would have only stayed at the medium sized carpet manufacturer had it not been for two alternative pressures which would fan the flames to other firms in Georgia. The first pressure came from the EPA who wished to regulate carpet due to the fact that carpet is difficult to handle in landfills and doesn’t decompose (Realff, 2011). Under threat of EPA regulations, the carpet industry established the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) in 2002. CARE’s mission is “to find market driven solutions to the diversion of post-consumer carpet from landfills to meet the time sensitive goals of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Carpet Stewardship” (Carpet American Recovery Effort, p. 1). The memorandum of understanding was established by private, government, and non-profit organization who created a ten year goal to “increase the amount of recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet and reduce the amount of waste carpet going to landfills” (Carpet American Recovery Effort, 2008a). CARE is essentially an industry driven regulatory agency. Members of the CARE board include individuals from the major carpet producers: Interface, Beaulieu of America, Shaw Industries, and Mohawk Industries. The threat of EPA regulations caused substantial internal change and pushed the idea of sustainability up on industry’s priority list. The fact that the second pressure made this activity profitable insured that sustainability was set as a priority of the industry. The Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) was the second pressure that motivated the carpet industry to adopt a sweeping environmental sustainability agenda. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) was created in 1998 to promote the construction of green buildings. In order to incentivize private developers to build sustainably, the USGBC issued a point system which rated a new or existing real estate development’s energy and environmental design. Within the point system were three points that were pertinent to the carpet industry: Material Reuse (MR) Credit Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Credit 4.1 Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Credit 4.3 MR credit 4 requires that the building “Use materials with recycled content such that the sum of postconsumer recycled content plus 1/2 of the preconsumer content constitutes at least 10% or 20%, based on cost, of the total value of the materials in the project” (United States Green Building Council, p. 52). Using carpet with recycled content could by no means solely earn the developer the two credits available in this category. However, recycled carpet could certainly help the developer achieve the two available points for this credit along with other using other recycled content building materials. The remaining two credits are aimed at environmental health: IEQ credit 4.1 gives the building one point if the carpet sealants emit no more than 50 grams of Volatile Organic Compounds per liter, while IEQ credit 4.3 gives the building one point if the carpet used in the building meets the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus program (United States Green Building Council, 2008). The LEED point scheme ultimately pushed private developers and architecture firms to demand green products from the carpet industry. Together with the EPA regulatory pressure, the demand from consumers of carpet pushed the carpet industry to aggressively adopt environmental sustainability practices and standards. These initial sparks within the industry aided by the fact that in this forest the trees were particularly close together created a conflagration of sustainability in Georgia’s carpet industry. A social network is defined as: Individuals or groups linked by some common bond, shared social status, similar or shared functions, or geographic or cultural connection (Barker, 1999). Networks are fluid entities, with individuals easily leaving and entering the network. The study of these networks has gained only limited traction in the study of local economies. This limited traction is because social network analysis studies social relationships, relationships which are much more difficult to collect data on. However, the social and the economic are becoming increasingly intertwined, especially as our economic structure becomes more knowledge intensive. Social network analysis can be used, together with traditional economic analyses, to study the flow of information or power structures inherent in the local and regional economy. For instance, the spread of sustainability in Georgia’s carpet industry could be understood by the industry’s participation in certain non-profit organizations which set sustainability standards for the carpet industry. As we will see later in this report, the social network of Georgia’s carpet industry is relatively small and tight knit. Three major carpet producers, Shaw, Mohawk, and Beaulieu of America accounted for 9.8 billion dollars of the 14 billion dollars in industry sales produced in 2006 (Davidson, 2006).Since the carpet industry is dominated by a few key players, the process of coordinating standards and disseminating sustainable practices is simplified. Moreover, the carpet industry has three important forums which bring leaders together to discuss the sustainability issues of the carpet industry. These public forums are: the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Sustainability Issue Management Team, the Carpet America Recovery Effort board and the National Sanitation Foundation’s 140 standards board. Together, these institutions play a critical role in bring actors within the industry together, helping them to coordinate sustainability standards and practices. These organizations and the social network of the carpet industry will be analyzed later in this paper. This research paper combines traditional methods for analyzing an industry with the burgeoning field of social network analysis. The paper is composed into three parts. Part one entails the more traditional analysis of the carpet industry using data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data was analyzed paying special attention to the implications it has for the social network of Georgia’s carpet industry. Part two reviews the wealth of literature of social network analysis and innovation. The assumption of the literature review is that industries adopting sustainable practices mimic high innovation industries. Thus, the conclusions and observations of the literature can be used to help inform the paper’s social network analysis of the carpet industry. Finally, part three of this report includes the social network analysis of the carpet industry along with recommendations aimed at sustaining and further promoting sustainable practices within the carpet industry.

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An Evaluation of Redevelopment Potential along the Proposed I-85 Corridor Light Rail Line

2010-05 , Sinclair, Alyssa

With traffic congestion on the rise and uncertainty over future gas prices, numerous plans for transit expansion have been proposed in Metro Atlanta. Gwinnett County, which rejected MARTA's proposed expansion of its Northeast line to Gwinnett Place Mall in 1990, has reversed its previous position on rail. Voters have expressed a new interest in rail service, and business leaders have pushed for light rail to encourage new growth and development. This research explores the relationship between LRT and redevelopment by looking at case studies from other light rail lines around the country. These case studies examine the implementation process of light rail lines, their ridership levels and funding sources, and the redevelopment that has occurred along these lines. In particular, these examinations look at the role of land use planning in developing successful rail transit lines. They highlight successes as well as failures and develop a set of measures to use in evaluating the proposed I-85 rail project. Based upon these measures, this study examines current land use patterns in the proposed corridor and considers what policies and incentives it will take to implement transit oriented development at station areas.

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Exploring the Concept of a GIS-based Decision Support System for the Upgrading of Informal Settlements in South Africa’s North West Province

2010 , Morrow, Edward

With its first democratic elections held in 1994, The Republic of South Africa underwent a profound change. The newly elected regime faced a starkly polarized geographic and social landscape. On one hand were affluent suburbs and prosperous urban centers offering promising opportunities, while on the other were overcrowded, impoverished informal settlements on the urban peripheries. Underpinning this for many years was a system of racially biased planning that emphasized separate social, economic and physical development among black and non-black racial groups - a system which inscribed deep divisions into both the geography and the social memory of the country and its people (Turok, 2001). Unfortunately, the negative economic and social forces set in place under apartheid did not cease with the arrival of South African democracy. While some improvements have been cited with regard to housing provision and extension of services into previously neglected peripheral townships, the scale and character of investment from one locality to another varies markedly, implying broad continuity of past practice rather than progressive transformation (Turok, 2001). The legacy of apartheid remains embedded in conservative institutional and social practices that persist. Additionally, as recent assessments indicate, there is growing tension between the promulgators of law at the national level and those charged with implementing law at the local and municipal levels (Huchzermeyer, 2009). These negative realities, past and present, impede the nation's advancement, overriding the positive spirit and transformative intent of the new Constitution and its associated policy implements. Several years after heeding the UN’s call for the improvement of living conditions for “slum” dwellers with the endorsement of the Millenium Development Goals, a substantial proportion of South Africa’s population remains housed under conditions termed 'informal.' Further, it is estimated that the rate of informal settlement growth exceeds that of affordable housing provision (Turok, 2001). In situ upgrading, or upgrading in place, is internationally recognized as the best practice for addressing the plight of these fragile communities. Though the South African Constitution is clear in its commitment to this course of action, a lack of specificity and the absence of a replicable methodology for the implementation of the in situ upgrading process has created wide inconsistency and, often, irresponsibility in the handling of informal settlements (Huchzermeyer, 2009). Recent technological innovations have significantly increased the capacity of urban administrators to provide timely and consistent analyses of a high quality. Satellite imagery and other remote sensing technologies have enabled monitoring of urban growth, morphology and a wide range of phenomena essential to sound future planning. These outputs as well as data from other sources can be combined in a geographical information system (GIS) for management, interpretation and modeling (Bolstad, 2005). A GIS-based decision support system of this nature holds the potential to help South African municipal and provincial housing officials improve the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of investment through more informed planning. A GIS can be used to identify priority areas based on either urgent needs or latent potential for growth. It will also facilitate greater balance in the consideration of physical and social factors in the planning process, and provide a firm basis for decision-making. This paper will review the core objectives and structure of the National Informal Settlement Upgrading Program, and explore the concept of a provincial GIS-based decision support system to guide future upgrade projects in South Africa's Northwest Province.

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Natural Gas - Affordable, Abundant and American: Making the care for natural gas in the transportation sector

2010-12 , Kiefhaber, Shannon

Due to the recent Gulf oil spill, a collective conscious has begun to ponder the question: When will we stop using oil as a base for transportation fuel, and what will replace it? While it is unlikely that conventional, petroleum-based fuels will be completely replaced in the next decade; it is possible that the ever increasing demand for energy in the transportation sector could be met by a variety of fuels and technologies. The most likely options include biodiesel, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG) and electrification. One of the primary reasons for pursuing alternative fueled vehicles is to decrease emissions of environmentally harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. As legislation like the renewable-fuels standards and low-carbon fuel standards intensify, a niche market for alternative fuels is beginning to emerge. The importance of reducing energy demand and carbon intensities of fuels is going to greatly impact the type of vehicles and choices of fuels expected to be manufactured in the future automobile industry. Natural gas, as an alternative, is very attractive due to its low price and low carbon intensities. Per unit of energy, natural gas contains less carbon than any other fossil fuel, and thus produces lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per vehicle mile traveled. While there is a current lack of infrastructure that has greatly limited natural gas use to captive public fleets, commercial industries are beginning to invest in alternative fuel vehicles. Making America less dependent on foreign oil is a national priority. President Obama, in accepting his party’s nomination, established his own clear goals: “For the sake of our economy, our security and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: in 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.” While the United States imports more than 60 percent of the oil it uses, 98 percent of the natural gas used in the U.S. was produced in North America. Every gallon equivalent of natural gas used in vehicles is one less gallon of petroleum that has to be imported. (Federal NGV Tax Incentives, 2010) Despite the recent growth in interest of natural gas, there is still significant obstacles natural gas vehicles face in order to capture a major share of the market. Concerns amount around economics-whether the equivalent gasoline or diesel vehicle is cheaper, as well as concerns about safety and availability of refueling stations. This paper investigates evidence around all of these concerns as well as identifies markets where natural gas vehicles would be the most efficient.

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Urban Waterfront Expressways

2010-05 , Wallace, Ross

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Community Design Center: An Organization Analysis

2010-05 , Murphy, Deanna

Design centers have been in existence since the 1960s, yet only 19% of the design centers, surveyed in this report, have been in existence for over 30 years. A majority of design centers, 63%, have only been in business for 1-10 years. As design centers provide an important service to disadvantaged individuals and groups, it is necessary to identify what characterizes a successful design center and what methods they utilize to achieve this success. The recommendations obtained from this report will provide new and restructuring design centers advice on considerations and decisions that are necessary to organize and structure their center in a way that will allow them to provide services to those who need it, for many years to come.

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Urban Green Infrastructure: A Study of Implementation Strategies

2010-12 , Merriam, Dee

The acquisition and management of natural systems is often fragmented and underfunded. The result is missed opportunities to leverage synergistic community goals. I plan to explore the concept of "urban green infrastructure" and the opportunities it presents for establishing systematic management of critical urban systems.

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Assessing the Need for Public Subsidization of a New Atlanta Falcons Stadium

2010-05 , Tyran, Richard J.

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Tightening the Spigot: Water Conservation Implementation in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area

2010-04 , Zayas, Ermis

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