GREEN NDC

Overview and History | Programs and Projects | Who We Are | Awards and Honors

Helping communities become more livable, healthier, and economically viable through green design and sustainable planning.

With concerns about global warming and other environmental health issues, sparked in part by recent devastating natural disasters, news about rolling blackouts, and spiking energy costs, an awareness of green design is at last beginning to take hold in the American public’s consciousness, gradually influencing people’s daily choices and habits. Nonetheless, green design and sustainable practices all too often remain accessible only to the wealthiest segments of the population.

As a result, many Americans have little or no appreciation of what is meant by “going green.” The idea that, with relatively modest investment and moderate effort, they may be able to take advantage of sustainable practices which will improve the energy efficiency of their homes and businesses, reduce their monthly fuel bills, improve indoor air quality and even quality of life in their neighborhoods, is still not widely understood.

For all these reasons, we feel it is critical that NDC become more proactive and deliberate in promoting those elements of green design that directly benefit the communities we serve. In particular, NDC’s programs should focus on issues of urban health, energy efficiency, and quality of life that can and should be improved using green design and sustainable practices.

The goals of GREENDC are:
1. Better integrate green design and sustainable practices into NDC’s existing programs of Project Design, Community Planning, and Education + Civic Engagement, including home retrofit and rehab, parks and community open space, schools, adaptive reuse of buildings, and neighborhood planning.

2. Develop new initiatives and partnerships that meet community needs for information and technical assistance.

3. Position NDC as the "go to" place for green community design and planning in Baltimore and Prince George's County.

First Steps: 2008
1. Green renovation: incorporate green design and sustainable practices into people’s homes, home rehab, and renovation projects. Educational workshops are being developed that will be held in the various communities participating in Healthy Neighborhoods.

2. A Green Plan for East Baltimore: working with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and community leaders to develop workshops, hands-on demonstrations, educational material, and planning sessions for East Baltimore.

3. Look for opportunities for providing green design as part of any new project that NDC undertakes.

For more information about GREENDC and how you can become involved contact Kristen Humphrey at 410-233-9686 x103 or khumphrey@ndc-md.org.