Cushing Terrell Proposes Land Use Changes in Response to Recent IPCC Climate Reports

Director of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture, Keith Walzak, identifies opportunities to slow climate change through revised land use tactics.

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Cushing Terrell

Oct 19, 2021, 13:18 ET

DENVER, Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest report last summer on the state of the warming planet, declaring: "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land." Findings from the report — approved by 195 governments and based on more than 14,000 studies — also showed that aggressive, rapid, and widespread cuts to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, if they begin immediately, could limit warming beyond 2050. In response to the grim forecast, Keith Walzak, Director of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture at the multidisciplinary design firm Cushing Terrell, calls for reforms to include:

More conscious and thoughtful land-use planning
Enhanced research and education regarding land-use development
Strengthened partnerships between design firms, city leaders, developers, and financing institutions

Walzak's call to action: "Now, we need to go deeper than all-electric homes, solar panels, and recycled materials; we need to focus on why, where, and how to build in general. This means rethinking the entire planning, design, and construction process as well as changing local development regulations and policies that currently promote urban sprawl development patterns."

Walzak identifies human-centered design, a defining characteristic of Cushing Terrell's multi-phased design process, as a key solution to the problem of expedient development. He notes, "Battling climate change through design, while having obvious implications for land use, is about centering development on the users. Designing for people's well-being tends to result in more conscious, sustainable design."

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About Cushing Terrell
Cushing Terrell was founded in 1938 on the belief that integrating architecture, engineering, and design opens the doors for deepened relationships and enhanced creativity. This foundation continues to define the multi-disciplinary firm today. Driven by empathy, the team works to design systems and spaces that help people live their best lives, achieve their visions, and enjoy healthy, sustainable built environments. With more than 425 team members and expertise across the commercial, education, government, healthcare, residential, and retail markets, the firm has offices in Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Texas, and Washington.

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