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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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PATHWAYS TO
URBAN
SUSTAINABILITY

A FOCUS ON THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN REGION

Summary of a Workshop

Dominic A. Brose, Rapporteur

Committee on Pathways to Urban Sustainability:
A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region

Science and Technology for Sustainability Program
Policy and Global Affairs

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS   500 Fifth Street, NW   Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This summary report and the workshop on which it was based were supported by the Houston Endowment, Inc. and the Brown Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-31346-9
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-31346-5

Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Room 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313, http://www.nap.edu.

Copyright 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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COMMITTEE ON PATHWAYS TO URBAN SUSTAINABILITY: A FOCUS ON THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN REGION

Jim Lester (Chair), President, Houston Advanced Research Center

Glen T. Daigger, Senior Vice President, CH2M HILL

Winifred J. Hamilton, Professor and Director, Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center’s Environmental Health Section, Baylor College of Medicine

Marilu Hastings, Environment Program Director, The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation

Mary Ellen Hynes, Director of Research, Infrastructure and Geophysical Division, Department of Homeland Security

John Nielsen-Gammon, Regents Professor and Texas State Climatologist, Texas A&M University

Walter G. Peacock, Professor of Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning and Director, Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, Texas A&M University

Jeff Taebel, Director of Community and Environmental Planning, Houston-Galveston Area Council

Bruce Wilcoxon, HSE/SD Lead, Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Exploration, ConocoPhillips

STAFF

Marina Moses, Director, Science and Technology for Sustainability Program

Dominic Brose, Program Officer, Science and Technology for Sustainability Program

Pat Koshel, Senior Program Officer, Science and Technology for Sustainability Program

Jennifer Saunders, Program Officer, Science and Technology for Sustainability Program

Dylan Richmond, Research Assistant, Science and Technology for Sustainability Program

Emi Kameyama, Senior Program Assistant, Science and Technology for Sustainability Program

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In January 2012 the National Research Council’s Science and Technology for Sustainability Program held a workshop organized by the Committee on Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region. The workshop was held to foster a discussion on approaches to urban sustainability in the Houston metropolitan region; to highlight policies and programs that might be developed to further sustainability based on the evidence base; and to help identify place-based research needs and assess promising practices. The workshop was intended to serve as a platform to establish new cooperative programs between federal and local stakeholders, and to engage regional associations, academic institutions, think tanks, and other groups engaged in urban research.

This document has been prepared by the workshop rapporteur as a factual summary of what occurred at the workshop. The statements made in this volume are those of the rapporteur and do not necessarily represent positions of the workshop participants as a whole, the steering committee, the Science and Technology for Sustainability program, or the National Academies. This workshop summary is the result of substantial effort and collaboration among several organizations and individuals. We wish to extend a sincere thanks to each member of the steering committee for their contributions in scoping, developing, and carrying out this project, and to the Shell Center for Sustainability for their assistance in hosting the workshop at Rice University. The project would not have been possible without financial support from the Houston Endownment, Inc. and the Brown Foundation.

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Academies’ Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for quality and objectivity. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report: Lester King, Rice University; Judy Layzer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stephen Linder, The University of Texas; and Kumares Sinha, Purdue University. Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the content of the report, nor did they see the final draft before its release. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the rapporteur and the institution.

Dominic A. Brose

Rapporteur

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18247.
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The workshop was convened to explore the region's approach to urban sustainability, with an emphasis on building the evidence base upon which new policies and programs might be developed. Participants examined how the interaction of various systems (natural and human systems; energy, water, and transportation systems) affected the region's social, economic, and environmental conditions. The objectives of the workshop were as follows:

- Discuss ways that regional actors are approaching sustainability— specifically, how they are attempting to merge environmental, social, and economic objectives.

- Share information about ongoing activities and strategic planning efforts, including lessons learned.

- Examine the role that science, technology, and research can play in supporting efforts to make the region more sustainable.

- Explore how federal agency efforts, particularly interagency partnerships, can complement or leverage the efforts of other key stakeholders.

Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop was designed to explore the complex challenges facing sustainability efforts in the Houston metropolitan region and innovative approaches to addressing them, as well as performance measures to gauge success and opportunities to link knowledge with action. In developing the agenda, the planning committee chose topics that were timely and cut across the concerns of individual institutions, reflecting the interests of a variety of stakeholders. Panelists were encouraged to share their perspectives on a given topic; however, each panel was designed to provoke discussion that took advantage of the broad experience of the participants.

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