| As urban populations grow and the popularity of infill and sustainable development increases, practitioners have made attempts at outlining new industry standards for the development of urban space. The ecodistrict model, conceptualized in Northern Europe a decade ago, has been receiving a lot of attention in the United States lately as the ideal scale and method for sustainable urban development. Proponents tout its ability to achieve high standards of environmental efficiency, while also addressing social equity and economic concerns. This research examines ecodistrict examples in Germany, Sweden, Canada and the United States in an effort to better understand how effectively each variation of the model incorporates social equity principles. American cities will soon experience a surge in district-scale infill development projects that will have lasting effects on the surrounding urban fabric. Comprehensive, replicable and egalitarian guidelines for all three categories of sustainability will be fundamental to the success of those efforts.;This study finds that while the ecodistrict model is evolving to better meet social equity principles, there are still barriers to participation for the lowest income and renting populations. Recommendations for an improved model include: strategic economic development in coordination with ecodistrict development, inclusionary housing policies supported by community programming, resident-led ecodistrict governance with municipal support, access to educational resources and proactive leadership to foster community interaction. |
