Planners have a difficult job. In addition to being experts in their technical field of planning, they must also understand a variety of other disciplines, like architecture, landscape, and ecology, to name just a few. These fields are complex in their own right, and planners must consider and translate these concepts for laypeople and elected officials alike.

Nico Larco experienced this information overload firsthand and decided to build a resource to compile and contextualize the essential elements of sustainable design. The result was The Sustainable Urban Design Handbook, which he co-authored with Kaarin Knudson.

On this episode of People Behind the Plans, Larco and Knudson share real-world applications of the handbook and how planners can use it throughout the planning process to evaluate their options, engage stakeholders, and find sustainable solutions that meet their community's goals.