Built Environments

Understanding the intersection of urban and environmental systems is critical to planning and designing the future of our planet. Re-envisioning transportation systems, land use, urban form, building materials, and water and energy systems are all under way at UArizona.

Our research

A Q&A with Ladd Keith

Ladd Keith, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona, shares his research focus, challenges, and impact in a Q&A for the NCSE Conference 2021.

Daniel Casanova standing in front of a canyon

Daniel Casanova: Planning for a Better Future

Sophomore Daniel Casanova, talks about how is outside activism and his UArizona education are preparing him for a future of combatting the climate crisis.

Planning Professor Ladd Keith On Heat As An Emerging Climate Risk For Urban, Low-Income Communities

Tucson's Biosphere 2 reopens to visitors for walking tours

Visitors can once again roam the grounds of the UA’s Biosphere 2.

Landscape Architecture And Urban Planning Professor Bo Yang Awarded Research Grant To Examine Spatial Patterns Of Green Infrastructure

Equitable Green Infrastructure Research Led By Architecture Assistant Professor Courtney Crosson Featured In ScienceDaily

Homes complicate Arizona wildfire response

Development in Arizona's wildlands is making fires more expensive, and in some cases, more difficult to prevent.

The potential of green infrastructure in mitigating flood impacts: Focused on the mobility of low income and minority comunities

This research advances national U.S. methods for assessing flood vulnerability and prioritizing transportation improvement investments, to ensure that no community is left stranded when the next flood occurs.

As Rural Western Towns Grow, So Do Their Planning Challenges

A new study examines the planning challenges that residents and officials in the rural mountain American West have been watching unfold for years. The researchers specifically looked at over 1,500 "gateway communities" – rural communities adjacent to national parks, forests, rivers and other outdoor recreational amenities.