Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development

The modern southwestern cities of Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and El Paso occupy lands that once supported rich desert ecosystems. Typical development activities often resulted in scraping these desert lands of an ancient living landscape, to be replaced with one that is human-made and dependent on a large consumption of energy and natural resources. Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development explores the natural and built environment of the American Southwest and introduces development tools for shaping the future of the region in a more sustainable way.

Explore the Desert Landscape and Ecology

This transdisciplinary collaboration draws on insights from leading authorities in their fields, spanning science, ecology, planning, landscape development, architecture, and urban design. Organized into five parts, the book begins by introducing the physical aspects of the desert realm: the land, geology, water, and climate. The second part deals with the "living" and ecological aspects, from plants and animals to ecosystems. The third part, on planning in the desert, covers the ecological and social issues surrounding water, natural resource planning, and community development.

Bring the Desert into the City

The fourth part looks at how to bring nature into the built environment through the use of native plants, the creation of habitats for nature in urban settings, and the design of buildings, communities, and projects that create life. The final part of the book focuses on urban sustainability and how to design urban systems that provide a secure future for community development. Topics include water security, sustainable building practices, and bold architecture and community designs.

Design Solutions That Work with the Local Environment

This book will inspire discussion and contemplation for anyone interested in desert development, from developers and environmentalists to planners, community leaders, and those who live in desert regions. Throughout this volume, the contributors present solutions to help promote ecological balance between nature and the built environment in the American Southwest—and offer valuable insights for other ecologically fragile regions around the world.

Richard A. Malloy is a manager for environmental projects for Arizona State University for the School of Applied Sciences and Mathematics and the Biodesign Institute. He currently oversees projects and facilities dedicated to advancing biotechnology and sustainable solutions to environmental challenges for Arizona State University.

John H. Brock is professor emeritus at the School of Applied Sciences and Mathematics department at Arizona State University (ASU) and founder of the firm Brock Habitat Restoration & Invasive Plant Management LLC. He operates a consulting firm in the area of invasive plant management and landscape restoration.

Anthony C. Floyd, AIA, is a registered architect and green building program manager for the City of Scottsdale. He maintains the city’s green building rating standards for residential and commercial development and helps to facilitate Scottsdale’s LEED gold mandate for newly constructed and renovated public facilities.

Margaret Livingston is a professor in the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning at the University of Arizona. She teaches a range of courses related to ecological and environmental issues in arid environments and has locally and internationally conducted lectures and workshops that focus on water conservation, wildlife habitat, and use of native plants in urban areas.

Robert H. Webb has worked on long-term changes in natural ecosystems of the southwestern United States since 1976. Since 1985, he has been a research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Tucson and an adjunct faculty member of the Departments of Geosciences and Hydrology and Water Resources at the University of Arizona. He has authored, coauthored, or edited 12 books.