Sustainability has been a subject of concern in various levels of society. Top-down approaches proposed by governments, corporations, and non-profit organizations are responsible for implementing policies, marketing, and organized movements towards environmentally friendly practices and design. Grassroots initiatives can also contribute with experiences and encourage local communities to develop and implement strategies to enhance sustainability.
Many times, urban design overlooks the unusual and rich achievements of intentional urban communities and EcoVillages. Some of the most successful examples of urban design are the result of grassroots initiatives, which many times did not engage the professional services of architects and designers. This thesis explores best practices and experiences of grassroots initiatives to make the urban environment more sustainable. The literature review chapter identifies the most relevant strategies for sustainable communities. Strategies and objectives are divided into social, environmental, and economic approaches and then detailed in a matrix. The objectives in the matrix of sustainable measures are used as criteria to compare the four communities studied: Village Homes, EcoVillage at Ithaca, Los Angeles EcoVillage, and Enright Ridge EcoVillage. This thesis proposes recommendations of best practices for communities that are striving to become more sustainable based on the experiences of the communities studied.