This document reflects the outcomes of the graduate-level studio, Planning Standards to Encourage Energy Efficiency Retrofits in the Delaware Valley, conducted at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy in Fall 2013. Planning studios connect academic education and preparation for professional practice, providing an opportunity to apply concepts and theories to practical real world projects. For a visual summary of this work, see the studio PowerPoint,1 which represents the final presentation conducted in December 2013. This paper is a compilation of student work, largely unedited, and also includes a technical planning memo on the proposed zoning changes in Upper Merion Township, PA.

The most significant outcomes of the studio are the building stock analyses on the regional and local  levels and the implementation and analysis of an energy efficiency survey fielded in the Delaware Valley Region  These pieces are accompanied by student submissions that highlight planning design approaches that produce energy efficiency benefit, a summary of planning regulatory points of leverage, and supportive case studies, including research regarding the intersection of energy efficiency and resilience.