ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines Scottsdale, Arizona’s continuing efforts to develop effective design guidelines for a growing urban community concerned with preserving the natural desert with its flora, fauna, and geological features. One of the fundamental concerns for Scottsdale is to integrate development and the natural desert setting in an environmentally responsible manner. This represents the application of an architectural vernacular that relates the buildings to their environment. Environmentally responsible buildings are designed to be less impactful and in turn harmonious with local bioclimatic and environmental conditions. This is one of the core objectives of most green building initiatives including the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building certification program. Native vegetation plays a vital role in the dynamic system of the Sonoran Desert. Scottsdale adopted the Native Plant Ordinance as a way to preserve the unique native character of the Sonoran Desert under a system of responsible community development.
