Land use and transportation planning
This program area focuses on developing positive ways to achieve the goal of integrating land use and transportation planning. It promotes new approaches to land use and transportation planning in support of sustainable urban growth patterns, and examines the environmental consequences of inefficient land use development.
Real estate development
This program area focuses on the physical development, design and financing of the urban fabric of cities. It will explore challenges facing property developers, best practices, as well as public-private partnerships.
Environmental protection
This program area focuses on the quality of China's urban environment and energy consumption. It responds to environmental concerns including urban air quality, wastewater treatment, green building technologies, energy conservation, wildlife, planning for parks and green spaces, and urban connections to upstream watersheds, exurban areas and the rural hinterlands of developing cities.
Stakeholder participation
This program focuses on community planning and stakeholder participation in the development of urban places and transportation. It helps officials, planners, and developers to better involve the public in planning and development decisions.
Historic and cultural preservation
This program focuses on helping cities balance preservation of their historic character with a need to grow and change. It will recognize best practices in China and from around the world, identify threatened historic districts in Chinese cities, help Chinese cities learn strategies to promote historic tourism, and work with local planners, designers and developers to propose thoughtful solutions that balance preservation with development.