Background

Residential construction is a primary driver of Florida's economy. Over the last decade, approximately 100,000 new single-family, detached homes have been built annually in Florida. As a direct consequence of this growth, demand for energy and water is steadily increasing and Florida's natural environment is being rapidly transformed.

Most of Florida's larger new residential developments are master planned communities that begin with basic land-use planning activities and end with homes constructed on finished lots. In addition, these communities frequently involve the design and construction of major amenities such as golf courses and other shared open spaces. Master planned communities represent a major transformation of land-use, which could potentially benefit from the services of University of Florida (UF) faculty.

The Program for Resource Efficient Communities (PREC) was established in 2004 to provide these services. Expertise in environmental engineering, energy, water, wildlife, forestry, landscape architecture, and building construction allows UF faculty to meet the interdisciplinary needs of professionals pursuing more sustainable communities.

Printable "About Us" Fact Sheet

  

Mission Statement

The Program for Resource Efficient Communities integrates and applies the University of Florida’s educational and analytical assets to promote the adoption of best design, construction, and management practices that measurably reduce energy and water consumption and environmental degradation in new residential community developments.

Our focus extends from the individual home and lot level through site development to surrounding lands and ecological systems. The Program supports the implementation of resource efficient community development practices through:

• Direct training and consulting activities,
• Applied research projects and case studies,
• Academic courses and degree programs, and
• Evaluation of “green” certification standards.

We operate on the fundamental premise that building and maintaining an inclusive, multi-disciplinary collaborative team is the key to the Program’s success.