“elementsDB: +20 Contemporary Open Spaces.” 
Cynthia L. Girling, CSLA, Professor and Chair Landscape Architecture Program, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of British Columbia 

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elementsDB is a database of field-measured components of urban development including parks, urban plazas, waterfronts, open spaces, streets, residential, commercial, civic and industrial sites that catalogues and compares good urban design examples. Under development since 1995, it has recently been converted to a web-based application. Currently open spaces are under-represented in the elementsDB. The LACF funding will assist with the addition of 20 CSLA award-winning public spaces crucial in the sustainable development of Canadian cities. In addition to giving planning, design and illustrative information, open space cases provide environmental performance indicators for such factors as rainwater management, impervious vs. pervious area and protected habitat. Soon to be launched as a broadly accessible web application for academic, professional and community reference in planning and urban design, elementsDB is a proven educational tool for public decision-making applications. As the database moves to its final stage of development collaborators and research partners will be able to nominate and add cases remotely.