This year marks a special milestone in Lehigh University’s ongoing commitment to global sustainability and development. In celebration of 20 years of partnership with the United Nations (UN), Lehigh hosted a UN Fair, offering an exciting opportunity for students, faculty, and UN officials to come together to reflect on the work being done across campus to support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This fair highlighted efforts that aligned with SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

At the fair, the Small Cities Lab presented several initiatives that align with specific “targets” under SDG 11. These targets are actionable sub-goals that provide clear benchmarks for creating cities that are inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Below are examples of how our projects directly align with these targets.

The Alley House Program; Targets Addressed: 11.1 (Safe and Affordable Housing), 11.6 (Reduce the Environmental Impact of Cities)

The Alley House Program–a collaborative effort between the City of Bethlehem, Community Action Lehigh Valley, Community Action Development Bethlehem, New Bethany, and Lehigh faculty and students–is addressing the challenges of land scarcity and housing affordability in Bethlehem through the revival of alley housing. The team is piloting a responsible revival through targeted zoning reform, community design workshops, and the construction of up to five demonstration units for low-income residents. The five demonstration Alley House units will inform future zoning revisions to lower barriers to housing access, and offer a sustainable and scalable solution that will have broad application on the national level.

Public History Narratives; Targets Addressed: 11.4 (Protect the World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage)

The Alley House Program worked through community-engaged research and design methods, collecting oral histories, material records, and existing conditions surveys to position land-use reform within the built tradition of the city. Central to this effort has been crafting a public history narrative that links the oral histories and material surveys, connecting Bethlehem’s past with future change. Additionally, the Program partners are building a library of interviews with residents living on the alley in each of the city’s neighborhoods.

LANTA Workshop; Targets Addressed: 11.2 (Affordable and Sustainable Transport Systems)

This semester, the Urban Environmental Policy Workshop (EVST/POLS 312/412) is collaborating with the City of Bethlehem and the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) on a plan for one of its Express Bus Service stations on the South Side, recommendations to improve walkability between campus and the station (Fahy Bridge South), and to better market LANTA's services to Lehigh students.

Urban Heat Research; Targets Addressed: 11.5 (Reduce the Adverse Effects of Natural Disasters)

Extreme heat and its significant impacts on human health and cities’ infrastructure systems requires action from public health officials, city planners, and community developers. Dr. Karen Beck Pooley, co-director of the Small Cities Lab, has produced a case study summarizing the work underway in Allentown (PA) to prepare for and address increasingly severe heat waves. In addition, her work identifies room to develop new heat mitigation strategies in the city. Allentown’s approach can help inform strategic heat planning in cities of similar socioeconomic, health, housing, and population characteristics.

A Global Conversation on Sustainability

The UN Fair provided an invaluable opportunity for students and faculty across disciplines to discuss sustainability initiatives on Lehigh’s campus. It also facilitated dialogue with UN officials, reinforcing the university's role in global discussions on sustainable development. Given the opportunity to present in this space, the Small Cities Lab highlighted how the our work supports local communities while contributing to achieving the United Nations' global agenda.

For more information on Lehigh’s partnership with the UN and its efforts toward sustainable development, visit Lehigh’s UN Partnership Page .