Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI), the first formal academic initiative in the nation focused on the restoration economy. Its new, 80-acre North Charleston campus is bringing together experts and researchers in design, planning, construction management, real estate, historic preservation, materials science, environmental science, forestry and more to advance global restoration methods and technologies.

ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve is one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast (named for the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers), providing a unique opportunity to study pristine water, wildlife and vegetation to enable long-term protection of these resources.

American College of the Building Arts (ACBA), the only four-year college in the nation dedicated to educating the next generation of building artisans. Students learn traditional building skills as well as the most up-to-date methods of quality fabrication and building technology. Focus areas include carpentry, masonry, plasterwork, timber framing and ornamental ironwork.

Clemson University Architecture Center in Charleston provides graduate students the opportunity to study the links between history and modernity in the “laboratory” of historic Charleston. Students conduct research, participate in site-specific projects, and often occupy high-level internships in architectural and urban design firms.

The College of Charleston’s degree program in Historic Preservation and Community Planning combines the disciplines of historic preservation, architectural and urban design, planning, and architectural and urban history to address the built environment from a historic design perspective. The college offers a Masters of Science degree in Historic Preservation in conjunction with Clemson University.

Historic Charleston Foundation works to preserve and protect historically significant buildings, landscapes and cultural characteristics through community planning, conservation, preservation, rehabilitation of historic neighborhoods, technical assistance to preservation efforts, and documentation of Charleston’s architectural heritage.

Noisette Urban Alliance is a unique consortium comprised of manufacturers working to connect consumers with sustainable products, such as building materials, furnishings and appliances. Current members include Kohler, Herman Miller, Owens Corning, Whirlpool, Sherwin Williams and a long list of other respected companies.

The Preservation Society of Charleston, founded in 1920, is the nation’s oldest non-profit community and membership preservation organization. The Society is dedicated to preserving Charleston’s unique architectural and cultural heritage by cultivating and encouraging interest in the preservation of buildings, sites and structures of historical or aesthetic significance.

The Sustainability Institute is a non-profit organization working with area residents to achieve environmentally sustainable practices in homes and communities. The institute encourages community connectedness through forums, workshops and other outreach events.

South Carolina Coastal Conservation League is a grassroots, non-profit organization with 4,000+ members striving to work with individuals, businesses and elected officials to achieve balanced approaches to growth. Since its founding, the league has helped provide increased protection for more than 500,000 coastal acres.

Lowcountry Open Land Trust works to preserve the area’s natural and historic landscape through private, voluntary protection of land by conservation easements and other methods. Through its efforts, the non-profit trust has protected more than 57,000 acres of natural and rural land along the coastal plain of South Carolina.

Several nationally acclaimed urban design and redevelopment projects are represented throughout greater Charleston, including:

Daniel Island, which was chosen as one of 23 finalists for the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) 2007 Awards for Excellence. This 4,000-acre mixed-use community within the City of Charleston has also been recognized as the nation’s premier “smart growth” community by the National Association of Home Builders and Builder magazine.

Noisette, a unique public-private partnership between the City of North Charleston and the Noisette Company, involves a 3,000-acre area targeted for integrated restoration as a sustainable community. The master plan includes 350 acres of the former Charleston Naval Base (being redeveloped by Noisette) plus about 2,600 adjacent acres (a wide mix of neighborhoods, retail areas, industries, schools, municipal buildings and parks being redeveloped by the City).

Mixson is located within the Noisette footprint and involves roughly 43 acres bordered by three existing neighborhoods. Plans call for a mixed-use, diverse urban neighborhood designed to integrate with the surrounding natural environment.

Magnolia is a high-density urban infill project set along 2.5 miles of riverfront property at the upper end of the Charleston peninsula. Developers will rehabilitate 500 acres of land, much of it industrial brownfields, and develop the property with a mix of multi-family housing plus retail, office and commercial enterprises.