Our Vision
We envision equitable urban environments deliberately interwoven with Earth’s elegant systems.
Our Mission
Through the power and joy of collaboration,
the William J. Worthen Foundation gathers, educates, and inspires practicable action for resilient communities.
we aspire to be:
The Worthen Foundation is a design, policy and practice network for people working in the design, construction, and related industries. A 501c3 public benefit corporation, we publish expert-curated content from the forefront of our industry to enable folks in design and construction to accelerate sustainable development.
Through inclusive outreach initiatives, we convene cross-sector leaders and learners. Then, by way of our publications and gatherings, our collaborative community generously shares leading-edge information on the planning, design, construction, performance and beauty of the built environment.
We are serious about solving problems, and we like to have a lot of fun too!
the Value of collaborative design and sustainability practiceS
The rapidly evolving field of green building and climate positive development requires holistic, multidisciplinary systems thinking and teams. This is a relatively new way of working and the Foundation is helping to facilitate the change. By sharing our individual knowledge and experiences in community, we function as an educational tool across silos, thus helping all stakeholders better understand how to get what they want and improve the design process.
Integrated project delivery and The Collaborative
Collaborative design helps connect the dots and bridge many of the professional knowledge gaps that exist between business-as-usual design practices and those required to successfully meet or exceed high performance code requirements. Performance-based design enables the AEC community to make more informed, cost-effective and sustainable decisions that create more livable, walkable, equitable and resilient communities.
We foster collaborative professional communities to enable connection and knowledge sharing. Gatherings of The Collaborative typically focus interesting, complex and technical information that we all need to know more about, presented in a fun, inclusive, open social format. Occasional meetings take place in a variety of locations including San Francisco, San Diego and Missoula, Montana.
Reach out to us through our contact form for more information about The Collaboratives or to discuss fostering a Collaborative group in your community.
Practice Guides
In partnership with professional organizations, private and corporate entities, public agencies and with the generous support of leading professionals, The William J. Worthen Foudation publishes professional practice guides, including the Onsite Non-potable Water Reuse Practice Guide, and the Building Decarbonization Practice Guide: A Zero Carbon Future for the Built Environment.
Developed with a Working Group of subject matter experts, our guides provide an objective, credible, action-oriented resource to facilitate the creation of resilient communities, reduce carbon and confront the climate crisis. Each guide or volume presents empowering information including real world examples and the step-by-step design, construction and technical information needed to accelerate the rapid transformations now underway in our industry. To encourage proliferation and insure equal access to all, all of our guides are downloadable at no cost exclusively from this website . (See “projects” tab to browse our free PDF downloads.)