Building conveniently-located homes in walkable communities reduces our dependency on the automobile, shrinks our carbon footprint, and contributes to a higher quality of life. Advocates of Smart Growth development have often lauded the social and economic benefits of pedestrian-friendly design. According to a new study, the environmental benefits offered by Smart Growth may be larger than initially anticipated.
The Urban Land Institute has released a new book, entitled Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change. The book is the product of a comprehensive review of dozens of studies on urban development. The findings of the book suggest that Smart Growth community design can be an essential component of combating climate change.
The authors of Growing Cooler, who surveyed American housing demand and neighbourhood patterns, argue that mixed uses of land, pedestrian-friendly design, and compact development can reduce driving by 20 to 40 per cent. The effect this has on greenhouse gas emissions reduction is greater than anything attained by fuel-efficient automobile design.
The book warns that if sprawling development continues to fuel growth in driving, the projected increase in automobile trips will overwhelm expected gains from vehicle efficiency and low-carbon fuels. Even with the most stringent fuel-efficiency regulations, the growth in automobile use would continue to drive our emissions upward.
As our region continues to grow it is crucial that our land use decisions reflect the body of knowledge on the benefits of Smart Growth development and the consequences of urban sprawl. The Regional Growth Strategy, Official Community Plans, and Local Area Plans, are all documents that support pedestrian-friendly development that preserves our greenspaces, promotes mixed commercial and residential land use, and concentrates growth in centres that provide convenient transit options.
Increasingly our plans for sustainable growth find themselves under threat. Our region has become the subject of pressure to return to automobile-centred development that contributes to urban sprawl. We must preserve the integrity of the Regional Growth Strategy and other sustainable growth plans and prevent the intrusion of development into our greenspaces and rural areas.
Meaningful progress toward greenhouse gas emissions reduction from our automobiles can only occur through the promotion of land use decisions that foster walkable and transit-accessible communities.
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