Home › News ›

New Study on the Benefits of Density

Posted by: Tim Halbur

3 September 2009 - 7:00am

A new report from the National Research Council seeks to establish the scientific basis for the relationships among development patterns, VMT, and energy consumption. So what did they find?

"Among the report's findings: More compact development patterns are likely to reduce VMT. The most reliable studies estimate that doubling residential density across a metropolitan area might lower household VMT by 5 to 12 percent, and perhaps by as much as 25 percent, if coupled with higher employment concentrations, significant public transit improvements, mixed uses, and other supportive demand management measures. More compact, mixed-use development can produce reductions in energy consumption and CO2 emissions both directly and indirectly. Significant increases in more compact, mixed-use development result in only modest short-term reductions in energy consumption and CO2 emissions, but these reductions will grow over time."

The full report is available for download from Reconnecting America.

Full Story: Driving The Built Environment: Going Compact
Source: Reconnecting America, September 2, 2009
»
Bookmark and Share
“
As it becomes increasingly clear that the "speed" of the self-park garage is more a matter of perception than reality, a mechanized approach begins to look just as efficient and reliable, if designed properly.
”