Cities Where Density Benefits Transportation Efficiency

Brandon Donnelly shares a chart based on data from a report by Peter Newman and Jeffrey Kenworthy "way back" in 1989. The chart plots the relationship of density and transport-related energy consumption—finding that more dense cities use less energy for moving people and goods.

Donnelly describes the trend illustrated by the chart:

"Here we have Houston at the top left (meaning it has the highest transport-related energy consumption per capita) and Hong Kong all the way on the bottom right. Hong Kong has by far the highest density among the cities looked at in this study, but Moscow seems to have the lowest per capita energy consumption. Still, the trend appears clear."

Donnelly uses the chart to make a point about the benefits of density, and a counter argument to those who treat density like a dirty word.