Today's world is urbanizing rapidly. Two-thirds of the population, or 6 billion people, will live in cities by 2050. Current patterns of urban form and transportation systems will yield perilous outcomes--increased traffic congestion, air pollution, reduced quality of life. But a dozen urban development guidelines can reverse these trends, helping to create healthy, thriving, sustainable cities.

1. URBAN
SUSTAINABILITY

2. THE WORLD IS URBANIZING RAPIDLY
0
2
4
6
8
10
1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050
POPULATION(BILLIONS)
World became a majority
urban in 2010
Urban growth
takes off
Urban population
growing by ~75
million per year
TOTAL
URBAN
RURAL
Two-thirds of the world’s population, or 6 billion people, will live in cities by 2050

3. THE PERIL
CONGESTION AIR POLLUTION REDUCED QUALITY OF LIFE

4. THE PERIL: URBAN FORM
Superblocks dominate urban
development
Sprawling development and ever
expanding city boundaries
RISKS LOCKING IN BAD URBAN FORM

5. THE PERIL: TRANSPORT
Urban infrastructure
revolves around the car
Highways perceived as
a mobility solution
THE HUMAN SCALE IS LOST

6. THE DIFFERENCE OF GOOD PLANNING
BARCELONA HAS ROUGHLY THE SAME POPULATION AS ATLANTA, BUT TAKES UP ONE-TENTH
THE LAND AREA AND EMITS 5X FEWER TRANSPORT CARBON EMISSIONS

7. What are the minimum
requirements to building a
great city?
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8. BENEFICIAL MEASURABLE PRACTICAL
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THE 12 GREEN GUIDELINES
FOUNDATIONAL
AND
NECESSARY

9. 4. Small Blocks
1. Urban
Growth
Boundary
2. Transit
Oriented
Development
3. Mixed-Use
5. Public Green
Space
6. Non-
Motorized
Transit
7. Public Transit 8. Car Control
9. Green
Buildings
12. Water
Efficiency
11. Waste
Management
10. Renewable
and District
Energy
1-5: Urban Form
6-8: Transportation
9-12: Energy &
Resources

10. URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
An urban growth boundary is set around a city to
contain urban sprawl and preserve the land
outside of the boundary
PORTLAND, OREGON

11. TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
COPENHAGEN
Transit-oriented development matches population density with transit capacity

12. SINGLE-USE SUPERBLOCKS BEIJING
1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Mixed-use development intermingles residential, commercial,
recreational, and cultural space, guaranteeing amenities and
services are easily accessible

13. MIXED-USE DISTRICT IN PORTLAND
1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Mixed-use development intermingles residential, commercial,
recreational, and cultural space, guaranteeing amenities and
services are easily accessible

14. San Francisco Vancouver New York
PortlandShanghai Beijing
BLOCK SIZES IN DIFFERENT CITIES AT SAME SCALE1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Small blocks create a dense mesh of narrower, pedestrian-friendly streets and
paths, facilitating street life and the shift away from car use

15. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Highline Park, New York City
Attractive public spaces create a sense of community and
neighborhood identity, while enhancing the city’s economic
vitality and environmental resiliency.
Image source: Flickr (Filipp Solovev)

16. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Parklets distribute small areas of public
green space throughout cities
Image sources (Vancouver Public Space Network and SDOT photos)
Attractive public spaces create a sense of community and
neighborhood identity, while enhancing the city’s economic
vitality and environmental resiliency.

17. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER Liuyun Xiaoqu, China
The world’s most attractive cities prioritize transportation
development at the human scale
Dense networks of walking and biking paths allow for shorter, more
efficient, and more pleasant commutes.

18. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER Hangzhou, China Mexico City, Mexico
The world’s most attractive cities prioritize transportation
development at the human scale
Dense networks of walking and biking paths allow for shorter, more
efficient, and more pleasant commutes.

19. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER Bus-rapid transit (BRT) moves people around cities quickly and safely
Public transit must be a first-class option for transportation

20. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER Guangzhou before and after bus rapid transit
Public transit must be a first-class option for transportation
Elements of good bus rapid transit (BRT):
 Dedicated bus lanes occupying the center of the roadway
 Stations that are level to bus height and collect fare prior to boarding

21. An advanced country
is not one where the
poor move about in
cars, rather it’s where
even the rich use
public transportation.
- Enrique Peñalosa,
Mayor of Bogotá

22. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Car control improves space efficiency on streets
Buses Bikes Cars

23. BEFORE
AFTER
1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Parking and driving restrictions, safe options for biking and walking,
and top-notch public transit help to limit car use in cities

24. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Green buildings employ a variety of efficiency techniques to
minimize their energy and resource consumption
Shenzhen’s IBR Building

25. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Cost premiums for
green buildings are
decreasing, while
property values are
increasing
Seattle’s Bullitt Center
Green buildings employ a variety of efficiency techniques to
minimize their energy and resource consumption

26. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Solar hot water
Rooftop solar PV systems
Falling costs and increasing efficiency rates make
renewable energy resources more viable options

27. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
TODAY: District energy systems
produce steam, hot water, or
chilled water that is piped to
individual buildings for heating
and cooling
Traditional district heating systems
avoid buildings’ need for furnaces,
boilers, air chillers, etc.

28. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
TOMORROW: District energy
systems will produce energy at a
more decentralized or localized
level
Microgrids offer energy
security and stability, while
helping increase the
adoption of renewable
energy
UC San Diego’s microgrid
Image source: Orkas

29. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
San Francisco’s Recology
waste management
company diverts 80 percent
of waste from landfill
Waste management practices aim to reduce, reuse,
recycle, and recover as much waste as possible.

30. Waste management practices aim to reduce, reuse, recycle,
and recover as much waste as possible.
1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
Image source: World Economic Forum

31. 1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
More efficient water consumption reduces energy usage
needed to treat, move, or heat water

32. “A sponge city is one that can hold, clean, and drain water in a
natural way using an ecological approach”
1. URBAN GROWTH
BOUNDARY
2. TOD
3. MIXED-USE
4. SMALL BLOCKS
5. PUBLIC GREEN
SPACE
6. WALKING AND
BIKING
7. PUBLIC TRANSIT
8. CAR CONTROL
9. GREEN
BUILDINGS
10. RENEWABLE
AND DISTRICT
ENERGY
11. WASTE
12. WATER
- Kongjian Yu, dean of
Peking University’s
College of Architecture
and Landscape
Architecture (CityLab)

33.  Comprehensive
coverage of
regulatory, financial,
and technical
processes that bolster
the 12 Green
Guidelines
 Shows economic,
environmental, and
social success
EVIDENCE FOR THE 12 GREEN GUIDELINES
HAMMARBY AND PORTLAND
DOWNLOAD: energyinnovation.org/greensmart

34. TEXT
Nothing in the
world is more
simple and more
cheap than making
cities that provide
better for people.
- Jan Gehl

35. THANK YOUurban@energyinnovation.org
www.energyinnovation.org
http://energyinnovation.org/greensmart