Cities have been increasingly implementing measures to lessen the environmental impact of housing development and create more efficient dwellings. Smart growth is a new strategy for development which is being explored in many communities. It advocates the end of zoning (segregation of types of development), using green construction practices, repurposing old buildings, and considering the life cycle of a building. Green construction and LEED certifications are also increasingly being implemented to push developers toward more sustainable construction. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is used globally. LEED advocates for conserving water and energy, using green materials during construction and renovation, and building in efficient locations.
The Standard Zoning Act, implemented in the 1920s, aimed to “avoid an undue concentration of population”. Policies and acts like this are still widely in use and limit the amount of housing with walkability, or the ability to access resources without a vehicle. Smart growth aims to counter this by allowing re-zoning measures to develop mixed-use areas, improve walkability, and limit the need for transportation. Similarly, it advocates for housing to be inclusive of family and residence styles. This means allowing young adults, single adults, and older adults to have housing alongside family residences. Smart growth also pushes for smarter land use in developments. Many low-income residences are built in areas with minimal consideration for historical environmental patterns like flooding. This puts these residents at higher risk because they “have fewer resources to prepare for storms or flee to safer territory.”
Impact On Developers
Major cities like San Francisco and Boston have begun to implement smart growth ideas and LEED certification requirements. San Francisco requires that small residential buildings must have at least a 75-point score from Build It Green, high rises must have a similar score to small residential buildings or a silver LEED rating, commercial buildings must meet a Gold LEED rating. The more restrictive the requirements, the higher the cost of building. LEED certification can increase the overall construction cost by 4-11%. While incentives are used in many areas to push developers to meet these certifications, there is still a significant cost associated. These costs can deter development projects or get passed on to the consumer, both of which can be detrimental to the affordable housing supply.
Impact on Businesses, Homeowners, and Renters
Mixed zoning increases foot traffic, which benefits small businesses, and limits transportation costs and time. Removing density limits also allows for more residential spaces which can improve walkability and limit the amount of personal or public transportation that people rely on. Smart growth’s advocacy for considering environmental patterns creates residential and commercial buildings in areas that are more sustainable in the long-term and less costly in terms of insurance. Although LEED certifications increase development costs, which can increase costs in the short term, LEED certifications make energy, water, and other resource consumption more efficient, which can bring down prices in the long term. The issue moving forward will be finding the balance between the two so that energy-efficient dwellings can be accessible to all income levels.
Moving Forward
According to analysis from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, “many of the reasons consumers cite for preferring suburban housing reflect social attributes, such as personal security, higher-quality public services (particularly schools) and greater property value security, rather than the physical attributes of sprawl.” All these reasons could be addressed within compact urban living while also allowing for public transportation, walkability, and protecting the environment.