Designing High-Density Cities

Compact living is sustainable living. High-density cities can support closer amenities, encourage reduced trip lengths and the use of public transport and therefore reduce transport energy costs and carbon emissions. High-density planning also helps to control the spread of urban suburbs into open lands, improves efficiency in urban infrastructure and services, and results in environmental improvements that support higher quality of life in cities. Encouraging, even requiring, higher density urban development is a major policy and a central principle of growth management programmes used by planners around the world. However, such density creates design challenges and problems. A collection of experts in each of the related architectural and planning areas examines these environmental and social issues, and argues that high-density cities are a sustainable solution. It will be essential reading for anyone with an interest in sustainable urban development.

Edward Ng is a Professor at the School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and an environmental consultant to organizations and governments.

Part I: An Understanding of High Density 1. Understanding Density and High Density 2. Is the High Density the Only Option? 3 The Sustainability of High Density 4. Density and Urban Sustainability : An Exploration of Critical Issues Part II: Climate and High Density Design 5. Climate Changes Brought About By Urban Living 6. Urbanization and City Climate: A Diurnal and Seasonal Perspective 7. Urban Climate in Dense Cities Part III: Environmental Aspects of High Density Design 8. Thermal Comfort Issues and Implications in High Density Cities 9. Urban Environment Diversity and Human Comfort 10. Designing for Urban Ventilation 11. Natural Ventilation in High Density Cities 12. Sound Environment: High vs Low Density Cities 13. Designing for Daylighting 14. Designing for Waste Minimization in High Density Cities 15. Fire Engineering for Density Cities 16. Role of Urban Greeneries in High Density Cities 17. Energy in High Density Cities 18. Environmental Assessment: Shifting Scales Part IV: High Density Spaces and Living 19. The Social and Psychological Issues of High-Density City Space 20. Sustainable Compact City and High Rise Building 21. Micro-climate in Public Housing - an Approach to Environment in Community Development 22. Designing for High Density Living: High rise, High Amenity & High Design