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How can mixed land use and denser development reduce a city's environmental impact?

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Dense crowd of people walking through the brightly lit Shibuya shopping district in Tokyo, Japan, surrounded by colorful store signs and billboards in Japanese and English. — city Crowds of people in Tokyo's Shibuya shopping district.

Mixed land use and denser development reduce a city's environmental impact by curbing urban sprawl, which is a primary driver of habitat destruction and increased energy consumption.12

By concentrating residential and commercial spaces, cities can achieve greater energy efficiency. Denser housing, such as apartments, requires less energy for heating and cooling because shared walls, ceilings, and floors better retain resources compared to larger, detached suburban homes. Furthermore, compact development supports mass transit networks and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, which significantly reduces reliance on private automobiles and the associated air pollution from fossil fuel combustion.1342

Integrating diverse land uses also minimizes the need for long commutes, lowering per capita energy use. Additionally, these strategies help preserve open space and agricultural land by containing growth within defined boundaries, thereby protecting natural ecosystems from being paved over for infrastructure. By prioritizing efficient, compact design, cities can mitigate the environmental costs of sprawl while maintaining economic vitality.125