Environmental Science -Chapter 10

green building feature examples

-motion & light sensitive lighting and heating systems -rooftop solar panels -sophisticated climate control system -recycling of excess hot air from rooms into the heating system -location that takes advantage of natural light to reduce use of electric and heating.

smart growth principles

"building up not out" "preserves open space" "creates walkable neighborhoods" "provides a variety of transportation options" "creates housing for people of all income levels"

rural area

"the country", generally any type of land use other than cities or suburbs

scattered development

also called leapfrog development; residential developments are built far from a city center and are not intergraded with one another

"new urbanism"

approach seeks to design neighborhoods with homes businesses and schools close together so that most of a persons needs can be met without driving.

heat island

area in which the temperature is several degrees higher than that of surrounding area

city planning

attempt to design cities so as to maximize their functionality and beauty

commercial (strip) development

businesses are arranged in a long strip along a roadway with no central community

geographic information system (GIS)

computerized system for storing manipulating and viewing geographic data

low- density development

homes are located on large lots in residential areas far from businesses.

land use

human activities that occur on land and are directly related to the land

urban growth boundary (UGB)

line that city planners draw on a map to separate urban areas from areas the city would prefer remain rural

infrastructure

made up of the facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of the community

urban area

mostly developed land covered mainly with buildings and roads that had a human population of 2500 or more

smart growth

philosophy of urban growth that focuses on economic and environmental approaches that lead to sustainable growth and avoidance of sprawl

zoning

practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use

ecological restoration

practice of restoring native communities

sparse street network

roads are far enough apart that areas remain u developed but not as far enough apart for these areas to function as natural areas or recreational areas

sprawl

spread of low density urban or suburban development outward from an urban center.

greenways

strips of vegetated open space that connect parks or neighborhoods and are often located along rivers streams or canals.

urbanization

the shift of population from the countryside to the city

impacts of sprawl

transportation, pollution, public health, land use, economics

land cover

vegetation and manufactured structures that cover land