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