Does urban form influence sustainable behaviour?

Abstract

Global commitments to make urban areas more sustainable coincide with debate over the type of urban form required to achieve this outcome. This debate has caused confusion amongst planners and decision makers as to the correct planning position to take. If one is to re-examine the extent to which urban form induces sustainable outcomes, then reviewing the methodologies used in previous urban form research is an essential first step. After undertaking a review of related literature, this thesis presents an alternative methodology for measuring and mapping urban structure and form, using Australia's largest metropolitan area, Sydney, as a case study. We argue that density measures are an inaccurate proxy for representing urban form difference and recommend an urban form typology approach as an alternative for representing urban form difference. We then argue that only by understanding the behavioural choices of households can we compare the relative sustainability credentials of different urban form contexts. To this end, the thesis undertakes secondary data analysis of key environmental behaviour data (namely electricity consumption, water consumption and car ownership rates) in different urban structure and form contexts. To begin to understand why the these and other sustainability-related behaviours vary from one urban structure and form type to another, eleven case study areas are chosen to investigate responses of residents living in different urban structure and form contexts. It is apparent from the range of independent and dependant variables considered that transport mode choice has a strong association with urban structure and form. Other key dependent variables, namely electricity and water consumption, are influenced by a complex combination of urban form and dwelling type, socio-economic variables, pro-environmental attitudes, philosophical beliefs, tenure type, and education levels. These findings have important implications for urban planners and policy makers. Future metropolitan planning strategies should provide a more detailed understanding of the influence that different urban structure and form types can have from a sustainable behaviour perspective, rather than relying on broad density increases to deliver sustainable outcomes.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	English