What kind of land use and transport development can contribute to make towns and cities more attractive AND more climate-friendly? This is an important and difficult question for today's planners.
We do research on effects of various land use and transport developments, contribute with dissemination of existing knowledge, and do a broad range of planning analyses for clients in various sectors and at various administrative levels.
Planners need knowledge about the effects of different land use developments (density, location of housing, jobs, retail, green areas, etc.) and developments of transport systems (walking, cycling, public transport, private cars) in order to be able to make analyzes and plans for climate-friendly and attractive urban developments.
Does for instance development of new workplaces as densification in public transport nodal points to keep traffic volumes down, and what are the conditions necessary for this to happen? How must compact urban development so that they are perceived as attractive for those who live there? Who moves into densification projects in large and small cities? Is an imbalance in the market hinder efficient housing rotation? What types of outdoor areas is needed? What types of locations are attractive for different types of businesses? Will there be overall less greenhouse gas emissions in the city by moving freight terminals for external parts to free urban spaces in areas close to the center? What helps the residents perceive transport quality in the cities as good, and what can help to make transport quality better?
In recent years, we have analyzed effects of central nodal point developments for Rom Property AS. We have developed state-of-the-art overviews on what type of land use and transport development that can contribute to more climate-friendly and attractive cities, for the Ministry of Environment.
Some examples of publications:
- Environmental effects of locating housing and workplaces in close proximity to train stations
- Transport effects and environmental consequences of central workplace location
- City development, infrastructure and industries in the Oslo region - a competitive and sustainable city
- Attractive and climate-friendly mid-sized cities
- How to design self-sufficient residential satellites with low car dependency?
- Analyses of three scenarios for spatial development in Haugesund
Among relevant ongoing research projects, we will mention:
- URBANEFF: Investigating three complex issues regarding effects of land use and transport-systems development on traffic volumes and GHG emissions. Financed by the NRC, 2014 - 2018
- KLIMATT: Knowledge and competence for climate friendly and attractive urban development, financed by Enova and a number of county and national stakeholders, 2014 - 2017
- IPTC: Public Transport and Urban Structure: Improving Public Transport Competitiveness. Financed by the NRC, 2017 – 2021
- Effects of nodal point development
- Localisation of state and governmental workplaces – where and why?
- SII: Urban development and urban transport for climate-friendly and attractive cities
