Chapter 13 - The Urban Environment Flashcards
urbanization
a populations shift from rural living to city and suburban living
sprawl
the unrestrained spread of urban or suburban development outward from a city center and across the landscape. Often specified as growth in which the area of development outpaces population growth
city planning
the professional pursuit that attempts to design cities in such a way as to maximize their efficiency, functionality, and beauty. also known as urban planning
regional planning
planning similar to city planning but conducted across broader geographic scales, generally involving multiple municipal governments
zoning
the practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use
smart growth
a city planning concept in which a community’s growth is managed in ways intended to limit sprawl and maintain or improve residents quality of life
new urbanization
an approach among architects, planners, and developers that seek to design neighborhoods in which homes, businesses, schools, and other amenities are within walking distance of one another. proponents of new urbanism aim to combat sprawl by creating functional neighborhoods in which families can meet most of their needs close to home without the use of a car
transit oriented development
a development approach in which compact communities in the new urbanism style are arrayed around stops on a major rail transit line
mass transit
a public transportation system for a metropolitan area that moves large numbers of people at once. Buses, trains, subways, streetcars, trolleys, and light rail are types of mass transit
greenway
a strip of park land that connects parks or neighborhoods; often located along rivers, streams, or canals.
greenbelt
a long and wide corridor of parkland, often encircling an entire urban area
green building
(1) a structure that minimizes the ecological foot print of its construction and operation by using sustainable materials, using minimal energy and water, reducing health impacts, limiting population and recycling waste. (2) the pursuit of constructing or renovating such buildings
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
the leading set of standards for sustainable building
noise pollution
undesired ambient sound
urban heat island effect
the phenomenon whereby a city becomes warmer that outlying areas because of the concentration of heat-generating buildings, vehicles, and people, and because buildings and dark pavement that absorb heat and release it during the night
