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An important investigation of the ways that cities consume energy and how energy efficiency will determine which ones thrive in the future



As global demand for energy grows and prices rise, a city's energy consumption becomes increasingly tied to its economic viability, warns the author of The Very Hungry City . Austin Troy, a seasoned expert in urban environmental management, explains for general readers how a city with a high "urban energy metabolism"--that is, a city that needs large amounts of energy in order to function--will be at a competitive disadvantage in the future. He explores why cities have different energy metabolisms and discusses an array of innovative approaches to the problems of expensive energy consumption.

Troy looks at dozens of cities and suburbs in Europe and the United States--from Los Angeles to Copenhagen, Denver to the Swedish urban redevelopment project Hammarby Sjöstad--to understand the diverse factors that affect their energy use: behavior, climate, water supply, building quality, transportation, and others. He then assesses some of the most imaginative solutions that cities have proposed, among them green building, energy-efficient neighborhoods, symbiotic infrastructure, congestion pricing, transit-oriented development, and water conservation. To conclude, the author addresses planning and policy approaches that can bring about change and transform the best ideas into real solutions.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• Preface(p. ix)
• Acknowledgments(p. xv)
• Introduction. Why Urban Energy Metabolism Matters(p. 1)
• Part 1 Why Cities Are Hungry
• Chapter 1 The 68° City(p. 13)
• Interlude #1 The Big Picture on Rising Energy Prices(p. 32)
• Chapter 2 The Very Thirsty City(p. 35)
• Interlude #2 Oil Depletion in the United States(p. 56)
• Chapter 3 The Very Mobile City(p. 59)
• Interlude #3 Global Oil Depletion(p. 83)
• Chapter 4 From Dirt Tracks to Interstates(p. 89)
• Interlude #4 Tar Sands(p. 115)
• Chapter 5 Transit Wars(p. 117)
• Interlude #5 Coal(p. 141)
• Part 2 Taming the Urban Appetite
• Chapter 6 The Building Energy Diet(p. 147)
• Interlude #6 Natural Gas(p. 176)
• Chapter 7 Smart Mobility(p. 182)
• Interlude #7 Biofuels(p. 207)
• Chapter 8 Reinventing Neighborhoods(p. 210)
• Interlude #8 Nuclear(p. 239)
• Chapter 9 The Very Regional City(p. 244)
• Interlude #9 Renewable Energy Generation(p. 269)
• Chapter 10 The Very Efficient City(p. 277)
• Notes(p. 297)
• Select Bibliography(p. 337)
• Index(p. 355)

Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Two ideas meet in this book: the rising costs and decreasing availability of efficient energy sources and the belief that cities are the key to energy conservation. From them emerges an overview of the intensity of energy use in the US. Writing for a general audience, Troy (environment and natural resources, Univ. of Vermont) focuses on the current "energy metabolism" of cities, with chapters on heating and air conditioning, water use, mobility (automobiles, transit, biking), buildings, and neighborhood and regional planning. In each, he describes the types of energy involved, their efficiency, available supplies, and future prospects. He points out where savings are both possible and unlikely, and notes innovations in alternative energy sources (e.g., solar, wind) and energy recapture. Providing a loose framework is the claim that energy-efficient cities are economically competitive cities. The key to this energy efficiency lies in the arrangement of land uses, coordination with various modes of transportation, and energy-conserving building design. To this end, Troy favors a proactive federal government and stronger regional planning. Well organized and documented and reasonable in its assessments, the book is an informative introduction to energy issues in the US. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers; all levels of undergraduate students; professionals. R. A. Beauregard Columbia University

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Austin Troy is associate professor in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, and principal and cofounder of Spatial Informatics Group, LLC. He lives in Shelburne, VT.