Low Carbon Urbanism — How urban design determines the CO₂ footprint

Low Carbon Urbanism — How urban design determines the CO₂ footprint — and where we can steer

As designers, we see that the biggest CO₂ impact does not occur inside the building, but before the first design.
Not in detail, but in how we organize neighborhoods and areas.

With Low Carbon Urbanism show how choices about soil, mobility, density and public space often determine the CO₂ footprint of neighborhoods decades ahead. If you want to focus on climate impact, you should start earlier: at the scale level of the area.

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Onze visie

Why CO₂ aware urban design is now urgent

The task is growing, the CO₂ budget is shrinking

We are working on projects at a time when construction volumes are increasing and the CO₂ budget is rapidly shrinking. What is laid down in urban planning and policy today determines tomorrow's emissions.

The real impact lies in front of the building

The focus is still often on the building itself, while in our projects, we see that infrastructure, soil and public space control the majority of emissions. Area design lays the foundation; the building follows.

Building within planetary boundaries requires guidance

Municipalities, designers and developers need tools to make climate ambitions concrete. With this research, we show where we can steer — and where that really makes a difference.

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Our key insights into sustainable urban planning

• Most of the CO₂ is fixed before the first design
Area decisions are made early and can hardly be corrected later.

• Biobased construction only works in conjunction with urban planning
A biobased building helps, but does not solve the layers of the area. Both are necessary.

• Compact cities perform better
Less m² per person means less material, less infrastructure and more quality.

These insights are in line with what we experience on a daily basis in design and projects.

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Download the study for all environmental data and material comparisons.

From building → to area

When we map CO₂, we always see the same pattern:
the building is not the problem, it only comes into view too late.

First, we determine:

• how much infrastructure is needed
• how people are going to move
• how soil and water are arranged
• how many m² per person will be built
• what materials the public space requires

^{Only then do we design the building. That's where the fault line is — and that's where the profit lies.}

Cases: from theory to practice

‍The Urban Woods — less m², more life

A wooden residential building where compact homes, shared spaces and biobased materials come together. A healthy, warm living quality with a low CO₂ impact.

Schiehaven Noord — densifying with a vision

Area development focused on reuse, climate-adaptive public space and smart urban densification.

Top ups and transformation

By using existing buildings and cleverly densifying them, the additional CO₂ impact remains minimal, while the city gains space.

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Download the study for all environmental data and material comparisons.

Meer informatie of samenwerken?

Neem contact op voor meer informatie of samenwerking!

Tim Vermeend

timvermeend@ucarchitects.com

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Methodologie

Low Carbon Urbanism research design

Low Carbon Urbanism was developed by Urban Climate Architects in collaboration with BURA and LEVS architects. By connecting design, urban planning and research, an integral picture of low carbon urban development.

For this research, we have:

✓ 7 district profiles analyzed
✓ 3 material scenarios developed (traditional/hybrid/biobased)
✓ building + infrastructure + public space calculated
✓ LCA data linked to urban parameters

This creates a complete picture of the CO₂ impact from area to building — and where the greatest opportunities lie to steer.

Conclusion

If you want to reduce the CO₂ impact of cities, you should start earlier.
Not near the building, but near the area.

Biobased and circular solutions only become meaningful within smart urban planning.
Building less, sharing smarter and densifying better makes cities future-proof.

Download het onderzoek

Download the study for all environmental data and material comparisons.

projecten

Toepassing in projecten

Bekijk hoe we de onderzoeksresultaten terug laten komen in de praktijk.

Bekijk alle projecten

Houten hoogbouw van 10 verdiepingen in Delft, volledig opgetrokken uit biobased CLT, een baanbrekend voorbeeld van circulair en low-carbon bouwen.

Wood Architecture

Architectuur

Biobased construction with CLT: The Urban Woods, Delft (NL)

Straatbeeld van een bestaande woonwijk waar door optoppen extra woningen zijn toegevoegd

Wood Architecture

Transformation & Renovation

Topping up: building on what is already there is the key to building faster and more sustainably

About Urban Climate Architects

Urban Climate Architects designs cities where people can live happily in a healthy way.
With sustainable construction, biobased construction and climate-adaptive urban planning, we make the future tangible from the first urban choice.

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Contactpersoon onderzoek:

Neem contact op voor meer informatie of samenwerking!

Tim Vermeend

timvermeend@ucarchitects.com

Onze visie

The task is growing, the CO₂ budget is shrinking

The real impact lies in front of the building

Building within planetary boundaries requires guidance

Our key insights into sustainable urban planning

From building → to area

^{Only then do we design the building. That's where the fault line is — and that's where the profit lies.}

Cases: from theory to practice

Download het onderzoek

Meer informatie of samenwerken?

Ontvang de volledige onderzoeksresultaten

Ontdek alle inzichten uit dit onderzoek

Methodologie

Conclusion

projecten

About Urban Climate Architects

Contactpersoon onderzoek:

Ontvang de volledige onderzoeksresultaten

Urban Climate Architects

Office Delft

Office Groningen