Evolving existing cities towards sustainability: urban form and productivity

PEAK Briefing

This briefing looks at research into urban productivity and suggests interventions policy makers can make to increase productivity in their contexts.

Dense cities are usually more productive as density facilitates knowledge sharing, lowers commuting costs, increases access to skills, and reduces time to retail and amenity destinations. But where cities are not dense, policy makers can make targeted interventions to boost city productivity and ensure sustainable growth.

Research and analysis by EAFIT University’s Research in Spatial Economics (RISE) group explores a range of evidence and possible interventions which could evolve infrastructure and services to improve life for citizens and protect the environment in existing cities.

Whilst based on research from Latin America, the briefing will also be of interest to policy makers in other parts of the world as urban redevelopment, improvement, and renovation become the most significant ways that cities change.