DALLAS: Garden villages are all the rage in environmental circles. Replacing concrete high-rises and log-jammed roads with energy-efficient buildings, greens spaces and car-free zones promises cleaner air and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
According to research by global engineering firm Arup, green villages are healthier, more prosperous and safer. But do they stack up?
The clearest evidence centers on health. As humans, we’re hardwired to enjoy nature, says Tom Armour, director of landscape and urbanism at Arup: “We’ve only really had mass urbanisation for the last 200 years, say, out of our hunter-gatherer experience of 100,000 years.