The research group SMoG at Chalmers and partners at BTH, SLU, Boverket and Norrköping municipality have received funding for the research project Smart Density (Formas, 1.5 mKr). The project aims at providing planning practice with more precise and accurate knowledge on the topic of urban densification. It will result in a web-application based on a meta-analysis of more than 300 scientific papers that allows practice to compare density trade-offs. The project is a continuation of the ongoing project Density and Sustainability - paradigms in practice and the results of research that ends in 2019. This latter project will result in (1) a systematic review of positive and negative effects of densification; (2) an overview of claimed density effects in planning practice, based on a review of 60 Swedish comprehensive plans; and (3) a synthesis of matches and mismatches between (1) and (2).
The new project will use the results of the systematic review produced in Density and Sustainability, perform a meta-analysis and develop a web-application to transfer the knowledge on density trade-offs to practice. This will allow the decision-making processes in urban planning and design to become more transparent and effective in supporting defined sustainability goals. The application will give municipalities an equal access to up-to-date information and knowledge on density, which is especially important for small municipalities with fewer resources.
Meta Berghauser Pont, associate professor at Chalmers, will lead the project. Co-applicants are adjunct professor Per Haupt at BTH and professor Per G Berg at SLU. Other partners involved are Boverket and the municipality of Norrköping; the first as key to the dissemination of results and the latter as testbed for the development of the web-application.
