Abstract for: Implications of urban development growth strategies on societal wellbeing

Cities have advanced in terms of economic and social status over the last five decades, improving the living conditions of hundreds of millions of people. However, population growth and urban expansion have put pressure on social and environmental conditions. Urban researchers have attempted to understand the consequences of alternative policies on the sustainable development of cities, but much work remains to account for the high degree of interdependence among different parts of the urban system and to avoid unintended consequences. Examining the results of alternative policies on urban areas requires a systems approach to understand which policies can create sustainable cities and improve societal wellbeing over time. This research builds a system dynamics model of an urban area to explore alternative urban planning policies and strategies through simulation experiments. The simulations investigate the long-term impact of the status quo urban growth strategies and explore alternative future policies for improving societal wellbeing. The results show that a combined policy focusing on creating urban density with high levels of green spaces and improved construction materials, while also reducing land reserved for urban development, reducing the pressure to build infrastructure, and controlling migration can improve societal wellbeing. To transition to sustainable cities, a shift away from the status quo growth strategies, pursued over the last 50 years in many urban areas, must occur.