Great Cities Need Mix of Old Buildings and New

Urban affairs writer Ben Adler has an interesting take on the mix of new and old buildings that creates a vibrant, successful city. “It’s all about balance,” Adler writes. “A city with nothing but modern skyscrapers would surely lose its aesthetic charm, its creative energy, and its urban vitality. But a city with no new construction risks turning into a museum…frequented only by the rich and tourists.” In a low-carbon energy scenario, both forms of construction play an important part: existing buildings will have to be much more energy-efficient by mid-century, while new structures can and should be at least net-zero, meaning that they produce as much energy as they consume.