Towards resource efficient urban structure

In the context of resource efficiency, the city and the urban structure are usually seen only as consumers of material and energy. This paper, however, proposes that cities can and should be seen also as a producer of resources: e.g. technical and social skills, social well-being and economic innovations. To optimally handle urban resource efficiency, we should approach the urban structure as a set of interactive spatial and functional networks, linkages of which direct resource generation and flows. The resources, likewise, should be considered comprehensively, including qualitative and human resources, not only natural resources as they often get represented. The paper is based on results of the WHOLE project, funded by the Finnish government in 2015-2016. In the project, resources were divided into three classes: 1) material resources; 2) immaterial resources; and 3) spatial resources. Based on those, a comprehensive resource efficiency model for urban structures, the WHOLE model, was developed. Based on early tests of the model, we are convinced that instead of mere densification, the resource efficiency of urban structure demands versatile network links, accessibility in a broad sense and flexibility of structures in changing contexts.