Energy Efficient Cities: A Quick Introduction to Passive and Active Design

There are two distinct approaches that will work in unison to meet the growing energy demands of our urban future: passive design and active design. Active approaches depend on the development of new technologies such as communication systems, power storage and sensors to introduce energy efficient processes into the dynamic flows that constitute our urban economies. The ability to build these systems depends on both public- and private sector financing of research and development. Passive solutions, such as natural ventilation, smart materials and intelligent transit planning, rely more heavily on design research and process planning processes and operate within the static subsystems within urban flows.