Preface

Increased concern among policymakers and civil society worldwide about quality of life and environmental health in cities, and the threat of global climate change, translate into an era of market opportunity for an industry dedicated to environmentally-sustainable "smart growth" transport and urban development. Technologies and technical services can be powerful tools to addressing environmental and social problems when they are applied appropriately in concert with more effective institutional relationships. Critical to effective application of technology and provision of services in the transport and urban development sector is an understanding of the social trends and economic forces that shape travel behavior, landuse and travel needs and constraints.

Potential for $mart Growth Services and Technology Transfer is an introductory report on the smart growth concept designed for three purposes. First, to increase the familiarity of industry associations, governments and companies engaged in transport and urban development with smart growth issues and the relationship of these issues to sustainable development in the developing world. Second, to help industry associations and companies see themselves as providers of innovative, smart growth solutions to address a variety of negative environmental problems and social trends in the developing world. Third, to help publicize the notion among the private sector and government agencies that there is an array of seemingly unrelated transport and urban development technologies and services that may be combined and used in unique ways to address environmental problems.

Technological advances, and the cooperation of government and industry, will be critical to ensuring that urban transport systems are brought to their full potential in terms of life-cycle economics, energy efficiency, and minimal adverse environmental and societal impacts. Potential for $mart Growth Services and Technology Transfer argues that in pursuit of sustainable development there are conventional and smart growth technologies and technical services that, when combined in innovative ways, can create new lines of value and business. The report is intended for industry associations and companies interested in competing their technologies and services with conventional transport and urban development infrastructure, and energy supply (i.e. the "mobility market"), for a share of the estimated annual US$147 billion mobility market in the developing world. Potential for $mart Growth Services and Technology Transfer, however, is intended for discussion of potential opportunities and not as an exhaustive account of all smart growth opportunities, services and technologies that may exist.

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Prepared by the International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC)
September 1999

Support for this document was provided by the Export Council for Energy Efficiency (ECEE) and the US Department of Energy (award DE-FC41-94R110679). This support does not constitute an endorsement by the US Department of Energy of the views expressed in the article.

Updated: 03/29/02