IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v12y2023i1p226-d1031918.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are Green Spaces More Available and Accessible to Green Building Users? A Comparative Study in Texas

Author

Listed:
  • Senhong Cai

    (School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Zhonghua Gou

    (School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

Abstract

Green buildings (GBs) and green spaces (GSs) play a key foundational role as important drivers of urban Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There have been many studies on the spatial distribution of GBs and GSs, but relevant studies exploring the spatial relationship between GBs and GSs are lacking. The research questions were: whether GBs are more likely to access GSs than nongreen buildings (NGBs) and whether GBs with higher certification levels are more likely to access GSs. In this study, we used Texas and its four major cities (Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio) as case studies to compare the availability and accessibility of GSs to GBs (certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED by U.S. Green Building Council) and NGBs. The study was conducted using spatial analysis tools in a geographic information system (GIS) to explore the spatial distribution of GBs and quantify the availability and accessibility of GSs in a comparison of GBs and NGBs and different GB certification levels. The study found that GBs in each city showed uneven distribution with multicore distribution. In addition, the availability and accessibility of GSs for GBs are lower than for NGBs, and the ability to obtain GSs does not increase with higher GB certification levels. This is because many GBs are located in areas far from the city center or in small cities around large cities where there are few GSs available, resulting in a mismatch in the distribution of GBs and GSs. The study also reviewed the certification manuals and found that LEED has regulated GSs at the city and community levels, yet has ignored them at the building level, and thus further suggests specific improvements. This study provides references and suggestions for adding GSs to the certification content, helping policymakers to optimize future efforts to improve GB certification programs and contributing to the eventual greater role of GBs and GSs together in urban SDGs.

Suggested Citation

  • Senhong Cai & Zhonghua Gou, 2023. "Are Green Spaces More Available and Accessible to Green Building Users? A Comparative Study in Texas," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-20, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:1:p:226-:d:1031918
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/1/226/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/1/226/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Katherine Madson & Bryan Franz & Robert Leicht & Jonathan Nelson, 2022. "Evaluating the Sustainability of New Construction Projects over Time by Examining the Evolution of the LEED Rating System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    2. Yinqi Zhang & He Wang & Weijun Gao & Fan Wang & Nan Zhou & Daniel M. Kammen & Xiaoyu Ying, 2019. "A Survey of the Status and Challenges of Green Building Development in Various Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-29, September.
    3. Emilio Ramírez-Juidías & José-Lázaro Amaro-Mellado & Jorge Luis Leiva-Piedra, 2022. "Influence of the Urban Green Spaces of Seville (Spain) on Housing Prices through the Hedonic Assessment Methodology and Geospatial Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Li, Shengxiao(Alex) & Zhai, Wei & Jiao, Junfeng & Wang, Chao (Kenneth), 2022. "Who loses and who wins in the ride-hailing era? A case study of Austin, Texas," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 130-138.
    5. Siwei Chen & Zhonghua Gou, 2022. "An Investigation of Green Roof Spatial Distribution and Incentive Policies Using Green Buildings as a Benchmark," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, November.
    6. Yi Gao & Gaosheng Yang & Qiuhao Xie, 2020. "Spatial-Temporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Green Building Development in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-21, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yu Cao & Cong Xu & Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman & Nur Mardhiyah Aziz, 2022. "A Systematic Review of Green Building Development in China: Advantages, Challenges and Future Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-29, September.
    2. Amal Shamseldin & Ashraf Balabel & Mamdooh Alwetaishi & Ahmed Abdelhafiz & Usama Issa & Ibrahim Sharaky & Mohamed Al-Surf & Mosleh Al-Harthi, 2020. "Adjustment of the Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment Field for Taif City-Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-27, December.
    3. Linyan Chen & Xin Gao & Shitao Gong & Zhou Li, 2020. "Regionalization of Green Building Development in China: A Comprehensive Evaluation Model Based on the Catastrophe Progression Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-22, July.
    4. Fan Yang & Qian Mao, 2023. "Auto-Evaluation Model for the Prediction of Building Energy Consumption That Combines Modified Kalman Filtering and Long Short-Term Memory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-16, November.
    5. Minerva Bonilla & William Rasdorf, 2023. "Identification of Construction Inhibitors and Sustainable Construction Practices for Alternative Intersections and Interchanges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-23, February.
    6. Redouan Assadiki & Gérard Merlin & Hervé Boileau & Catherine Buhé & Fouzi Belmir, 2022. "Status and Prospects of Green Building in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region with a Focus on the Moroccan Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-24, October.
    7. Katherine Brookfield & Charlotte Dimond & Susannah G. Williams, 2022. "Sustainability Messages in Residential Property Advertising," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Ye Gao & Renfu Jia & Yi Yao & Jiahui Xu, 2022. "Evolutionary Game Theory and the Simulation of Green Building Development Based on Dynamic Government Subsidies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-18, June.
    9. Saxena, Aditya & Gupta, Vallary, 2023. "Carpooling: Who is closest to adopting it? An investigation into the potential car-poolers among private vehicle users: A case of a developing country, India," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 11-20.
    10. Shadeedha Mohamed Saradara & Malik Mansoor Ali Khalfan & Abdul Rauf & Rubina Qureshi, 2023. "On The Path towards Sustainable Construction—The Case of the United Arab Emirates: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-26, October.
    11. Lavinia Denisia Cuc & Dana Rad & Daniel Manațe & Silviu Gabriel Szentesi & Anca Dicu & Mioara Florina Pantea & Vanina Adoriana Trifan & Cosmin Silviu Raul Joldeș & Graziella Corina Bâtcă-Dumitru, 2023. "Representations of the Smart Green Concept and the Intention to Implement IoT in Romanian Real Estate Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-15, May.
    12. Niu, Shaoshuai & Kang, Moyun & Liu, Yuqi & Lin, Wei & Liang, Chenchen & Zhao, Yiqiang & Cheng, Jiaji, 2023. "The preparation and characterization of phase change material microcapsules with multifunctional carbon nanotubes for controlling temperature," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    13. Wenxi Zhu & Jing Zhang & Jinfei Dai & Da Wang & Chongsen Ma & Yufang Xu & Yun Chen, 2023. "Study on the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Influencing Factors on Green Building Development of City Clusters in the Yangtze River Delta Region in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-20, June.
    14. Zhenmin Yuan & Jianliang Zhou & Yaning Qiao & Yadi Zhang & Dandan Liu & Hui Zhu, 2020. "BIM-VE-Based Optimization of Green Building Envelope from the Perspective of both Energy Saving and Life Cycle Cost," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-16, September.
    15. Danbei Mo & Liang Huang & Linghong Zeng, 2023. "Green Development Level Evaluation of Urban Engineering Construction in the Mid-Low Reaches of Yangtze River, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-19, July.
    16. Saul Nkini & Erik Nuyts & Gabriel Kassenga & Ombeni Swai & Griet Verbeeck, 2024. "Towards More Green Buildings in Tanzania: Knowledge of Stakeholders on Green Building Design Features, Triggers and Pathways for Uptake," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-31, April.
    17. Chun Fu & Can Zhou, 2023. "Examining the Impact of Real Estate Development on Carbon Emissions Using Differential Generalized Method of Moments and Dynamic Panel Threshold Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-16, April.
    18. Tian, Guang & Ewing, Reid & Li, Han, 2023. "Exploring the influences of ride-hailing services on VMT and transit usage – Evidence from California," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    19. Dan Yu & Bart Dewancker & Fanyue Qian, 2020. "The Identification and Rebound Effect Evaluation of Equipment Energy Efficiency Improvement Policy: A Case Study on Japan’s Top Runner Policy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-18, August.
    20. Shengda Song & Jialing Che & Xiaohan Yuan, 2022. "Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Index Assessment of Green Buildings Based on the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-14, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:1:p:226-:d:1031918. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.