ABSTRACT
Even though global resources are limited within the system boundary of the earth, the extraction and consumption of natural resources annually reaches new peaks. Since the construction sector is responsible for more than 50% of global resource consumption, it is the most important single factor. It can and should be minimized immediately. The present paper depicts the results of a case study which determines the resource consumption of different residential building typologies and their corresponding infrastructure in varying urban densities and puts them in relation to each other. High-rise structures are compared to mid-rise buildings and single-family houses in high-, medium- and low-density scenarios. Thus, architects and urban planners are enabled at a very early stage to estimate the impact of their design decisions. Consequently, the paper emphasizes the need for optimizing building typologies e. g. by activating reduction potentials in high-rise structures.
