ABSTRACT
The integration of natural environments into urban areas can provide diverse economic, social, and ecological benefits. However, there is scant existing research on nature integrated urban landscape and building design strategies and solutions that effectively improve the ecological integrity of local ecosystems. Through a literature review, this paper investigates the relative ecological performance potential of stand-alone urban landscapes (ULs), incorporating natural environments into buildings (NIBs), and incorporating natural environments adjacent to buildings (NABs). The results indicate that the integration of natural environments into urban areas can substantially improve the ecological integrity of local ecosystems. NABs can be particularly effective, as they can be designed to foster the benefits of both NIBs and ULs, while also offering unique, and generally more effective, ecological benefits. Specifically, NABs can substantially contribute to reducing urban sprawl, in ways that improve the economic and social value of local communities.
