ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the energy consumption of households accomplished by transportation and starts with a discussion of the studies on urban density and trip making. Data on trip making the United Kingdom and The Netherlands will be compared. The chapter discusses these findings in the broader context of the current debate in order to identify to what degree the immediate surroundings of the house, the characteristics of the spatial organization, and design relate with the way how households 'organize' their space. Policy concerning spatial development in The Netherlands promotes compactness of cities. Besides the aim of the conservation of open space, a city development of functionally mixed areas and of high(er) densities could trigger a reduction of mobility, in particular car mobility. A commuting paradox has been identified, based on data from the American Housing Survey from the 20 largest US metropolitan areas.
