How does land-use zoning impact energy consumption in cities?

• A. Zoning has no impact on energy use.
• B. Zoning only affects where buildings are located, not energy.
• C. Zoning shapes density and travel behavior; compact zoning lowers energy use, sprawl raises it.
• D. Zoning increases energy use by mandating energy-inefficient lighting.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that land-use zoning shapes urban form in ways that affect how people travel and how energy is consumed. When zoning promotes compact, mixed-use development and higher density near homes, jobs, and services, people can reach destinations with shorter trips and more options for walking, biking, or using transit. This reduces the energy used for transportation overall. In contrast, zoning that encourages sprawling, low-density development creates car-dependent patterns with longer vehicle trips, which raises energy use per person.

So, the best answer captures how zoning influences density and travel behavior, and that compact development tends to lower energy use while sprawl raises it. The other statements miss the link between urban form and energy: some claim zoning has no impact or only affects location, not energy; and one suggests zoning increases energy use by mandating inefficient lighting, which is not how zoning works—lighting standards are separate policy tools.