How central business district developments facilitate environmental sustainability - A multiple case study in Finland

Sustainability is widely accepted as an important conceptual framework within which to position urban policy and development. Furthermore, urban planning is recognised as an important instrument for promoting sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to examine how Finnish central business district developments are designed to facilitate environmental sustainability. Three recent urban regeneration projects are explored as a multiple case study, firstly to model the central business district development process in Finland, and secondly to analyse how the expected outcomes of such regeneration projects support environmental sustainability. Official plan reports and supplementary case data are analysed qualitatively. A common development process model is identified and environmental sustainability is found to be promoted through higher urban density. However, environmental considerations are made only in the beginning and at the end of the linear planning process. In each of the cases studied, the contribution to environmental sustainability appears to be scarce.