Location Efficiency and Home Location Choice

Abstract

Canadian cities are continuing to grow in order to accommodate population increases, and the majority of this development remains situated along the edges of cities. This paradigm perpetuates a host of issues that accompany sprawling suburban housing development, such as unsustainable infrastructure costs, and increasing GHG emissions. To address these issues municipalities are attempting to encourage and stimulate redevelopment and growth within their inner neighbourhoods and along transit corridors. Location efficient home choice (homes that minimize household transportation costs with accessible transit and active transportation to services and employment) has been identified as an important part of limiting sprawling suburban development. While a growing number of homebuyers may prefer location efficient homes, new suburban homes are still the predominant choice amongst homebuyers. In the second chapter of this thesis, a narrative literature review is used to illustrate the evolution of location efficiency and situate it within housing and urban planning fields. This chapter also provides a new scale-based definition of the term which clarifies its current usage within grey and academic literature. The third chapter utilizes a Q-method card sorting technique and analysis to segment a sample of homebuyers in Edmonton, Alberta by their location efficiency related preferences, producing three distinct groups. The fourth chapter presents data from qualitative interviews with homebuyers inquiring about their experiences integrating location efficiency in their home location choice. Through three interrelated papers, this thesis investigates the concept and necessary clarification of the term ‘location efficiency’, identifies segments of homebuyers who employ varying levels of location efficiency in their housing choices, and finally investigates how and if homebuyers are integrating location efficiency into their home buying decision making. The findings presented provide a deeper insight into home location choice and location efficiency, and contribute to our understanding of household energy use and the built environment. This knowledge provides important evidence to both municipalities and academics that can be leveraged to support the reduction of municipal energy use, while increasing the functionality, economic sustainability and livability of our cities.