More new housing is smaller and located in walkable places than currently exists or is being built. There is a wide variety of new units available, with 40% of them single-family detached, 25% townhomes/similar products, 28% multifamily, and 7% occuring in a mixed-use building (e.g., apartments above a restaurant). When including existing housing, about 54% is single-family detached in 2050. The average new single-family home is the smallest in this scenario at just under 2,500 square feet and is 50% more energy efficient. Housing in this scenario is the most affordable because it uses less land and construction materials, and more types of housing are available. Private yards are smaller (the average lot is just under a fifth acre), but more land is available for public open space, agriculture, and natural lands than in any other scenario.
The chart below describes the acres of new land that are developed by housing type:
The chart below shows the energy efficiency of new homes across scenarios. Higher energy efficiency means higher construction costs, but lower monthly utility costs. Lower energy efficiency means lower construction costs, but higher monthly utility costs:
