> Skyscrapers also have a footprint that might no be immediately obvious - it's their energy, water and food demand. Assuming they're inhabited by humans, what's the amount of agricultural land needed to provide for those humans? What's the energy demand, how many modular 100 MW nuclear power plants or hectares of solar PV panels (plus associated 24/7 storage/distribution centers) are needed to keep the elevator, lights, pumps, ventilation and heating/AC functioning? How much water do they consume daily? That's the kind of 'skyscraper footprint analysis' that architects should be asked to submit for any building design.

We should either require this for all buildings or for none. People are gonna have to live and work somewhere. Typically the foot print of lower-density solutions in all ways you describe will be even bigger.

If we think a sustainability assessment on all new construction will help, that can be a reasonable argument. I caution though that all the friction in getting new construction approved is a big factor in our growing housing cost. So let's make sure any regulation truly carries it's weight.