Environmental Management and Sustainable Development ISSN 2164-7682 2013, Vol. 2, No. 2 www.macrothink.org/emsd 101 Demonstrating How Urban Morphology Matters: Reaching Beyond the Geometry of Building Design, Construction Systems and Occupational Behaviours and Towards Broader Context-Specific Transformations Mark Deakin School of Engineering and the Built Environment Edinburgh Napier University, UK E-Mail: m.deakin@napier.ac.uk Alasdair Reid The Institute for Sustainable Construction Edinburgh Napier University, UK E-Mail: al.reid@napier.co.uk Miss Fiona Campbell The Institute for Sustainable Construction Edinburgh Napier University, UK E-Mail: fh.campbell@napier.ac.uk Received: August 14, 2013 Accepted: September 1, 2013 doi:10.5296/emsd.v2i2.4307 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/emsd.v2i2.4307 Abstract Recent studies of urban morphology, suggest the design, layout and texture of district centres, neighbourhoods and buildings have as much a bearing on levels of energy consumption and rates of carbon emission as either buildings or their occupation. They suggest urban morphology matters and both the design, layout and texture of district centres, neighbourhoods and buildings are as significant in setting levels of energy consumption and