Uppsala like many other Swedish cities is affected by heavy housing shortage, in terms of too few existing flats and residents within the city limits. Every semester thousands of new students are facing the same problems of finding themselves adequate accommodation. The waiting lists for flats and student-dorms are getting longer for each year, and the situation is just getting worse. Simultaneously, Uppsala’s ambition is to increase its population and expand as a Swedish metropolitan, according to the Swedish governmental environment goals.   This paper investigates and analyses the possibilities of expanding a city’s population by building high-rise buildings. A city developed with high-rise buildings will provide different conditions and penalties than what we have formerly been used to in Sweden. Therefore we have analysed the eventual outcome in a few different areas which would most likely be affected by an upcoming progress including constructions of high-rise buildings. The examined areas are production costs, energy efficacy, cityscape and community related issues. To set clear boundaries regarding the reports extent, we have chosen to focus on Uppsala as a city in particular. Ultimately, the results of different studies and comparisons have been discussed with the origin of promoting the benefits of different solutions. The report reveals that high-rise constructions could contribute with considerably more positive outcomes than people without deep understanding within the subject could possibly imagine. Other, more social related questions in this context need attention as well. For example: How would it work on a practical level for the inhabitants of Uppsala if the buildings suddenly were a lot higher than what they used to be? Would these buildings take attention away from the Uppsala castle and the cathedral? Would Uppsala even remain a pleasant place to live in? Questions such as these together with other social related issues have been discussed in this report as well. The report has been carried out in collaboration with the building contractor JM AB, from which data and information on various intervals have been taken.

The purpose of this essay is to study how the animal life can be taken into account in green structure plans. The purpose is also to study the possibilities of a human need for access to animals and nature in green structure plans. An additional purpose is to study how two municipalities deal with issues concerning a possible urban expansion and a conservation of nature areas. In this case through a comparative study between the city of Kalmar and the city of Växjö, in the shape of partly a text analysis, partly semi-structured interviews. The purpose from a didactic perspective is to study the possibilities with a potential application of the connection between a city’s expansion and animal life in future teaching.   The result of this study shows that both municipalities consider the animal life in their cities. The two municipalities place special emphasis on biodiversity, core areas and the animals’ spreading potential. It also shows that the two municipalities see a social importance with biological diversity, concerning the aim of promoting the well-being of the inhabitants. The results shows that when considering a possible urban expansion and a conservation of nature areas, the two municipalities take biodiversity into account. The process requires clear approaches and that biodiversity is taken into account at an early stage in the issue.The result of this study also shows that urban expansion together with animal life can be put in relation to the curriculum for high school and can with good conditions be used in teaching that concern urban expansion, sustainable development and the relations between human and nature.