Global concerns on the reduction of greenhouse gases are being addressed through measures like the Kyoto Protocol and the COP15. Greenhouse gases are emitted mainly from the use of fossil-fuel energy, so the most reliable way to reduce greenhouse gases is to lessen such energy use. And the compact city as an alternative way of enhancing the efficiency of energy use is a representative case. However, the concept of the compact city is not necessarily easy to apply to Korean cities due to the prevalence of high density urban developments. In this study, correlation analysis was conducted between energy efficiency and urban spatial form. The results show that variables which indicate the characteristics of urban spatial form have correlation with energy efficiency. However, the results are different depending on the development density and the spatial unit of analysis. Therefore, different approaches to reduce the use of energy based on the urban spatial characteristics are needed. Moreover, the socio-economic dimension needs to be considered additionally in spatial form to manage cities more energy efficiently.