Designing for Climate Change
Toronto’s Newest Skyscraper Covered in Trees
Toronto’s urban canopy is already home to over 10 million trees, which currently envelops 26% of the city’s surface area. Mayor John Tory, however, has bigger plans for Ontario’s capital; he wants to transform Toronto into a waking ecological metropolis. A local architecture firm, Brisbin Brook Beynon, is helping Tory achieve his goal, in a […]
The City Within a Garden
Some cities are restoring nature and tapping the power of ecosystems to enhance and protect urban life. Cities such as Melbourne, Portland, Oslo, San Francisco and Singapore are embracing a far-reaching shift in their mental models about the city’s relationship to nature. Read the entire article at NextCity. In modern times, the city has […]
Sustainable Development Has Taken Root Nationwide
From New York City to San Francisco, architects and city planners are going green to address the housing crisis. Read the entire article at The Atlantic. Nearly a decade ago, New York’s city and state agencies held an architectural competition to transform a former South Bronx freight yard. Architects were challenged to team up […]
Spending $Billions Now Will Save $Trillions Later
Is your city prepared for climate change? The latest National Climate Assessment paints a grim future if U.S. cities and states don’t take serious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the report notes that coastal zone counties account for nearly half of the nation’s population and economic activity, and that cumulative damage to […]
Cities Experiment with “Climate Positive” Design
Advocates say we could design city buildings and neighborhoods that cancel out more carbon than they emit, with the right policies and mindset. Cities are crucial to fighting climate change. They occupy only two percent of global land area but have an enormous climate impact, consuming more than two-thirds of global energy and accounting for 70 […]
Cal Polytech Students Prototype CO2 “Sponge”
The team, called CO2 extrACTION, is working to combat climate change through a device that extracts carbon dioxide from the air. Since Winter 2017, they have been working to create a carbon dioxide extraction panel to reduce greenhouse gases and mitigate climate change. The product is now in the prototyping phase, with the goal of an […]
Cities Leading the Transition to Renewables
More than 100 cities worldwide get at least 70 percent of their electricity from renewable sources. What can we learn from them? Read the entire article at DW. Cities are responsible for 70 percent of man made CO2 emissions, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Cars, heating, cooling and lighting systems work round […]
Cities Seek Technology to Adapt for Climate Change Risks and Challenges
As 1.4 million people move to cities each week, local abilities to keep residents safe can become strained, increasing the risk of disasters, warned the United Nations secretary-general. “The answer is to build resilience to storms, floods, earthquakes, fires, pandemics and economic crises,” said Antonio Guterres in a message for World Cities Day. Read the […]
GM Breaks with Trump Administration in Electric Vehicle Proposal
General Motors, facing the imminent expiration of its U.S. tax credits for electric vehicles, is now pushing for a federal mandate to keep the momentum going. In a defiant response to the Trump administration’s proposal to freeze fuel economy and emissions standards, GM outlined its own proposal for a national zero-emission vehicle program, modeled on the […]
Storm-proof Affordable Housing for Florida Keys Workers
After the destruction of Hurricane Irma, the Florida Keys Community Land Trust started building affordable cottages that can withstand the next storm. Like other tourist destinations, the Keys — a string of islands off the southern tip of Florida — require workers to staff their restaurants, hotels, and glass-bottom boats. Read the entire article at CityLab. […]
