The city has launched a program of collaboration with the green tech industry.
Two miles northwest of Boston, the city of Somerville, Massachusetts, has determined to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. While many cities, states, and countries have set targets for drastically reducing their carbon footprint, few have set such an ambitious goal. Bordering Cambridge, and surrounded by world-class universities, the small but densely packed city is "home to the largest green tech incubator in the country," Elizabeth Daigneau reports. "Somerville figured that if it was going to be carbon-neutral by 2050, it was going to need the help and cooperation of the business community."
The recently launched Green Tech Program will initially focus on pilot projects and facilitating information exchange through green tech networking events. The stated goal of the first event "is to raise the profile of municipal-ready technologies while providing a forum for city and industry officials to exchange opportunities and challenges." The first event was held in June in partnership with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
The first pilot program will be launched in partnership with Understory, a weather intelligence firm that caters to the insurance industry. According to their website, the startup provides "hyper-local data to power advanced damage analytics." The firm will install solar-powered weather stations at two local schools in order to share weather data with the city and the public. Daigneau writes, "Ultimately, Somerville has three broad goals with its pilot projects: They must help with climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and quality of life."
FULL STORY: How Does a City Get to Zero Carbon Emissions?
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.