Australia
Tesla’s Renewable Energy Vision—Big Benefits Without Major Lifestyle Changes
Tesla’s fancy cars generate much of the company’s revenue, while its solar energy products are decidedly less flashy.
Regulating Car Ads to Discourage Unsafe Driving
Dangerous driving is a common feature of U.S. car ads, but other countries have banned this advertising because it glorifies reckless behavior.
Thinkers in the Tropical Shade: Empowering Lessons for Livable Places
Thanks to the Australian-American Fulbright Commission and UN-Habitat's World Urban Campaign, fundamental relationships at the heart of urban public health and livability are under scrutiny in tropical Australia.
Cities Must Manage Parking or Face Pollution and Inequity
Free easily-accessible parking rewards car ownership and pushes up the cost of housing, argue Rebecca Clements and Alan March.
Rainwater Capture as a Game Changer for Drought-Prone Cities
During Australia's 12-year drought, cities like Brisbane cut water usage per-person-per-day by more than half. Andy Lipkis, the founder and president of TreePeople, believes Los Angeles can follow this example.
Transit + Technology: Revitalizing Public Transportation for Smarter Communities
Neil Roberts shares details of Melbourne's Yarra Trams, which has exceeded its service delivery and punctuality goals by the use of intelligent transit technology like sensors, the tramTRACKER app, and mobile work stations for employees.
Former Leaders Backtrack on Climate Commitments
In order to stave off the worst climate change scenarios, experts have recommended that the world's countries must aggressively expand their efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Some surprising countries are headed in the opposite direction.
U.S. Think Tank Questions Australia's Environmental Policies
The Centre for Global Development, authors of the Commitment to Development Index, has ranked Australia well in terms of its policies towards developing countries but it falls down the index on its environmental policies.
Opponents Question Plan to Replace Sydney CBD Parking With Cycle Lanes
Debates rages on in response to the City Centre Access Strategy as it's revealed that the CBD could loose around 20% of its parking places and loading zones on two key streets to make way for the expanded cycle path scheme.
Can BRT Ease the Pain of Commuting from Sydney's Northern Suburbs?
Sydney's public transport system has long been criticised for its scant network, aging infrastructure and long journey times. Nicole Hasham reviews whether a new route through the city's northern beach-side suburbs will address these issues.
Expanding Bike Lanes a Focus of Sydney "Access Strategy"
New South Wales Government have published the "City Centre Access Strategy", their vision for transport planning in Sydney for the next two decades. Jacob Saulwick reviews the mixed responses to the long awaited plan.
Australian Wind Energy Cheaper Than Coal and Natural Gas
In carbon-tax friendly Australia wind energy production is now cheaper than coal and natural gas.
Carbon Tax Becomes a New Reality in Australia
Australia's first term prime minister Julia Gillard announced a carbon tax that will charge $23 per metric ton. Though Australia is one of the world's top carbon polluters, the program will start next year, reports Sarah Laskow, GOOD Magazine.
Western Australia's Capital Envisions its Transformation
Recently released Capital City Planning Framework for Perth outlines a mixed-use city that is both livable and welcoming to outsiders.
Dominance on the Most Livable Cities
Why do cities in Australia and Canada consistently dominate livability ratings?
Politics vs Progress in Australia
The new Government for the State of Victoria in Australia is attempting to reverse basic initiatives pursuing the integration of land use and transport, brought on by NIMBY influences.
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This shows you why an elliptical trainer workout and treadmill weight loss can be the best ways to burn body fat to shed unwanted pounds.
The Hornery Institute and Inner-Urban Suburbs
On a recent business trip to Australia, I had the opportunity to visit with an interesting group of social planners called The Hornery Institute. Specifically, their charter is “to assist communities in becoming better places to live, learn, work and play.” The Hornery Institute was established in November 2000, in recognition of Lend Lease’s Chairman, Stuart Hornery and his commitment to community and people. To mark his retirement, the shareholders and employees of this great company formed a not-for-profit organization that allowed Hornery and his dedicated, hand-picked staff to continue working on independent projects to make communities more fulfilling.
Best Ideas of the Week
We all know there's a lot of planning going on around the world. Much of it is poor, short-sighted and generally just no good. But there are also some really great ideas being developed and adopted, and they should be considered by cities and communities all over the world as instructive examples of good planning. Here are what I think are some of the best ideas in urban planning from the last week.
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
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
