Energy

Fanciful Bike Storage Mounts on Tall Buildings

Design firm Manifesto Architecture is proposing a unique vertical bike storage system that can take advantage of underused, slim spaces like alleys. Another neat aspect: the rack is powered by a stationery bike.

May 28, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

New Study: Sprawl Is Bad for Marriage Sustainability

According to a recent study in Sweden, long distance commutes (characteristic of sprawling suburbs) put a major strain on personal relationships and increase the chances of marriage ending in divorce.

May 28, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Britons are Driving Less

British cities report 9% fewer car trips per person and a 5% decline in distance traveled by car. That's because fewer young people are deciding to learn how to drive, says Prof. Phil Goodwin of the University of West of England.

May 27, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Density, Resources and Greatness

Density reduces costs and helps make places more sustainable, according to this post in a series on "great places".

May 26, 2011 - Grist

Lots Of Oil Remaining, But It's Heavy & Expensive

Half the oil in the Persian Gulf has been pumped out of the ground - so has 'peak oil' been reached? Notably, that term doesn't even appear in the article. Instead, it discusses the difference between light and heavy oil, and the role of technology

May 25, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal - Business

Swimming Pool Heated by Waste Heat from Cremations

Crematories produce a lot of waste heat. Is it sacrilegious to recycle that excess heat to warm a swimming pool, as is the plan in Redditch, England?

May 24, 2011 - Miller-McCune

Gas Prices Fueling Political Squabbles

The highest gas prices since the summer of 2008 have the two political parties taking separate approaches toward the oil industry - each showing how effective they are at killing each other's plans.

May 23, 2011 - The New York Times - Editorial

Chicago Plans for a Warmer Future

Climate scientists have warned Chicago's planners that the City will be significantly warmer and wetter by the end of theentury. And from street trees to building standards, that message is infiltrating Chicago's planning and design.

May 23, 2011 - A City Prepares for a Warm Long-Term Forecast

Architecture Projects with a Regional Mindframe

An increasing amount of architecture projects in the U.S. are taking regional concerns like water and energy production into consideration.

May 14, 2011 - Architect

Effort to "Green" the Empire State Building Paying Off

A $550 million plan to retrofit the Empire State Building pays off by attracting a new high-profile tenant, the social networking giant LinkedIn.com.

May 12, 2011 - Sustainable Cities Collective

Germany Bets Big on Its Own HSR Network

Eager to see the national train system (the Deutsche Bahn) regain its prestige and reputation for efficiency, the state-owned rail operator has pledged to invest 6 billion euros to acquire 300 of the most advanced high-speed trains in the world.

May 11, 2011 - Sustainable Cities Collective

What Downtown LA Would Like Without Cars (VIDEO)

Three architecture students from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo teamed to make this video which aims to show what an auto-free downtown LA could be.

May 9, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Transmission is Key for Wind Energy From the Sea

Building wind farms in the ocean is an ideal way to generate electricity, but it's not so easy to get that energy back to shore efficiently. This article looks as a transmission project that could address that issue.

May 5, 2011 - Popular Science

Electric Roads for Electric Cars

One of the problems with switching to electric cars is the range of the vehicles per charge. But what if the roads themselves provided a constant charge, like a third rail?

May 4, 2011 - Txchnologist (GE)

Vancouver's Biggest Plan Yet

Vancouver, B.C. is known for its strong commitment to progressive planning, which has resulted in a dense, vibrant downtown. Planning director Brent Toderian explains his city's biggest plan yet.

May 1, 2011 - re:place Magazine

Friday Funny: Sustainable Energy Solutions are Key

Theodore Tremelstam argues that the United States desperately needs to develop alternate sources of fuel, awakening his buddy Bill at 3 o'clock in the morning in this Point/Counterpoint.

April 29, 2011 - The Onion

Recession-Defying Green Roofs

Despite the continued struggles of the U.S. economy, green roofs have proliferated with the market increasing 30% from the previous year.

April 27, 2011 - ASLA's The Dirt blog

Bikenomics and the Energy Crisis

Writing for Grist, Elly Blue explains that part of the solution to the oil/energy crisis in the United States is to approach the issue as a transportation issue, not a geopolitical one. She especially advocates for increased bike use.

April 26, 2011 - Grist

A Road Tax on Electric Cars

WA state is considering the nation's first fee on electric cars to cover road wear since they pay no gas tax, the primary funding mechanism for funding road maintenance and construction. However, critics point out that the fee is flat, not variable.

April 25, 2011 - AOL News

Skyscrapers of the Future

The 2011 eVolo Skyscraper Competition turned up some unusual and futuristic designs for future skyscrapers and other structures, from a reimagined Hoover Dam to a Ferris Wheel-shaped wind turbine.

April 24, 2011 - Popular Science

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.