Energy
Burned by Sandy, Hoboken Seeks to Become Model for Hurricane Resilience
The low-lying city of 50,000 across the Hudson River from Manhattan was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Mayor Dawn Zimmer wants to city to serve as a model for how to develop a uniquely urban approach to extreme storm preparation.
State of the Union Recap: Energy, Economy, Infrastructure and Environment
In an address heavy on President Obama's domestic agenda for the first year of his second term, issues of importance to planners and urbanists got plenty of play, including: the environment, energy, infrastructure, and the economy.
Geologists Dispute Predictions of a "Saudi America"
While holding out promise for oil industry advocates, shale oil extraction in the United States appears to obey the law of diminishing returns.
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.
Five Energy Objectives - Is There Consensus?
Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski believes that politicians of both parties will support her five energy objectives: Make it abundant, affordable, clean, diverse and secure. Will it provide a 'conversation starter' to frame federal policy?
Arup Proposes Radical Building of the Near Future
The global engineering firm envisions a "smart" building that will plug into "smart" urban infrastructure and cater to an increasingly dense and technology-savvy urban population.
District of Columbia Challenges Feds on Climate Action
The District of Columbia is challenging the federal government on climate action, with lawmakers proposing to outlaw a local coal-burning power plant that powers Congress.
Despite Global Pleas, the U.S. Abstains from Leading on Climate Change
Global leaders met last week in New Delhi to discuss climate change mitigation through sustainable development measures. For those on the front lines of climate change, the intransigence of the U.S. has sparked concern, reports Joanna Zelman.
Fracking Debate Comes to California
Hydraulic fracturing may finally allow drillers to extricate oil from the Monterey Shale, creating a shale oil boom that could dwarf ones in states such as North Dakota. Environmentalists are digging in to limit the controversial practice.
Energy Secretary Latest to Announce His Departure
Friday brought word that Energy Secretary Steven Chu will leave the Obama administration once a replacement is in place. With his departure, each of the cabinet's energy and environmental positions remain vacant.
U.S. Carbon Emissions Fall to Lowest Level in Two Decades
A new report indicates that carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. have fallen by 13% in the past five years. The last time carbon emissions were this low, Ace of Base was topping the charts and "Pulp Fiction" was reviving the career of John Travolta.
Sustainability Over Tradition as Paris Turns Out the Lights
France's Environment Ministry has decreed that as of July, all shops and offices in the country will be required to shut off their lights at night in order to save energy and “reduce the print of artificial lighting on the nocturnal environment.”
The Politics of Public Works
As Barack Obama takes the oath of office for his second term, Places editor Nancy Levinson argues for an intensified political agenda for architects and urban designers.
Northeast Cap-and-Trade Agreement Faces Uncertain Future
Established eight years ago by a bipartisan coalition of Northeast and mid-Atlantic governors, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was the first cap-and-trade system established in the U.S. It now faces an uncertain future.
As Canada Heats Up, Officials Scramble to Keep Up
"Canada is getting hotter faster than ever before and at a faster rate than almost any other country," reports Anna Mehler Paperny, and the country's infrastructure, public health, and economy are vulnerable to unforeseen impacts.
Stripping the Veneer off LEED-Platinum
Is a new luxury 6,721 square-foot home located in a gated community on the far outskirts of Las Vegas truly “the new face of efficiency"? Kaid Benfield elaborates on how the LEED certification system can be so easily gamed.
10 Innovations Driving America's Cities and States Forward
"America is renewing itself from the bottom up." That is the premise underlying the second annual “Innovations to Watch” list just released by The Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and The Rockefeller Foundation.
How Walkable Communities are Key to Modern Geopolitics
The "great global project" of this century, says Patrick Doherty, is how to "accommodate 3 billion additional middle-class aspirants in two short decades." In a bold essay, he outlines how the U.S. must lead the global transition to sustainability.
Fiscal Cliff Deal Levels Tax Playing Field for Transit Riders
While the fiscal cliff talks did not increase the gas tax as some transportation analysts had hoped, it did increase a benefit that many commuters who ride public transit will appreciate, particularly those whose monthly expenses total $240.
Utilities React to Reduction in Electricity Consumption
In her news article and blog, Rebecca Smith examines the reduction in electricity consumption in the U.S. - the causes and how utilities have reacted to remain profitable.
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.
