Europe
Urban Heat Waves Likely to Hit Harder
Yet another climate change side effect: more frequent urban heat waves. And because urban temperatures tend higher than rural ones, cities should be ready to protect the most vulnerable.
New App Plots the Most Beautiful, Walkable Route
Interested in finding the road less traveled by? Walkonomics has launched in seven cities around the globe.
Master Planned Neighborhood Focuses on Materials to Avoid Blandness
Could something as simple of the material selected for a residential tower prove the "antidote to suburban blandness"? A Parisian suburb thinks so.
The Ultimate Revitalization Scheme: Free Homes
Though it's as picturesque as a place can be, the central Sicilian town of Gangi is a shell of its former self. To attract new residents, the town is offering homes for free on the condition that they be restored to their former glory.
Houten, Netherlands: Where Cars and Bikes Coexist
Well-known in transportation planning circles, Houten's suburban multi-modality can be found almost nowhere else. Perimeter ring roads, train access, and bike-friendly features have cut car trips down to 44 percent.
No Papal Blessing for Cap-And-Trade
Governments must take correction actions to address climate change, warned Pope Francis in his June 18 encyclical, but cap-and-trade, which places a price on carbon emissions but can lead to speculation, is not one of them.
New Study Examines the Value of Bicycling in Copenhagen
Key to explaining the popularity of biking in Copenhagen is its cultural attitude, which is also based on sound cost-benefit analysis. Until Americans change how they value transport modes, protected bike lanes may be elusive.
35-Story Wood High Rise Proposed for Paris
The winner of a design competition in Paris, France could push the limit of wood design and construction much, much higher than it's gone before.
Study: Golden State Should Change Name to Greenest State
California's economy is not only the "least carbon-intensive" in the United States, it's the second lowest in the world when measured per economic output, according to a new study that evaluates economics and environment.
A New Approach to Flood Control Makes 'Room for the River'
A radical approach to flood control in the Netherlands will expand the flood plain of the River Waal while also creating new neighborhoods where people can live and work.
Positive Early Returns for Solar Bike Path
The performance of the world's first solar bike path in the Netherlands have so far exceeded expectations in its first six months of operation. Now the question becomes: What next?
European Cities Try to Make Cars Unwelcome
Many cities in Europe are rediscovering their pre-automobile roots, using new technologies like ride-sharing and congestion pricing and old-fashioned ones like demolishing parking lots and dense development. Car ownership is dropping precipitously.
Amsterdam Public Transit's Big Move to All-Electric
Europe is well known for electric powered trams and trains, but cities still operate diesel buses, just like in the United States. That will change in Amsterdam—all diesel buses will be replaced by battery-electrics by 2025, reports Dutch News.
Study Examines the Importance of Planning by States and Nation-States
With so much focus on local planning in recent years, what opportunities are there for planning at the state and nation-state level? A new study by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy examines case studies from the United States and Europe.
The Fear Factor Behind the Success of Shared Streets
An editorial explains that the fear inspired by shared streets—the idea that pedestrians, bikes, and cars have equal claim to navigate the street without the regulatory layer implemented by traffic engineers—is exactly why they work.
Study Finds Economic Value in Urban-Dwelling Birds
Researchers at the University of Washington and Humboldt State University have produced evidence value added by birds in urban settings.
U.S. Subway Car Design Behind the Curve
Yonah Freemark examines U.S. subway systems and notes the lack of "open gangways" (i.e., the space between the cars). Only in the U.S. do doors separate cars. What gives?
France to Require Green Roofs for Commercial Buildings
The French Parliament has approved legislation requiring commercial buildings to partially cover their rooftops in either plants or solar panels.
The Power of Play in the Public Square
Paris represents the best of grand architecture and city planning, from the Eiffel Tower to the Champs-Elysées. Yet, underneath these places, are small parks that bring together Paris' diverse populations through the power of play.
Today in Paris: Half of the Private Cars in the City Banned from the Road
Paris today made its first use of a drastic plan to improve air quality in the city: ban half of the cars on the road. The ban could continue tomorrow if the current air pollution alert does not improve.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
