At the recent Smart Cities Conference in Barcelona, Mayor Kaminis of Athens highlighted how the city is helping residents survive the increasingly hot summers in the Greek capital.
Besides Athens’ geographical location, many human-made factors contribute to the heat. For example, finding green areas in the city is not an easy task. In fact, according to the 2014 OECD Factbook of Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics, Athens placed fourth from last out of all the metropolitan areas in the study, averaging less than one square meter of green space per Athenian. To put it in perspective, Madrid has 171, Milan 93 and Berlin has 906 square meters of green per resident.
One way Athens has dealt with the heat is through eight cooling centers spread across the city which are air-conditioned places to sit or lie down. Access to them is facilitated by an app called Extrema, which assists people who might be in danger.
Read the full story: Athens fights rising heat
Trump's proposed budget slashes EPA funding by 52%
The budget also reduces funding for FEMA, climate resilience projects, and water infrastructure programs.
Looking to the Middle East for Cooling Architecture
Cooling mechanisms built into traditional architecture offer lessons for U.S. builders as heat waves grow more intense.
California’s Energy Emergency: Fodder for Democrats and Republicans
What are the lessons to be learned from California's 10-day power grid emergency this month? Democrats and Republicans in Congress have their own takeaways, and both may be right.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority