The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Go, West? Not So Fast

The Rocky Mountain West, an area where people were content to let others do what they pleased with their land, is moving towards increasing growth controls as the region's population explodes.

September 19 - New West

Downsizing Affordable Housing

With small lots and small houses, one Florida home builder is taking an unconventional approach to developing affordable housing.

September 19 - Bradenton Herald

Cooling Cities With Green

Research shows that New York City's heat island could be mitigated by increased vegetation and green roofs.

September 19 - NASA

Inside America's Sewage System

Julie Grant of WKSU in Kent, Ohio, goes underground to find out what's wrong with our nation’s sewage systems and discover the rising costs of urban sewage system management.

September 19 - Living on Earth

Some Say LEED Is Lacking

The LEED green building standards may not be green enough, as critics voice concerns over some allowed materials and an apparent building industry influence.

September 19 - L.A. Weekly


Bush U-Turn On Global Warming Rumored

Is the Bush administration planning a dramatic reversal of its policy on global warming?

September 19 - The Independent

Beijing To Ban Cars At 2008 Olympics

To reduce traffic congestion and pollution, officials in Beijing will prohibit the use of private cars at sporting events during the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

September 18 - International Herald Tribune


The Darkside Of Building New 'Green' Homes

The waste generated from demolition, and the large floor space of many new eco-mansions, is an environmentally unfriendly result of the new green home trend.

September 18 - LA Weekly

Suburban Subdivision Naming Guide

A conveninent tool for coming up with attractive names for suburban subdivisions.

September 18 - DenverInfill Blog

Building 'Green' Schools

If voters approve a new school construction bond, plans call for eco-friendly school buildings to begin sprouting up all over Portland, Oregon.

September 18 - The Oregonian

America the Beseiged?

Architectural securitization measures around public buildings are going from temporary fixtures to permanent ones, and most are turning once-beautiful cities into military zones. Architecture critic Blair Kamin asks, is all of this necessary?

September 18 - Capital Times (Madison)

Cities Still Reaching For The Sky

Despite the security concerns after September 11th, skyscraper construction has continued in cities around the globe.

September 18 - The Standard

Planned Tollway Causes Great Divide In Paradise

Surfers and environmentalists are waging war against the planned six-lane roadway through Trestles, considered a Southern California icon, immortalized in 'Surfin' U.S.A.'

September 18 - The Los Angeles Times

FEATURE

How Bad Leadership Spoils Good Planning

In many ways, a successful urban planner is first and foremost a leader, yet far too many professionals lack the ability to lead, and ignore the importance of cultivating good leadership skills.

September 18 - Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP

Filling The Freedom Tower

Both the Federal and State of New York governments have tentatively agreed to occupy 1 million of the Freedom Tower's 2.6 million square feet of office space. The question is, who will fill the rest?

September 18 - The New York Times

Converting Ocean Motion To Energy

Off Oregon's coast, researchers hope to pump electricity from the ocean.

September 18 - The Christian Science Monitor

Toronto Could Learn From Stockholm's Success

Toronto has been planning on redeveloping its waterfront for years, but the process is slow-moving. Across the world, a similar physical layout in Stockholm is boasting quick planning and successful implementation.

September 18 - The Toronto Star

Oil Producers Deny 'Peak Oil'

In an effort to counter "peak oil" theory, the oil industry has launched a campaign to educate oil-consuming nations that plenty of crude is available, and alternatives to oil are not necessary. The US Dept. of Energy will also research peak oil.

September 17 - The Wall Street Journal

Siberia: A Global Warming Time Bomb

While carbon dioxide has received the most attention as the primary greenhouse gas, methane, while less prevalent, is far more powerful in its ability to retain heat. The melting permafrost in Siberia represents a major source of methane emissions.

September 17 - AP via USA TODAY

The Disappearing Corporate Citizen

A new paper from the Brookings Institute, "Corporate Citizenship and Urban Problem Solving: The Changing Civic Role of Business Leaders in American Cities," provides insight into the diminishing capacity for the private sector to engage in planning.

September 17 - The Brookings Institution

Post News

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.

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.