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.
Climate scientists say Chicago may feel like Baton Rouge by the end of the Century, so the City's planners are already implementing changes to prepare for a warmer, wetter future.
The City has banned the Illinois state tree (the white oak) from city planting lists, replacing it with southern swamp oaks and sweet gums. City thermal hotspots are getting vegetated roofs and pavement removal. Bike lanes are getting permeable pavement and intersections are getting flood control devices.
Mayor Richard Daley began this process back in 2006, when scientific models and risk assessments showed that projected changes in temperature and weather patterns could have drastic consequences for Chicago - from deaths to property damage to liability and insurance. But if the City began to act quickly and implement changes with the greatest cost savings and benefits, it would be possible to adapt to a changing climate.
FULL STORY: New York Times
Confessions of a Failed Energy Martyr
Somewhere along the ramifying pathways of the possible, Raymond Welch became an energy consultant. In this Terrain.org guest editorial, he rants on a troubling future that he helped create.
Green Dream Put to the Test
Boulder Colorado has tried peer pressure, free weatherization services, and intense publicity, but so far, voluntary efforts to increase energy efficiency have yielded mediocre results.
Climate Change Concerns Rising Among Americans
More Americans than ever agree climate change is happening—but fewer agree on what to do about it.
2024: The Year in Zoning
Cities and states are leaning on zoning reform to help stem the housing crisis and create more affordable, livable neighborhoods.
Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
NACTO Releases Updated Urban Bikeway Guide
The third edition of the nationally recognized road design guide includes detailed design advice for roads that prioritize safety and accessibility for all users.
Modular Workforce Housing Offers a Lifeline for Western Towns
Rapidly rising housing costs are pushing out the residents at the heart of local economies in resort towns across the country.
Noise as a Public Health Hazard
New ways of measuring the effects of sound on human health are helping communities fight back against noise pollution.
'Place Shock' and the Ecology of Fear
How to conceive of rebuilding places amid sudden change in a region known for its “ecology of fear?” As the city embarks on the arduous task of rebuilding, the question arises: how do we reconcile the imperatives of safety and sustainability with the deeply ingrained human desire for continuity, for a sense of rootedness in the familiar?
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.
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)
Ada County Highway District
Charles County Government
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland