Crematories produce a lot of waste heat. Is it sacrilegious to recycle that excess heat to warm a swimming pool, as is the plan in Redditch, England?
The town council of Redditch has okayed the plan, and even though the idea makes some uncomfortable, most professionals interviewed by reporter Justin Nobel think it is the right move. Reclamation of crematory heat is likely to start appearing in the U.S. soon as well, according to Paul Rahill, the environmental and technical adviser for the Cremation Association of North America:
"His team is working on several crematory heat recovery projects in Europe."
"In the United States, the company is working on a way to transform crematory waste heat into electrical energy that can be put back on the grid, a technology they hope to have operable within the next few years."
FULL STORY: New Life for Crematories' Waste Heat
Harnessing Waste Heat Through Thermoelectricity
Heat from industrial installations and buildings can be captured to create renewable electricity.
The Ultimate in Mixed-Use
Waste-to-energy power plant, and ski slope? Architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) proposed the unusual idea for a competition to replace a power plant in Copenhagen -- and won.
Turning Excess Heat Into Energy
'Waste heat' is a hot area of research as an alternative energy source. Providers say they can turn excess heat produced by machines in factories into clean electricity.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)