Climate Central intern Ruthie Nachmany writes how one conference on energy envisions individuals taking a role in being energy efficient, while another conference prefers cities creating systems that can lead to energy efficiency.
Energy conferences held in New York City and Philadelphia had two contrasting views on how to handle energy efficiency.
At the America's Sustainable Future conference in Philadelphia:
"Personal responsibility will likely come to manage energy, but
The take-away message: If people have control over their own energy consumption - and if the right incentives are in place - they're likely to become more efficient. For example, if energy costs are cheaper in the middle of the night, when electricity demand is low, people might program their dishwasher to run at that time."
At the New York City's Sustainability Media Roundtable on Effective Energy Management:
"In this conversation, the message was, 'if you build it they will come.' In other words, cities need to install the right infrastructure so people don't have to think about whether they are being more efficient. As Bruce Katz from Brookings Institution put it, 'in the absence of federal leadership, cities give us the best hope that the U.S. can move forward [with energy efficiency].'"
FULL STORY: Two East Coast Cities Set Sights On Energy Efficiency
NYC Approves Carbon Neutrality Plan
The zoning amendment, part of the ‘City of Yes’ plan, will make it easier and more affordable to make efficiency retrofits and reduce emissions.
The Messy Politics of Saving Lives from Drug Overdoses
Philadelphia was on the verge of approving a key harm reduction strategy to prevent fatal drug overdoses until the city council all but banned supervised injection sites, overriding a mayoral veto. A New York Times report explores the controversy.
‘Passive House’ Development Brings 275 Affordable, Efficient Units to Brooklyn
A 14-story tower uses the ‘Passive House’ approach to drastically reduce energy use and improve quality of life for residents.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
