As more and more people live on this planet, the pressure to build smart cities that feature environmentally sustainable infrastructure will become immense. Planners will be challenged to do more with less. Here's a discussion of this complex issue.
The global population, according to the Pew Research Center, is projected to grow by 38% from 2010 to 2050. This increase means an additional 2.7 billion people in the world, many of whom will be living in Africa and other developing countries. Additionally, India will soon surpass China as the most populous. It is also projected that by the year 2050, 70% of the population will reside in urban communities.
This population growth presents an interesting and unique problem for urban planners. As more and more people live on this planet, the pressure to build smart cities that feature environmentally sustainable infrastructure will become immense. The challenge facing planners will be to find a way to do more with less. In other words, what decisions will need to be made going forward to create livable environments for more per people per square foot as population densities grow while maintaining a proper balance between human and environmental needs?
Read the full article for a more in-depth look at this question.
FULL STORY: Meeting the Challenge of Sustainable Infrastructure
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.