Air Conditioning
Paris is using Seine water to cool buildings
An underground network of pipes has been cooling public buildings since the 1990s.
The Pacific Northwest is an unlikely front in the fight for cooling
A 2021 heat dome killed over 250 people in the Pacific Northwest, bringing into sharp focus the potential of extreme heat to have deadly consequences even in historically cool climates.
Temperatures in Subways Can Soar Well Above 100. What Some Cities are Doing About it.
Extreme heat can be even more dangerous in confined subway cars and stations.
NYC Lawmaker Proposes Mandatory Cooling Law
Despite hundreds of heat-related deaths every year, the city has no regulations on cooling in residential units.
Thousands of NYC Shelter Residents Lack Air Conditioning
Even in the depths of extreme heat, many shelters prohibit residents from installing AC units.
Chicago Tenants’ Union Distributes AC Units to Low-Income Renters
The group wants to draw attention to the dangers of extreme heat and encourage tenants to organize to demand improved conditions.
California Faces Intense Heat Wave, Power Shutoffs
The state is bracing for a heat dome that will bring temperatures into the 120s and little nighttime relief.
The Heat Is On: Rising Temperatures Strain Urban Infrastructure
This summer is predicted to be one of the hottest on record, and heat waves will likely put physical and social infrastructure to the test.
Looking to the Middle East for Cooling Architecture
Cooling mechanisms built into traditional architecture offer lessons for U.S. builders as heat waves grow more intense.
Oregon Law Requires Cooling, but Could Leave Many Renters Out
A state bill requiring landlords to allow tenants to install portable air conditioners comes with a raft of exemptions that could restrict the most affordable options.
Protecting Urban Residents From Extreme Heat
With temperatures reaching record highs in cities around the country, local officials are implementing measures to ensure vulnerable residents have adequate cooling.
From Ventilators to Ventilation: The Shifting Focus of the Pandemic
Ventilator availability is a major indicator for states in the South and West that are seeing record hospitalizations, but in New York, where Gov. Cuomo announced that New York City had moved to Phase III of reopening, the topic was ventilation.
The High Cost of Cool Air
Air conditioning has drastically changed modern life and the ways cities have developed. But, the environmental consequences are immense, and it’s time to cut back.
A Guide to Cooling the House in Summer Heat
Christopher Ingraham does everyone a favor and produces a how-to guide for cooling your house "like a wonk."
President Obama's Most Important Energy Efficiency Standard Unveiled
Just in time for winter, the U.S. Department of Energy released a standard to make heating and cooling in commercial buildings far more efficient, increasing minimum efficiency by 10 to 25 percent.
Study: Air Conditioning is Warming Phoenix
A study investigates the effect of air conditioning systems on air temperature and electricity demand. The study's findings: the release of waste heat (via AC systems) exacerbates the nocturnal urban heat island, thus increasing cooling demands.
Celebrating the Anniversary of a Discovery That's Completely Changed the Built Environment
Following on the hottest ever first half of a year in America's recorded history, James Barron examines the history behind the creation of air conditioning, on this day in 1902.
Cities Frown Upon Air Conditioned Sidewalks
As the Summer months heat up, Sarah Laskow reports on cities' efforts to keep retailers' doors closed.
Southern Cities that Built Around Cars are Now Building Towards Sustainability
Cities like Atlanta, that have grown up in the age of the automobile and air conditioning, are making efforts to green their environmentally unfriendly buildings and spaces, explains Emily Badger.
Mongolia Constructs Glacier To Cool Capital
The Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator will begin construction this winter of an artificial glacier to cool the city next summer and provide melt water for drinking and irrigation.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
