Technology
Fracking Regulations Are Key to the Future of Natural Gas
If natural gas has a future, the key is to regulate hydraulic fracking in a report by the International Energy Agency. The New York Times recommends that all concerned about the environment read it - and no better place to apply it than New York.
iOS 6's Drop of Google Maps Causes Urban Kerfuffle
The internet has been ablaze this week over whether Apple's newly announced operating system will eliminate walking and public transit directions by replacing Google Maps with its own mapping system.
Did a Promising Technology Help Find a Lost City of Gold?
Conor Myhrvold writes about the application of remote sensing technology to the search for ancient South American cities reclaimed by time and nature.
Google Maps Goes Off-Roading
Sarah Laskow reveals what may be the greatest job in the world at the moment - those lucky Google employees who are helping to map areas of the world only accessible on foot.
Rural Farming and Urban Technology Come Together with FarmHack
Benjamin Brownell finds that innovative technology and farming work well together at a FarmHack event in Vermont.
Building the Sensitive City of the Future
Collecting real-time information will be as essential to building the city 2.0 as coordinating the top-down integration of infrastructure systems. A new city in Portugal will use more than 100 million sensors to build its feedback loop.
New Software Can Distinguish a City's DNA
Jacob Aron reports on the promising new software developed by an international group of researchers that can recognize "what makes Paris look like Paris."
Are Poor Customers Subsidizing Solar Panels For Wealthier Ones?
Lucrative for homeowners and industrial customers who can afford them, solar panels are not without their own issues. The equity issue - whereby the claim is made that poorer customers subsidize the utility costs of wealthier ones, is investigated.
New Video Game Explores Susceptibility of Smart Cities
The fact that cities are becoming more technologically reliant and interconnected is good, right? But, what happens if the controls of the "smart city" fall into the wrong hands? A new video game explores such a scenario, writes Nate Berg.
Introducing the Text Hall Meeting
A free platform that promises to "bring citizen feedback into the digital age" is being employed to help shape Philadelphia's comprehensive plan, reports Matt Bevilacqua.
States Take the Lead in Implementing Driving Fees
With D.C. abandoning its leadership position in funding road infrastructure improvements, states such as Oregon and Minnesota are going forward with pilot plans to transition to road usage fees.
Green Waves Descend On San Francisco
San Francisco is expanding a program of traffic light synchronization for cyclists, which is patterned after successful applications in Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Portland.
Suggestions for Harnessing the Power of the Crowd
As cash-strapped and technologically savvy governments increasingly look to harness the power of the crowd, William D. Eggers and Rob Hamill offer suggestions for "Five Ways Crowdsourcing Can Transform the Public Sphere."
Geocoding the Health Impacts of Your Neighborhood
Ever wonder what effect the pollution you're exposed to in your neighborhood on a daily basis is having on your family's long-term health? The emerging field of geo-medecine is providing answers, reports Christine MacDonald.
New R&D City Missing One Key Ingredient: People
In New Mexico, construction will begin this summer on a fully functioning 15-square mile new town, designed "to test everything about the future of smart cities, from autonomous cars to new wireless networks," reports Emily Badger.
So We've Got All This Data. Now What?
Ben Hecht offers his insights on what civic leaders should do to capitalize on big data and how efforts in Chicago are turning these ideas into reality.
Egypt's Social Media Takes On New Foe: Cairo's Traffic
After aiding in the dissolution of Egypt's authoritarian regime, social media is being enlisted to tackle a more formidable obstacle: easing its capital city's traffic, reports Noel King.
Are Smart Phones Spoiling Our Public Spaces
The smart phones that keep us constantly connected to cyberspace may have detrimental effects on our public spaces, writes Emily Badger.
Onward, Singapore: Setting the New Standard for Urban Innovation
Boyd Cohen takes us through a brief tour of the Lion City's many progressive and wildly successful programs, from affordable housing to traffic management and beyond.
Top 10 Websites - 2012
Our annual list of the 10 best planning, design, and development websites represents some of the top online resources for news, information and research on the built environment.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
