Technology
Social Media's Challenge to Planning
Michael M. Grynbaum reports on NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's dubious relationship with social media, and his unease with its tendency to shift the public discourse away from long-term thinking.
Do's and Don'ts for Planning in a Web 2.0 Environment
Is your city looking to engage residents online? The latest generation of tools just might be your savior. Or your demise.
What Are People Saying About Your Building Online?
Andrew Michler gives an overview of a brand new social networking platform that could reshape how we evaluate and compare buildings.
Capturing Carbon in Rocks Gains Traction
Michael Coren explores a potentially solid idea for carbon sequestration - turning our greenhouse gas emissions into underground rock formations.
San Francisco Pilot Parking Program Watched By Other Cities
The search for an available parking space in most busy downtowns can be frustrating, especially when the motorist insists on parking for free. For those cities that do charge for parking, can a variable price free-up spaces? SF hopes to prove so.
Innovative Solutions for Housing the Homeless
In this piece, Web Urbanist has compiled fourteen "smart & sensitive" design solutions for providing housing for the homeless.
New Chinese Eco-City Aims to be Practical, not Perfect
Malcolm Moore reports on Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco City, the world's largest eco-city, where residents will be guinea pigs as planners experiment with the city around them.
City Hacking Goes Mainstream
Within the last six months, two forward thinking American cities have created new positions for Chief Innovation Officers, with a mission to connect city hall with a new generation of problem-solvers outside of it, reports Emily Badger.
Harvard Study: Cheap Natural Gas Decreased 2009 Climate Emissions
A new report attributes a 9% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's power plants in 2009 to the relatively cheap price of generating electricity from natural gas versus coal.
Planners and Computer Nerds Rejoice at the Return of SimCity
After a decade of absence, Maxis, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts, has announced plans to release an updated version of SimCity, the pioneering urban planning computer game, in 2013.
What's the Big Deal With 'Big Data'?
Ben Hecht contemplates the currency of the digital age and how it will transform the cities we live in.
In D.C., an Attempt at Crowdsourcing Real Estate Shows Promise
Emily Badger writes of the traditional process by which developers identify what kinds of new development a neighborhood needs (i.e. by not asking anyone in said neighborhood), and a web tool in unveiled in December aimed at changing this.
What Can We Do With Crowdsourced Maps?
Shriya Malhotra explores the potential for participatory mapping to manage the complexities of cities in the 21st century.
Are Driverless Cars and Complete Streets on a Collision Course?
David Alpert tamps down the recent enthusiasm for the coming age of the self-driving car by asking what its impact will be on pedestrians and street life.
Can The U.S. Really Become Energy Independent?
The short answer is yes, according to this NPR report that includes interviews with energy experts. The boom in shale fracking for oil and natural gas and the zeal of small energy companies is to credit. But UC Berkeley's Don Kammen has his doubts.
From Landscape to Soundscape in Urban Placemaking
Chuck Wolfe outlines the importance of soundscapes to cities past, present and future, and describes efforts to both document urban sounds and use sound as a planning tool.
Construction Industry Embraces the iPad
A unique new iPad applicaion, called PlanGrid, provides for accessing, viewing and updating construction blueprints at a job site, and demonstrates the larger trend of specialization in iOS software development, reports Ingrid Lunden.
Leveraging the Wisdom of Crowds through Participatory Platforms
New technologies are providing participatory platforms that allow individuals to share their ideas, interact with other's ideas, and work towards collaborative solutions to resolve problems or take advantage of opportunities. Kevin C. Desouza, PhD offers five guidelines to ensure that the use of such emerging technologies are maximized by practitioners.
Investment in Smarter Cities Begins to Pay Dividends
Pete Swabey tells the tale of the development of smart city technology by IBM and Cisco, which has now reached a point of maturation in which significant lessons, economic opportunities, and future applications can be discerned.
Point-Counterpoint on the Transformative Potential of the City 2.0
In respective reports on this week's awarding of the TED Prize, Anthony Flint and Diana Lind promote different opinions on the potential impact of this year's winner - The City 2.0.
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
