Energy

Improving on LEED

Bay Area non-profit TransForm has launched a new program called GreenTRIP that aims to supplement LEED requirements with a VMT calculation on each project.

December 27, 2009 - Streetsblog

Look into the Crystal Ball

Next American City asked prominent urban thinkers for their opinions on what 2010 will hold for the world. Here are their responses.

December 26, 2009 - Next American City

The Coming Transition to Electric Cars

A new report from PikeResearch predicts the future for electric vehicles in 2010, including the prediction that hybrids will dominate the market.

December 24, 2009 - Renewable Energy World

Utah Approved as Temporary Nuclear Dumping Ground

The state of Utah and the Department of Energy have come to an agreement that will allow depleted uranium storage within the state, at least temporarily. Additional reviews are needed before the state officially stores the nuclear waste permanently.

December 21, 2009 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Perpetual Energy From Magnets

Steorn, an Irish company that claimed six years ago to have invented an engine that puts out more energy than it uses, finally presents a model of the technology for the public to see.

December 17, 2009 - Boing Boing

Green Retrofits Required in New York City

The New York City Council has passed a suite of bills hat require green retrofits on the city's buildings.

December 14, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

Steamy Streets

The steam rising from New York City streets in the winter offers a lesson about urban infrastructure, according to this explainer form Urban Omnibus.

December 11, 2009 - Urban Omnibus

Scandinavian Cities Top European Green City Index

In a study released by Siemens AG and The Economist Intelligence Unit, Copenhagen tops the list of the greenest cities in Europe (out of a pool of 30 cities that were considered).

December 9, 2009 - Green Flow blog

Wind Woes

A North Dakota man says he'll fight his city to keep his wind turbine.

December 9, 2009 - The Bismarck Tribune

LEED's Energy Problem

Two recent studies on the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certifications have found that many of the building's with the green certification are actually energy hogs. This piece from The Atlantic offers an explanation.

December 8, 2009 - The Atlantic

Danish Government Pushes Electric Cars With Envious Perks

But will they be enough to entice Danes to buy them? It may hinge on the availability of charging points and battery switching stations promised by "Better Place" of Palo Alto, CA and the Danish utility, Dong Energy.

December 7, 2009 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

Property Values Not Hurt By Proximity to Wind Turbines

According to a new report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the proximity of homes to wind turbines showed no average negative impact on property values.

December 7, 2009 - The New York Times

Distilling the Best Practices for Sustainable City Planning

Planner Alex Aylett discusses the challenges municipalities face when trying to create a successful sustainability plan, and how to overcome them with a new toolkit that takes cues from New York City's PlaNYC.

December 6, 2009 - WorldChanging

How Many British Cyclists Would it Take to Power Your House?

In this clip from the BBC, 80 cyclists struggle to power a British household for one day.

December 4, 2009 - BBC News

Latin Americans in the Dark About Energy

Some say Latin America is in a serious energy crisis, underlined by frequent blackouts across South and Central America.

December 3, 2009 - BBC News

DIY Energy Even Better

Massachusetts has made home energy generation more attractive by allowing individuals to sell excess energy back to utility companies.

December 2, 2009 - Good

'Zero-Energy' Neighborhood Emerges in Boulder

Developers in Boulder are planning to unveil a 12-home subdivision that claims to be one of the nation's first "zero-energy" neighborhoods.

December 1, 2009 - Boulder Daily Camera

The Ethanol Glut

There's a glut of ethanol on the market, and the solutions to consume it are not easy. The maximum blend in gasoline is 10% before it affects the catalytic converter, and E85 can't compete with the more efficient, though more expensive, gasoline.

November 30, 2009 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

UK Weighs Environmental Costs of Harnessing Tidal Power

The UK government is hoping to achieve part of it's renewable energy production mandate by harnessing the tidal power of its largest river. Opponents say the plan could destroy the river's ecosystem.

November 28, 2009 - Living on Earth

Developer Goes Green To Make Up For Big Box History

Developer Jim Jacoby likes to joke that his move into alternative energy and mixed-use development is penance for a history of building WalMarts.

November 26, 2009 - Real Estate Investor

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.