A recent editorial argues that creating cities that consume less energy and emit less pollution will also help us create attractive and healthy places to live.
"Evidence around the world shows higher-density, walkable cities with excellent public transit have lower automobile dependence, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly, urban planning represents a major opportunity for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions."
"For example, Peter Newman and Jeffrey Kenworthy show that per capita transportation energy use in sprawling automobile-dependent Houston is over 70 gigajoules (GJ) per year, while transit-oriented Hong Kong comes in at less than 10 GJ. European cities like Paris, Copenhagen, London, Vienna, Munich, and Amsterdam come in around 20 GJ."
"Green cities provide great mobility options, reduced public health costs from fewer traffic collisions and more active lifestyles, increased social capital from greater social interaction, more efficient infrastructure provision, protection of agricultural land from sprawl, and greater emphasis on beauty and livability -- qualities everyone can embrace.
That the climate crisis compels change is not a bad thing."
FULL STORY: What makes cities green also makes them great
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
What Trump’s Executive Orders Mean for US Housing Programs
Orders related to DEI and accessibility, among others, may threaten housing programs for those who need them most.
University of Hawai‘i Appoints New Architecture School Dean
The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has named Mo Zell as the new dean of its School of Architecture, bringing over two decades of experience in academia, innovative educational programs, and industry partnerships to advance design education.
Part of San Francisco Waterfront Highway to Become Pedestrian-Only in April
Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.
El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.
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.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research