Resilience

Can Planning Offer a Line of Defense Against Terrorism?
Planning for resilience might mean more than preparing for climate change, according to this opinion piece. Urban terrorism, in its current, tragic form, will require planners to prepare for the worst.

The New Boardwalk at Rockaway Beach Showcases Coastal Resilience
The new boardwalk at Rockaway Beach shows how sea level rise is requiring new design and infrastructure decisions for the resilience of coastal communities.

Idea Worth Copying: Japan's Theme-Park-Style Disaster Preparation Centers
Visitors to Japan’s theme-park-style disaster preparation centers can experience simulated quakes, typhoons, and fires. Perhaps a similar idea would be helpful in part of the United States?

Mapping the Future of Extreme Weather Events
The ability to predict severe weather events would be a huge benefit to planners, preparing for a new era of resilience. A new study sheds new light on how much rain we can expect, and where, on a warmer planet.

Even the Most Energy Efficient Cities Have Room for Improvement
The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has released its third biannual City Energy Efficiency Scorecard.

A Toolbox of Green Infrastructure Solutions to Flooding Risks
A new one-stop shop for green infrastructure solutions is available to planners and engineers challenged by flooding.
What a National Green Infrastructure Plan Looks Like
The American Society of Landscape Architects this week announced a list of green infrastructure priorities, full of specifics, without mentioning the Trump Administration.

Pittsburgh Moves Forward on Resilience
Building on support from the Rockefeller Foundation, Pittsburgh has released a framework for its future resilience efforts. Concrete details are still to come.
Can Insurance Markets Jump-Start Resilience?
Risk-management experts are seeking creative ways to finance resilience investments that prevent damage from natural disasters. Insurance markets, with their direct stake in protecting homes and businesses, can be key partners in this effort.

10 Water Policy and Infrastructure Realities
In celebration of Water Week in the United States, as well as World Water Day, as celebrated by the United Nations, Brookings has complied a list of ten facts about water policy and infrastructure.

Dams Throughout the U.S. Fail to Meet Safety Standards
It's not just Oroville and Elko County. By 2020, 70 percent of the dams in the United States will be more than 50 years old.

Portland Prepares for the Big One
A new report identifies key actions for the city of Portland to prepare for the certainty of a large earthquake.

Lessons from Oroville: Resilience for Scarcity and Abundance
Swings in weather-related fortunes will continue to push to unprecedented extremes, in California, in Texas, in Boston, in Long Island, in Louisiana, and everywhere else.

The Upside of the Looming Resource Crisis
The concept of the circular economy is starting to take hold on governments and business throughout the world. Peter Moskowitz discusses the various ways the concept is being translated into practical, real-world solutions.

Preparing Boston for Future Floods
Boston Mayor, Martin Walsh's, climate change plan is one of the most thorough in the country. The question remains: Will any of the plan be put into action?

Money Leftover from Superstorm Sandy Repairs Now Funding Parks in Queens
A boardwalk reconstruction project in Roackaway Beach, funded by FEMA after Superstorm Sandy, has money leftover. The public is invited to help decide how the money gets used.

Five Lessons for Resilience
Resilience is commonly understood as the capacity to endure shocks and stresses. But for Lisa Dickson, Arup’s resilience leader for the Americas, this definition is too limiting. Jeff Byles talks with her about five key lessons on resilience.
Achieving Community: Let's Get Real
The benefits of authentic community are extensive. Maybe even transcendent. But how do we get to that point? Scott Doyon's latest blog has a few thoughts.
Extracting the DNA of the Most Loved Places
The first step of character-based zoning is extracting local DNA. Hazel Borys reviews Tucson's highlights for Sonoran Desert inspiration.

Evaluating California's 'Cash-for-Lawns' Rebate
At the height of the California drought, a group of water suppliers offered rebates for people willing to remove lawns. Now, it's time to figure out if the experiment worked.
Pagination
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.
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