Technology

The Pied Piper of Public Pests

Policy Matters looks at a recent article in The Washington Post about Terry Lynch, the city's notorious "pest" who complains about all matters of urban blight, and argues why cities would be better off with more Terrys.

June 19, 2012 - Policy Matters

15 Surprising Cities Comprising the Nation of Innovation

Fast Company looks at America's lesser know tech hubs, "where some of the most innovative businesses and ideas are springing up in the least likely places."

June 18, 2012 - Fast Company

Accelerating Civic Engagement Technology

Although cities are looking to technology to help them better connect to their residents, get them involved in decision making, and share data, Silicon Valley has been slow to catch on. Emily Badger looks at one company trying to change this.

June 14, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

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.

June 14, 2012 - The New York Times - Opinion

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.

June 14, 2012 - Grist

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.

June 13, 2012 - Technology Review

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.

June 13, 2012 - Grist

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.

June 12, 2012 - Shareable

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.

June 11, 2012 - Fast Company Co.Exist

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."

June 10, 2012 - New Scientist

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.

June 7, 2012 - The New York Times - Business Day

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.

June 6, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

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.

June 6, 2012 - Next American City

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.

June 6, 2012 - USA Today

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.

May 30, 2012 - SF.Streetsblog

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."

May 25, 2012 - Governing

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.

May 24, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

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.

May 24, 2012 - Fast Company

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.

May 24, 2012 - Huffington Post

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.

May 22, 2012 - Good

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.