Environment
Green Building Improvements Have a Friend in PACE
An under-reported loan model called Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, financed $660 million of sustainable building improvements from 2016 through 2018.
Columbus Makes Big Strides in Air Quality
Columbus achieved something no other U.S. city has managed: moving out of non-compliance with federal air quality standards for ground-level ozone.
Message to Candidates: Don't Forget Car Dependence When Tackling Fossil Fuels
Car dependence will have to end for the most ambitious climate plans put forward by Democratic candidates for president to have the desired effect.
In Detroit, Plant Growth on Vacant Land Has Created a Pollen Problem
The reforestation of Detroit has become a problem for allergy and asthma sufferers in the area.
California Lawmaker Wants to Triple Electric Vehicle Rebates
Assemblyman Phil Ting seeks to dramatically increase the state electric vehicle sales rebate of $2,500, motivated in part by the phasing-out of the federal EV tax credit of $7,500. The bill rules out significant revenue sources.
Copenhagen Strives to Be Carbon Neutral by 2025
The Danish capital has an ambitious goal to be the world’s greenest and most bike-friendly city, and it is taking big steps to make that happen soon.
Study Promotes 'Better Biofuels' by Focusing on Waste Sources
There are many environmental benefits to bioenergy, particularly when the feedstock comes from waste, as opposed to agricultural products that could be used for food. A new study applies life cycle analysis to four types of waste matter.
The Earth's Vegetation Stopped Expanding 20 Years Ago
Until the late 1990s, the amount of vegetation worldwide was increasing. But then it stopped, and a new study links this troubling trend to climate change.
The Colorado River in an 'Era of Limits'
New agreements and the first cutbacks in water usage signal the start of concerted efforts keep the river and reservoirs from dropping to dangerous levels.
Cities at the Forefront of Climate Change Policy
As cities around the world face the effects of climate change head on, they have been pushing policy forward and taking action at the local level. But they are also creating networks that have a much broader impact beyond individual cities.
Playgrounds Could Provide Much-Needed Public Space
In communities lacking green space, public access to upgraded school playgrounds is a win-win solution.
Three Ways Cities Can Combat Extreme Heat
As temperatures rise, there are some relatively simple changes cities can implement to cut cooling costs and deal with spells of extreme heat.
Automakers Required to Increase EV Sales in Colorado
Due to the adoption of the Zero-Emission Vehicle standard by the state's air quality commission last week, there will be a much greater selection of electric vehicles available for interested Colorado consumers. Sales should reach 5% by 2023.
Texas Program Pays Landowners to Leave Coastal Lands Untouched
In an effort to preserve coastal Texas ecosystems and fight global warming, a new nonprofit is paying landowners to not develop their land.
Another Automaker Shows Interest in California Deal on Auto Emissions
President Trump is 'enraged' that automakers would agree with California in support of maintaining the Obama-era fuel efficiency standards, reports the Times. Mercedes-Benz is apparently preparing to join Ford, Honda, BMW, and VW in the private deal.
Demystifying Mass Timber
Quayside, Sidewalk Labs' smart city in Toronto, calls for ten tall buildings made entirely of wood. Here's why proponents think mass timber is a good idea, and what obstacles stand in its way.
Flood Plans, Green Infrastructure Take Center Stage in Houston's Mayoral Race
The city of Houston will decide their next mayor in November, in a rematch of the two candidates who ran against each other in a tight runoff election in 2015 as well as a host of additional candidates.
Climate Change as a Housing Crisis 'Threat Multiplier'
Extreme weather is exacerbating the threats posing communities struggling with a lack of affordable housing.
Good and Bad News in California's Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory
Overall greenhouse gas emissions in California dropped 1% in 2017, according to the inventory by the California Air Resources Board, which includes a 9% drop in emissions from electricity generation and a 1% increase in transportation emissions.
Toxic Algae Blooms, Explained
Toxic algae is in the news again, so it's a good time to learn as much as possible about the environmental threat that is likely to be a reoccurring theme in the era of climate change.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
