Climate & Resilience
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Skills gap looms for energy efficiency jobs tied to net-zero emission goals: IEA
Dialogue among policymakers, employers and labor unions will play a critical role in training workers for skills relevant to the jobs being offered, a new International Energy Agency report says.
By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 4, 2024 -
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What’s the value of a city’s nature? San Antonio pilots tool to find out.
Designed by a Stanford University-based group, the tool shows how land use changes could impact carbon sequestration, urban cooling and residents’ access to nature. More cities may eventually get access.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 3, 2024 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineTop 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive
From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.
By Smart Cities Dive staff -
Permission granted by Delaware County Public Relations
How cities can handle election waste
Local governments are preparing to deal with high volumes of yard signs, mailers and campaign material as the fall election season ramps up. Programs in Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida and elsewhere encourage recycling and reuse.
By Adina Solomon • Oct. 2, 2024 -
Sean Rayford via Getty Images
FEMA’s push for resilience in building codes gets scrutiny in House hearing
Emergency managers touted the cost-effectiveness of more resilient buildings, but keeping up with the latest codes is a struggle for some local governments and homebuilders.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 2, 2024 -
Joe Raedle/Getty Images via Getty Images
1.6M customers still without power after Helene; some local grids must ‘be completely rebuilt’
Multiple utilities say they will need to completely rebuild, rather than repair, electric systems in the hardest-hit areas.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 1, 2024 -
rarrarorro via Getty Images
2025’s top smart city conferences
Smart city technology, housing, climate action, road safety and more will take center stage at events already announced for next year.
By Ysabelle Kempe , Dan Zukowski • Oct. 1, 2024 -
Alex Potemkin via Getty Images
Affordable multifamily housing owners would get decarbonization help in NYC proposal
Building owners purchasing “offset certificates” to help meet Local Law 97’s greenhouse gas emissions-reduction requirements would pay into the fund.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 30, 2024 -
Lamar Johnson/Smart Cities Dive
Now is the time to ‘lean into’ decarbonizing transportation sector: Biden climate advisor
Reducing transportation emissions represents a “massive public health opportunity,” Ali Zaidi, a national climate policy advisor for the Biden administration, said at Climate Week NYC.
By Lamar Johnson • Sept. 30, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Customer satisfaction with public EV charging is improving: JD Power
Electric vehicle owners are particularly satisfied with the speed of public fast chargers. But public charging infrastructure isn’t keeping up with the number of EVs in service, a J.D. Power executive said.
By Kalena Thomhave • Sept. 27, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
HUD extreme heat playbook focuses on increasing resilience in housing
The guidance identifies potential federal funding sources and example projects that it says could work elsewhere across the country.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 27, 2024 -
Megan Quinn/Smart Cities Dive
San Francisco’s BottleBank aims to boost recycling in a state with limited container deposit options
California is set to invest millions in innovations meant to make its container deposit return system operate more efficiently. BottleBank shares lessons from its first two years in operation as a mobile bag drop program.
By Megan Quinn • Sept. 26, 2024 -
Retrieved from Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management.
Miami-Dade County, Florida, postpones vote on new incinerator due to siting concerns
The decision should not be taken lightly given the history of a waste incinerator that polluted one neighborhood for decades, a commissioner said.
By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 24, 2024 -
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Seattle boosts electric heat pump incentives with goal to eliminate oil-heated homes
With the city's new rebate, income-qualified households can access up to $8,000 each to switch from oil heat to an electric heat pump.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 24, 2024 -
Brandon Bell via Getty Images
NOAA, Climate Mayors ink agreement to bring more science, data tools to communities
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will ensure the mayors can access the latest climate information, while Climate Mayors will contribute to NOAA case studies on resilience.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 23, 2024 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
How a 2nd Trump administration could ‘jeopardize’ Inflation Reduction Act climate funds
If elected, could Donald Trump claw back or withhold funds from communities? Experts from Columbia University’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law offer insight.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 19, 2024 -
Courtesy of Metropolitan Airports Commission and Miller Dunwiddie
Minneapolis airport unveils plans for geothermal heating, rainwater harvesting in $263M expansion
The terminal expansion effort will reduce 56% of water utility use, 19% of overall heating and cooling energy demand and 62% of exterior lighting energy demand, the airport commission said.
By Brian Martucci • Sept. 19, 2024 -
Courtesy of General Motors
GM, EVgo plan 400 EV charging stations in US metro areas
Most flagship stations are expected to feature up to 20 stalls, but some select sites will offer significantly more chargers.
By Eric Walz • Sept. 18, 2024 -
Permission granted by Steve Zylius of University of California, Irvine
In a sea of flood-risk data, how can cities know which information to use?
A Los Angeles County debate spotlights the uncertainty of climate-risk models. Experts weigh in on best practices for local leaders.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 17, 2024 -
Art Wager via Getty Images
DOE spurs new building energy codes with another $90M
Construction-heavy states that lack the latest energy-efficiency codes are among the focus areas for this round of federal funding, a U.S. Department of Energy official said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 16, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Want federal funds for climate-resilient projects? The EPA’s new website aims to help.
The resource comes as experts voice concerns about communities struggling to navigate complex, often overlapping federal funding programs.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 12, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Q&ANew compost program framework offers a starting point for local officials
Resources from two composting-focused groups and a platform to connect local leaders seek to close the knowledge gap for officials planning an organics recycling program in their community.
By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 12, 2024 -
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Retrofits more effective in cutting operational, embodied carbon emissions than new builds: study
Notre Dame researchers analyzed over 1 million Chicago buildings. The team plans to measure buildings’ embodied carbon in most U.S. metropolitan areas by the end of 2025, a researcher said.
By Nish Amarnath • Sept. 11, 2024 -
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Washington hopes to advance clean building standards implementation with nearly $8M DOE grant
The state’s Building Efficiency and Clean Operations Network project aims to train at least 60 fellows to provide energy services to building owners and operators.
By Nish Amarnath • Sept. 10, 2024 -
Brandon Bell/Getty Images via Getty Images
Google pilots heat resilience tool in 14 US cities
The artificial intelligence-driven tool predicts how changes in tree canopy and reflective surfaces could reduce land surface temperature across neighborhoods.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 9, 2024 -
Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
Robust community engagement good for locals, renewable energy developers: Berkeley Lab
In a first-of-its-kind survey, wind and solar developers cited community opposition and strict local siting ordinances as leading causes of project delays and cancellations.
By Brian Martucci • Sept. 6, 2024
