Extreme heat causing ‘preventable’ deaths in US cities, scientists say

Heat wave early warning and response systems “save lives,” but not enough communities have them, said an expert on the health risks of climate change.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 15, 2023

Persistent urban air pollution the focus of ‘unprecedented’ NASA, NOAA research

Two of the most harmful types of air pollution have slowed their decades-long downward trend. The research aims to help state and local officials understand why.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 11, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 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

More GM electric vehicles will be able to charge homes in coming years

The bidirectional charging technology uses a GM vehicle’s battery as a backup power source in the event of a power outage.

By Eric Walz • Aug. 10, 2023

For urban cooling, forests beat street trees, landscaped parks: study

Urban natural areas are “underfunded and unprotected, leaving them imperiled in cities across the country," warns a study of 12 U.S. cities.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 9, 2023

Boston mayor bans fossil fuels in new city-owned buildings

The executive order, which also prohibits fossil fuel use in renovations of existing city-owned structures, is part of a larger push for carbon neutrality by 2050.

By Nish Amarnath • Aug. 8, 2023

Washington building codes lawsuit dropped by gas, building groups

The litigation was an “aftershock” of a federal appeals court decision to overturn Berkeley, California’s first-in-the-nation ban on gas in new buildings, an Earthjustice senior attorney said. 

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 8, 2023

Electric bus maker Proterra files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

Citing "market and macroeconomic headwinds," the U.S.-based manufacturer looks to restructure its business.

By Dan Zukowski • Aug. 8, 2023

More composters are accepting food waste, but challenges remain: survey

While the number of composters accepting food waste continues to grow, more than a third have a zero-tolerance policy for contamination. Compostable packaging, meanwhile, is becoming more commonly accepted.

By Jacob Wallace • Aug. 7, 2023

Commercial-to-residential conversions could accelerate under HUD initiative

Building industry experts say the Housing and Urban Development Department grant will give much-needed guidance on projects stalled by zoning hurdles and outdated permitting processes.

By Nish Amarnath • Aug. 4, 2023

Vehicle greenhouse gas emissions measured inconsistently by states, cities: GAO

Although motor vehicles account for the vast majority of transportation-related CO2 emissions, authorities face challenges in gathering and measuring useful data.

By Dan Zukowski • Aug. 4, 2023

How to safely store e-bikes, e-scooters in apartments

The uptick in micromobility battery fires shows electrification is "moving faster than we’re able to necessarily adapt to," a fire protection expert at an engineering consulting firm said.

By Mary Salmonsen • Aug. 3, 2023

New York changes trash requirements for food businesses in anti-rat push

The city’s Department of Sanitation enacted its latest rule this week requiring commercial food establishments to handle waste differently. The move may have operational benefits for haulers, but it poses logistical questions.

By Cole Rosengren • Aug. 2, 2023

Tucson, Arizona, gears up climate action as city faces extreme weather

Cooling centers, decarbonization and tree-planting are in the works after the city adopted a climate action plan the mayor said was developed “in record time.” 

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 2, 2023

$400M job training program in PA aims to boost infrastructure projects

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has created a workforce development grant designed to help employers pay wages and training costs.

By Zachary Phillips • Aug. 1, 2023

Extreme heat merits federal major disaster status, local leaders say

Proposed federal legislation would unlock much-needed resources for local extreme heat response, say the National League of Cities and U.S. Conference of Mayors.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 1, 2023

Building code, energy code updates face pushback due to cost concerns

Codes that seek to curb emissions and fossil fuel consumption will save money in the long run, supporters say, but builders and facility managers wonder if “the juice is worth the squeeze.”

By Nish Amarnath • July 26, 2023

Low-income, disadvantaged communities urged to apply for $7B federal solar grants

The EPA Solar For All competition offers up to 60 grants for solar programs that provide financing and technical assistance like workforce development.

By Diana DiGangi • July 25, 2023

Cities can afford more climate projects with new tax incentives: report

Tax credits made available to cities through the Inflation Reduction Act are so significant “that they may warrant a re-evaluation of some previously assessed investment opportunities,” the Alliance for a Sustainable Future report says.

By Ysabelle Kempe • July 25, 2023

Colorado releases new statewide building energy codes

The standards, set to take effect July 1, will require local municipalities to meet minimum requirements, including electric vehicle and solar panel compatibility.

By Joe Burns • Updated July 25, 2023

Vermont delays residential building energy code implementation to July 2024

A legislative committee wants more time to create a state entity to improve international energy conservation code compliance.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

California clears path for safe conversion of underused commercial buildings

The California Building Standards Commission’s vote to amend existing building code allows multiple compliance paths for adaptive reuse.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

Cost concerns spur North Carolina’s move to delay vote on building code update

The state’s Building Code Council has shelved a vote on a proposed overhaul of building energy efficiency rules as it waits for reports detailing the costs and benefits of implementing the changes. 

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

Northampton mulls adoption of energy efficient opt-in stretch code

The Massachusetts city is weighing the pros and cons of embracing a specialized stretch energy code to dissuade fossil fuel use in new building construction.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

These 5 cities aim to cool down by scaling up ‘smart surfaces’ in coming years

The benefits of implementing these surfaces across a city may far outweigh the costs, according to the nonprofit Smart Surfaces Coalition, which is leading the initiative announced Thursday.

By Ysabelle Kempe • July 24, 2023

Deadly battery fires from e-bikes, scooters prompt action in NYC

The city launched an education campaign, as legislators push for new policy and community groups strive to reach micromobility-reliant delivery workers.

By Kalena Thomhave • July 21, 2023