Climate & Resilience: Page 26

  • The Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. with the monument in the background on a cloudy day.
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    Sara Samora/Smart Cities Dive
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    Washington, DC, sues 3M, DuPont, others over ‘forever chemicals’

    The lawsuit alleges the chemical manufacturers polluted the Potomac River and the Tidal Basin.

    By Sara Samora • July 20, 2023
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    Bezos fund commits $400M for urban green space, with initial $50M for 5 cities

    To help underserved areas, the first round of awards from the Amazon founder’s climate solutions organization will support 24 urban greening organizations and six national organizations.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • July 20, 2023
  • smart city, smart cities Explore the Trendline➔
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    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
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    Green ‘rebirth’ could be in store for smaller industrial cities across US

    After decades of population loss and disinvestment, these cities are uniquely positioned to become climate-resilient hubs that support green agriculture and industry, says a Lincoln Institute of Land Policy report.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • July 18, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Column

    Government systems must be sustainable, secure and cost effective for mission achievement

    Government services are more than a utility—they help citizens better manage their lives and thrive in a modern society.

    By Mike Wiseman • July 17, 2023
  • A view of the Comcast offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Comcast Center is one of the tallest LEED-certified buildings in the U.S.
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    Cindy Ord via Getty Images
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    $90M for greener building energy codes awarded by DOE

    “Modernizing energy codes is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency in homes and businesses and make communities more resilient to extreme weather events,” the Energy Department said.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • July 14, 2023
  • People sit under a fountain in front of buildings
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    Nathan Howard/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Extreme heat: What federal officials want cities to know

    As more cities look to combat the perils of extreme heat, evaluating strategies’ effectiveness and scaling up the ones that work remain a challenge, federal officials say.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • July 13, 2023
  • A highway in front of industrial area
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    ‘Amazingly high’ air pollution near Houston chemical plants gets EPA monitoring support

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s support adds weight to potential recommendations the city could make for state industrial emissions regulation, said the Houston Health Department’s chief environmental science officer.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • July 12, 2023
  • A low angle view of a street lined with parked cars with buildings in the background and autumn leaves on the street.
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    Demand for parking may have dire climate, housing consequences, author says

    “The more parking you provide, the more likely people will be to own a car,” said author Henry Grabar on a webinar. 

    By • July 12, 2023
  • Cargo trike for hauling food scraps on a New York City street
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    Permission granted by Tucker Mitchell for Common Ground Compost
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    New York City zero waste package, including mandatory residential organics recycling, becomes law

    The city’s Department of Sanitation, which was already ramping up a voluntary curbside organics program, must now enforce participation in 2024 after Mayor Eric Adams allowed a bill to become law without his signature.

    By Jacob Wallace • Updated July 11, 2023
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    Solar-powered ‘microgrids’ coming to San Diego public buildings as first of 8 projects breaks ground

    The microgrids will save the city $6 million over 25 years and boost community resiliency by providing energy during blackouts, the city says.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • July 11, 2023
  • A tree-lined street and tall buildings
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    Los Angeles’ car-free ‘park block’ pilot aims for cleaner air and safer neighborhood streets

    The city plans to reroute traffic and create public spaces where roads are closed, following in the footsteps of Barcelona's successful "superblock" program.

    By Joan Mooney • July 10, 2023
  • A person stands in front of a sign reading "FEMA"
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    Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    As billion-dollar disasters increase, FEMA evolves to keep up

    The agency is reevaluating when to scale up staffing and eyeing building codes as a strategy to save on recovery costs.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • July 6, 2023
  • A row of electric vehicle chargers.
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    US electric vehicle goals will require up to $127B to install 28M chargers by 2030: NREL

    The National Renewable Energy Laboratory expects there will be 30 million to 42 million electric vehicles on U.S. roads in 2030, requiring a rapid infrastructure buildout.

    By Robert Walton • July 6, 2023
  • An aerial view of the iconic pier and boardwalk on the beach in Santa Cruz, California.
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    Courtesy of Granite Construction
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    California greenlights $4.3B funding for energy efficiency, targets underserved and rural communities

    The funding will support energy efficiency efforts from 2024 through 2027. Regulators also approved a forecasted budget of another $4.6 billion from 2028 through 2031.

    By Kavya Balaraman • July 5, 2023
  • Wildfire burns on a hill above two houses and cars.
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    David McNew/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Wildfires that burn buildings and vehicles may produce more toxic smoke than those in the wilderness

    The emissions pose a “unique threat to public health,” since these fires may burn close to populated areas, warn researchers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • July 5, 2023
  • Solar panels in New York City.
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    EPA launches $7B program to fund solar development in low-income and disadvantaged communities

    The agency will assess proposals on several metrics, including whether they produce at least 20% bill savings, provide resilience benefits during power outages and support workforce development.

    By Ethan Howland • June 30, 2023
  • Skyline and reflection in the water
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    Massachusetts city mandates net-zero emissions for some large buildings by 2035

    Cambridge, Massachusetts, touted its new requirements as the most aggressive in the country, as building performance standards emerge as a key tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • June 30, 2023
  • two girls ride bikes away from the viewer on a tree-lined street partially covered with water from flooding.
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    Brendan Hoffman via Getty Images
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    Coastal cities are sinking as sea levels are rising, increasing flood risks

    Individual communities are limited in their ability to stop either phenomenon, experts say, but governments can take steps to minimize the flooding that might result.

    By Adina Solomon • June 28, 2023
  • New York City skyline
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    New York City’s long-awaited commercial waste zones take key step forward

    The country's largest commercial waste market is heading toward its most significant change in decades. Supporters hope it will boost recycling rates, lower vehicle emissions and offer more transparent customer service.

    By Cole Rosengren • June 27, 2023
  • A city skyline during the day with several office buildings behind trees.
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    Q&A

    ‘Dead trees all over the city’: Where tree-planting efforts go wrong

    As federal funds flow toward urban forestry, collaboration with residents and appropriate technical expertise can lead to more tree-planting success, one researcher says.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • June 27, 2023
  • Facilities retrofit
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    US will need to triple building retrofit rate to meet decarbonization targets: report

    The report urges building owners and occupiers to strengthen their relationships, upskill the labor force and electrify major building systems to avoid a “brown discount” on lease negotiations.

    By Joe Burns • June 26, 2023
  • Water bubbles up from a road
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    Permission granted by Kristina Hill
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    Over 100K contaminated sites may be threatened by rising groundwater, researchers warn

    Humans and ecosystems across the U.S. could be exposed to severe health risks if rising groundwater causes the migration of contaminants such as heavy metals and petroleum products.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • June 26, 2023
  • Phoenix midtown skyline with a Saguaro Cactus and other desert scenery in the foreground.
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    Phoenix water conservation policy targets future development

    Southwestern cities vary in their approaches to water conservation, from regulations to incentives. Phoenix’s recently adopted policy charts a middle path, a city water official said.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • June 23, 2023
  • Modern residential buildings with trees and grass in the foreground.
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    To improve multifamily housing energy efficiency and resiliency, HUD offers $4.8B for retrofits

    The first round of the $4.8 billion GRRP covers upgrades for 28 rent-assisted properties.

    By Mary Salmonsen • June 22, 2023
  • Ocean meets sandy beach
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    Mario Tama/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    To build climate resilience, NOAA announces $575M for coastal, Great Lakes communities

    The grants, which come from the Inflation Reduction Act, do not require matching funds, and recipients will have up to five years to spend the money.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • June 20, 2023