Report: Green infrastructure projects can mitigate flooding, increase resiliency in underserved communities

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By Andy Castillo • Oct. 20, 2021

How one of the hottest US cities is finally restructuring its heat response

The Phoenix City Council opted to fund an Office of Heat Response & Mitigation. Residents have demanded cities do "more, better, and faster for extreme heat for a long time," said inaugural Director David Hondula.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 19, 2021

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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

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to meet cities’ pressing needs. Let’s get it done.

Passing the Biden infrastructure bill will have ripple effects across the U.S., writes Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, driving investments in areas including electric vehicles, energy efficiency and recycling infrastructure. 

By Kate Gallego • Oct. 18, 2021

City strategies evolve on American Rescue Plan spending

Local governments are working through the historic influx of federal funds, including newly available competitive grants, while infrastructure bill dollars remain at bay.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 14, 2021

5 ways New York City can overhaul its streets to be more resilient: report

A Regional Plan Association report calls for expanding bike lanes and busways, gradually phasing out free parking, adding green infrastructure to gather stormwater and more.

By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 13, 2021

Climate adaptation plans from US agencies envision transit resilience, modern building codes

The Biden administration's whole-of-government approach to climate resilience planning has environmental, transportation and housing regulators, among others, mapping out more equitable preparedness in communities.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 12, 2021

Rescue funds buoy economic outlooks, but cities eager for infrastructure dollars: NLC report

Many cities lost revenue in FY21, but certain economic and tax changes, plus infusions of direct federal relief, helped them weather the pandemic better than the Great Recession, according to National League of Cities researchers.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 7, 2021

A new approach to helping solve climate change and sustainability

Cape Town's severe drought grabbed global headlines in 2018 and provided important lessons in how to respond to such a crisis.

Sept. 28, 2021

Cool pavements research builds as temperatures rise

Arizona State University and MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub researchers recently shared their respective studied benefits and lingering questions about how lighter pavements could impact urban heat island effects.

By Maria Rachal • Sept. 24, 2021

We can't forget public transit, walking and cycling in the push to decarbonize transportation

Electric vehicles have lawmakers' attention as one tool to mitigate the climate crisis. But perpetuating private vehicle use won't move the U.S. toward a more equitable transportation future.

By Pooja Shah • Sept. 23, 2021

A tech billionaire wants to build a smart city in the desert. Can it be sustainable?

City and water experts weigh in on whether sustainability is possible for Diapers.com founder Marc Lore's proposed “city of the future” in the water-scarce American desert.

By Adina Solomon • Sept. 20, 2021

Connecticut falls behind state’s GHG goals: ‘We told you so,’ says Acadia Center

Despite the rise in emissions, the electric sector "shows encouraging results," the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said. Proposed new gas projects are a step in the wrong direction, though, advocates warn.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 14, 2021

3 cities enter accelerator program to help achieve 100% zero-emissions commercial vehicles by 2030

Chicago, San Diego and San Jose, California, each won $100,000 to reduce emissions through local initiatives that include a cargo e-bike pilot and zero-emission neighborhood zone. 

By Cailin Crowe • Sept. 3, 2021

DC flexible housing subsidy shows promise for addressing homelessness, researchers say

Participants used 29% fewer homelessness services, and 88% of them remained in stable housing, in the program's first year, but more time and research will be key to determining the program's long-term effectiveness, said Urban Institute and DC government researchers.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 26, 2021

Cities use art to combat extreme urban heat

As urban areas struggle to cope with scorching temperatures, the Boston-area Metropolitan Area Planning Council is helping local leaders partner with community groups and artists to develop creative cooling infrastructure. 

By Kat Friedrich • Aug. 23, 2021

Equity concerns drive changes to federal community hazard mitigation program

After lower-resourced areas and Midwest, Mountain West and Gulf states lost out in the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program's first year, FEMA aims to boost disadvantaged rural communities' access to grants.

By Maria Rachal • Aug. 20, 2021

Cities to test commercial EV fleets, smart traffic, curbside management using federal funds

Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Santa Monica, California, are among the cities set to explore commercial electric trucks, smart loading zones in high-traffic areas, and other innovations with Energy Department funding.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 17, 2021

As heat island effects worsen due to climate change, cities try to adapt

Cities are adding cooling measures like trees and lighter pavement to reduce urban heat island effects as record temperatures sweep the nation.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 17, 2021

Curbing climate change requires an end to driving in cities

New U.N. climate report underscores the need to invest in infrastructure that encourages active mobility, get people back on public transit, and have cities reclaim roadways, writes Lime CEO Wayne Ting.

By Wayne Ting • Aug. 13, 2021

New initiative urges contractors to work with owners to reduce building emissions

The effort aims to create policies that lower emissions from the built environment, establish practices that shrink contractors' carbon footprint, and encourage clients to pursue more climate-friendly buildings.

By Joe Bousquin • Aug. 5, 2021

Despite limited participation, advocates see potential for Northeast transportation cap-and-invest plan

Only four of the over a dozen original participants of the Transportation and Climate Initiative signed on to a final program to cut transportation emissions. Backers say there's still a bright future.

By Jason Plautz • July 29, 2021

‘We have got to do something’: Cities behind on climate goals as extreme weather worsens

Funding, staffing shortfalls and a lack of buy-in from city workers are impeding progress, a Bloomberg Associates report states.

By Danielle McLean • July 27, 2021

Resilience roles go mainstream, as cities seek more climate adaptation resources

"Chief resilience officer" was a novel title a decade ago but is now a fixture in many major local governments looking to coordinate preparedness and response in the face of increasingly common, and costly, extreme weather.

By Maria Rachal • Updated Aug. 10, 2021

Washington, DC-area utility outlines plan to meet city climate goals

The clean energy approach would include focuses on electric vehicles, building decarbonization and a variety of grid modernization technologies. The nation's capital is aiming for 100% renewable energy by 2032.

By Robert Walton • July 22, 2021

Billions more needed to address climate infrastructure needs of US cities: report

Cities need at least $10.6 billion to fund more than 300 sustainable infrastructure projects, according to a CDP survey of 97 U.S. cities. 

By Jason Plautz • July 20, 2021