New bill would tax polluters, redirect funds to impacted communities

The Save Our Future Act would invest millions in emissions reduction programs and help areas reliant on fossil fuels transition away from them through direct payments, career training, business development and other programs.

By Chris Teale • June 18, 2021

Pittsburgh summer program aims to retain young professionals

Competition for talent has become even more pronounced during the pandemic as remote work proliferated, giving employees greater flexibility in where they live.

By Katie Pyzyk • June 16, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Energy Codes and Building Performance Standards

Cities are using these levers to meet climate goals and address everything from data centers to building decarbonization.

By Smart Cities Dive staff

Philadelphia's eviction diversion program is a 'lifeline' for tenants

The "nation's largest poor city" has adopted one of the most aggressive eviction diversion efforts in the U.S., in an effort one city council member said she hopes will remain post-pandemic.

By Amanda Loudin • June 16, 2021

Low-carbon concrete bill advances in New York

The bill takes aim at the emissions-heavy built environment by developing state guidelines for using greener concrete products and climate performance standards for state construction projects.

By Jason Plautz • June 14, 2021

Arbor Day Foundation and Intrinsyx Environmental offer natural solution to clean up industrial contamination in cities and towns

Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.The Arbor ...

By Michelle Havich • June 14, 2021

Dallas adopts its first urban forest master plan

The plan follows an earlier heat island management study that found the nation's ninth-most-populous city was heating up more rapidly than every other city in the U.S. outside of Phoenix.

By Maria Rachal • June 11, 2021

EPA, USDA select 13 sites to help build community-led food systems

The Local Foods, Local Places program aims to rejuvenate economically blighted areas, with revitalization plans including the creation of community gardens and converting a transit bus into a mobile farmers market. 

By Katie Pyzyk • June 8, 2021

Baltimore contractor pilots low-carbon concrete product

The new concrete formulation is designed to cut the material's embodied carbon by 40% compared to ordinary Portland cement-based concrete, the maker says.

By Jeffrey Steele • June 4, 2021

Tampa, Florida, creates resilience plan to prepare for next crisis

The road map, which officials say is the first to be released during or after the coronavirus pandemic, calls for more affordable housing and broadband access in addition to climate-ready infrastructure.

By Chris Teale • June 3, 2021

Lower-income ZIP code residents feel worse effects of extreme heat, ozone pollution: study

Policymakers should prioritize resources in poorer neighborhoods and develop better warning systems, according to a study analyzing hospitalizations across ZIP codes in California.

By Jason Plautz • May 28, 2021

Republicans include $4B for EVs in 2nd counteroffer to Biden infrastructure plan

The Republicans' proposal would spend $928 billion on infrastructure over the next eight years, a $360 billion increase over their previous proposal. But EV advocates say the plan still falls short. 

By Catherine Morehouse • May 28, 2021

Washington, DC, reclaims top spot as best city for parks

The Trust for Public Land's rankings measured park equity access for the first time in the index's 10-year history, noting that while many cities have made strides, plenty of work still lies ahead.  

By Chris Teale • May 27, 2021

With more extreme weather on horizon, FEMA resilience program's dollars to double

The Biden administration's $1 billion injection for the nascent Pre-Disaster Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program comes as national leaders aim to "categorically shift" disaster spending from reactive to proactive.

By Maria Rachal • May 26, 2021

Averting economic devastation from New York's billion-dollar consumer energy debt

Federal funds will eliminate a lot of New Yorkers' energy and water utility debt, but utility shareholders must share the burden of what remains, the authors write.

By Kevin Parker and Richard Berkley • May 26, 2021

Biden orders Yellen to outline climate risks to financial stability

The action also calls for an effort within about four months to identify and disclose the extent of exposure government programs and assets have to climate risks.

By Dan Ennis • May 25, 2021

Stimulus funds poised to magnify impact of Economic Development Administration’s new equity focus

The EDA has for the first time prioritized equity in its strategy as it looks to invest in underserved communities and prepare them for the jobs of the future.

By Chris Teale • May 24, 2021

Biden decarbonization focus shifts to buildings, aiming to triple efficiency

The White House announced workforce development funding, new performance standards and expanded partnerships in the private sector to address carbon emissions from the nation's building stock.

By Robert Walton • May 20, 2021

Funding is a key barrier to cities' climate plan progress: report

About 43% of cities worldwide lack a climate adaptation plan, with 25% noting budget constraints as an obstacle, nonprofit CDP reports. But neglecting to address climate change comes with a financial cost too, experts warn.

By Katie Pyzyk • May 17, 2021

Coalition seeks to highlight composting as key urban infrastructure

Given the Biden administration's focus on climate, environmental justice and infrastructure investment, advocates and trade groups view now as an apt time to pursue $200 million across a decade to help expand U.S. composting.

By Maria Rachal • May 13, 2021

NREL app expected to significantly speed up US residential solar permitting

A new app designed by NREL will address a key concern among solar contractors with near-instantaneous permit decisions for residential installations in the majority of U.S. jurisdictions.

By Emma Penrod • May 10, 2021

How housing and property conditions can affect neighborhood stability

Companies, owners, teams and players all measure success based on a goal or metric. In isolation, those goals and metrics often make sense—for example, percentage increase in top line sales year over year, or reduction in overhead costs year over year, or number of games won in a season, or batting average or bringing home the championship trophy.

By Michael Halpern • May 10, 2021

‘We are simply not ready’ for EV charging at scale, House Republicans say, warning of China dependence

During a hearing Wednesday on major clean-transportation legislation — part of the Biden administration's $174 billion proposal to bolster electric vehicles — Republicans said the plan strips away consumer choice.

By Robert Walton • May 7, 2021

DC traffic deaths climb as Vision Zero funding remains in limbo

Traffic-related fatalities in the nation's capital are well above the number seen by this date last year. Meanwhile, funding allocations for a new law to bring fatalities to zero by 2024 are still undetermined. 

By Maria Rachal • Updated April 30, 2021

Just transition needed in transit electrification, labor leaders say

Transit worker representatives said agencies and the federal government should provide training and give workers a voice, otherwise major job losses could follow.

By Chris Teale • April 27, 2021

Pittsburgh pursues sustainable deconstruction policy to salvage building materials

Following similar steps in Portland, Oregon, and Milwaukee, Pittsburgh is betting that recovering materials from condemned buildings instead of demolishing them will support the city's climate and equity goals.

By Maria Rachal • April 26, 2021