Group to leverage AI, supercomputers for smart city planning

A team out of the Global City Teams Challenge will use advanced technology to trial scenarios around some of the biggest urban issues.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 6, 2019

Alexandria, VA joins growing list of dementia-friendly cities

More than 200 cities nationwide are planning dementia-friendly action strategies to help growing aging populations, which involve a combination of communications training and infrastructure development. 

By Kira Barrett • Aug. 5, 2019

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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

Study: E-scooters more harmful to environment than e-bikes, some buses

A report from NC State University urges scooter companies to make their vehicles out of more durable materials, and to use energy-efficient vans when distributing scooters.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 5, 2019

Miami community shares concerns on rising sea level, environmental injustice

Residents voiced two major themes: a desire for education about climate impacts and the role citizens can play, and "an interest in integrated solutions that aren’t just gray infrastructure."

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 1, 2019

Austin, TX pilot helps musicians receive digital tips

The city's Music & Entertainment Division launched the program to help musicians combat rising costs of living as cash transactions are on the decline.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 31, 2019

ACEEE scorecard: Few US cities on track to meet climate goals

Cities took on more than 265 climate initiatives in 2018 but most aren't adequately tracking their progress, and nearly 35% of cities have not set GHG reduction targets. 

By Katie Pyzyk • July 26, 2019

NYC moves to collect retail vacancy data

The city is losing storefronts of all stripes as rents spike, leaving a blighted cityscape despite the economic boom.

By Daphne Howland • July 25, 2019

How can cities consider mental health in green space planning?

A new paper offers a framework for cities to incorporate and measure mental health benefits from parks, tree plantings and other public spaces. 

By Jason Plautz • July 25, 2019

London named world's first National Park City

The movement is intended to improve urban areas by making them "park-like" with more green space, improving citizens' health and well-being. 

By Katie Pyzyk • July 23, 2019

How community leaders can plan for (and execute) a sustainable city

We're obligated as a society to care for the environment where we live, work and play. The map has been drawn; we simply need to follow the path.

By Steve Smith • July 23, 2019

Mayors declare heat emergencies as cities face power outages, health risks

Weekend heat waves across the U.S. were responsible for at least six deaths, raising concerns about the risks of changing climates.

By Kristin Musulin • July 22, 2019

Pittsburgh’s smart garbage cans help streamline public works

By installing more than 1,200 smart cans, the city faces an estimated $1.54 million in savings annually. 

By Jason Plautz • July 22, 2019

Study: 'Artificial snow' could save ice sheet, prevent sea level rise

Controversial geo-engineering and other drastic measures may need to occur if climate change policy solutions don't happen quickly enough. 

By Jason Plautz • July 19, 2019

Transforming small cities from manufacturing centers into tech hubs

The tech workforce needs not only well-paid jobs, but a place they want to go home to at night from those jobs. The latter is easier said than done. 

By Nigel Wilson • July 19, 2019

Mayors call for new ‘Marshall Plan,’ federal resiliency office to fight climate change

A committee of 10 Democrats promised to continue studying climate change, holding more hearings and fostering partnerships with governments at all other levels as well as with the private sector.

By Chris Teale • July 18, 2019

Berkeley, CA sets historic law banning natural gas from new buildings

Berkeley is the first U.S. city to pass such a measure, designed to curb GHG emissions and prepare new buildings for electric infrastructure.

By Kristin Musulin • July 18, 2019

Portland, OR creates equitable mobility pricing task force

Dylan Rivera of the Portland Bureau of Transportation said the city hopes to bring congestion and pollution "relief" to the public "as soon as possible."

By Katie Pyzyk • July 17, 2019

Reduce, reuse, rescoot? A look at e-scooters' long-term sustainability

Scooters are touted as a low-cost, clean form of transportation, yet their life span is far from sustainable — and their parts could pose a danger to recycling facilities.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 17, 2019

LA seeks neighborhood buy-in to boost earthquake preparedness

Mayor Garcetti announced "Ready Your LA Neighborhood," a re-emphasis on city preparedness, but the effort may lack community-wide involvement. 

By Kira Barrett • July 16, 2019

6 steps for staying secure in a smart world

Many people see the internet as part of the furniture, something as ubiquitous as hot water. But it's crucial that networks are nurtured and proactively protected.

By Will Evans • July 16, 2019

Mayors resolve to stop paying ransomware hackers

The resolution, made at the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Annual Meeting, came just after two Florida cities paid their attackers' ransom demands.

By Samantha Schwartz • July 15, 2019

3 key themes that will drive cities' strategies for job creation

"The future of work in America" report assessed how tech and automation will impact labor fields, productivity and economic development in cities.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 15, 2019

US cities average a failing grade on UN sustainability report card

Lagging execution of the Sustainable Development Goals should "provide flashing red lights" to communities, according to the network's director. 

By Kristin Musulin • July 15, 2019

Northeast Maglev exec teases high-speed rail benefits

While the advanced trains could drastically improve regional transit, experts warned that smart cities must also prioritize "the basics."

By Cailin Crowe • July 12, 2019

77% of global cities will experience 'striking shift' in climate by 2050

Nearly a quarter of global cities will experience extreme climate conditions not currently found in any city, a new report in journal PLOS One found.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 12, 2019