Utilities: Page 16


  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Scottsdale, Ariz. implements green building code for new commercial, multifamily construction

    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.As communi...

    By Andy Castillo • July 10, 2023
  • Fleet of EV
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by ABM
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by ABM

    Ready to ride the wave of fleet electrification sweeping the US?

    Here’s how to navigate the obstacles to EV fleet charging infrastructure at your facility.

    July 10, 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    3 tips for public sector leaders looking to take advantage of federal funding for infrastructure

    3 tips for public sector leaders looking to take advantage of federal funding for infrastructure

    By Bill Symon • July 7, 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    How to make communal spaces truly community friendly

    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.Communal s...

    By Celeste Frye • July 6, 2023
  • A row of electric vehicle chargers.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Report: More charging infrastructure is needed to support 30 to 42M electric vehicles by 2030

    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.Driven by ...

    By Andy Castillo • July 6, 2023
  • An aerial view of the iconic pier and boardwalk on the beach in Santa Cruz, California.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Granite Construction
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • Solar panels in New York City.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Phoenix passes water conservation policy that restricts turf, outdoor irrigation on new development, promotes native flora

    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.With droug...

    By Andy Castillo • June 28, 2023
  • An engineer checks the installation of  heat pump on a model house.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Residential heat pump, EV sales surged last year in US and globally, boosting energy efficiency

    “We are seeing strong momentum behind energy efficiency,” said International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol, and the IEA expects global investment to reach record levels this year. 

    By Robert Walton • June 21, 2023
  • construction team with lead pipes
    Image attribution tooltip

    Courtesy of Courtney Steger

    Image attribution tooltip

    Getting the lead out: Courtney Steger, 2022 Exemplary Public Servant of the Year

    As utilities director, Steger has spearheaded the lead pipe replacement project for Mayville, Wisconsin.

    By Michelle Havich • June 16, 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    NYC housing authority highlights 9% reduction in heat, hot water outages; $78M in infrastructure upgrades

    Investing in modern heat and hot water infrastructure doesn’t just reduce energy costs, it also saves money by cutting down on outages. New York City’s Housing Authority (NYCHA) has reduced its heat and hot water outages by nearly 10% compared to the previous heating season.

    By Andy Castillo • June 15, 2023
  • Seattle skyline.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    To reduce carbon footprint of existing buildings, Seattle proposes new standards

    Mayor Bruce Harrell called the legislation “among the most impactful proposals [the city] can advance to reduce emissions.”

    By Ysabelle Kempe • June 15, 2023
  • A worker installs a solar panel.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    California’s urban roofs provide more value for community solar+storage than rural areas: report

    State and federal incentives could help “ensure that not all of our community solar is getting built in the cheapest areas out in rural locations,” said a solar developer’s Western policy director.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • June 13, 2023
  • Close-up of a gloved worker fixing pipes on a heating system.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    New York City Housing Authority says heating system improvements reduced outages by 9%

    New York City’s upgrades are just some of many taking place in municipalities across the country, with others also using energy performance contracts to save money to fund future installations.

    By Joe Burns • June 12, 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    USDA announces $11B in green energy grants for rural utilities

    USDA announces $11B in green energy grants for rural utilities

    By Andy Castillo • June 8, 2023
  • City skyline from above over highways.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Dallas in the homestretch of ransomware attack recovery

    Security operations and tools are also getting a refresh as city officials rebuild impacted systems and make upgrades across multiple departments.

    By Matt Kapko • June 8, 2023
  • Several vehicles lined up along a curb are blurred while in the foreground a white and silver electric vehicle charger is in focus.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Enel X Way North America
    Image attribution tooltip

    Utility plan to build 460 EV fast-charging stations in Colorado angers retailers, other charging proponents

    Gas stations, convenience store owners and other businesses say Xcel Energy's plan to own chargers makes it less likely they will install them.

    By Robert Walton • May 26, 2023
  • White icons float above a cityscape
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Greenhouse gas emissions tracking project addresses ‘flawed’ approach cities use now, researchers say

    City Climate Intelligence can provide free, near-real-time information on greenhouse gas emissions at the city, neighborhood, building and street level.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • May 26, 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    How green last-mile infrastructure benefits your community

    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.Overseeing...

    By Celeste Frye • May 24, 2023
  • The Phillips 66 Los Angeles Refinery Wilmington Plant stands beyond a residential street on November 28, 2022 in Wilmington, California.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Collecting data to support energy-burdened communities poses unique challenges, experts say

    Census data isn’t collected often enough to reflect neighborhood demographic shifts, and asking communities to self-report can present additional burdens, panelists said at a clean energy summit.

    By Diana DiGangi • May 24, 2023
  • A construction worker sets a roof joist.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The ‘infrastructure decade’ is here, but challenges loom for local governments at the helm

    “Money is flowing, grant applications are live, private capital is ready to move. But there are real constraints to achieving public goals,” Brookings Metro Senior Fellow Adie Tomer said at an event last week.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • May 23, 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Research highlights safety tradeoffs of electric scooter speed limiters

    Research highlights safety tradeoffs of electric scooter speed limiters

    By Andy Castillo • May 22, 2023
  • California skyline with buildings, palm trees and mountains
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Q&A

    In San Jose, city climate plans must have ‘the cool factor’

    After winning a national climate leadership award, the city’s chief sustainability officer discussed how libraries can win over electric stove skeptics and how house parties might boost community engagement.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • May 22, 2023