Sustainable Urban Development
With cities expected to host about 70 percent of the world's population, sustainable urban development is key to making communities worldwide more resilient against the growing threat of climate change. Find out about the latest urban practices from across the world aiming to make our cities more sustainable and inclusive in these good-news stories from The Optimist Daily.
Small wind turbine could enable buildings to live off the grid
Last week, we discussed Vortex Bladeless, a bladeless wind turbine with the potential to become the wind equivalent of rooftop solar panels. As it turns out, Vortex Bladeless is not the only invention out there seeking to rethink the design of traditional wind turbines. Enter Powerpod, a portable Read More...
Urban development upgrades that will outlast the pandemic
During the pandemic, cities closed off their streets to cars, turned unused parking garages into urban farms, and expanded bike lanes. These people-friendly modifications made cities more livable during a global pandemic, but many of them are here to stay as cities shift away from car-based Read More...
Solar concentrators provide fast and reliable solar light
With a population of 5.6 million people, the small island nation of Singapore has roughly the same density as New York City. In a country where space is of the essence, researchers from Nanyang Technological University have developed a compact solar concentrator to illuminate the island’s Read More...
Philadelphia is using a mediation program to prevent evictions
Back in August, with Covid-19 cases on the rise and tenants across the city struggling financially, the city of Philadelphia decided to take an unconventional approach to solve a housing crisis with their Eviction Diversion Program. With the new program, landlords are required to attend a Read More...
Hemp-based insulation is toxin-free and continually absorbs emissions
In one Parisian apartment building, the residents rarely turn on the heat, even in the dead of winter. That’s because the walls are filled with “hempcrete,” an innovative insulation that is better for people and better for the planet. The revolutionary material doesn’t contain harmful Read More...
Athens is tackling urban air pollution and heat stress with "pocket parks"
Adding greenery to urban areas can do wonders for the liveability of a city. On top of providing shade and a cooling effect, trees, and shrubs also remove pollution from the air. That’s why Greece’s capital, Athens, has embarked on a mission to green up the city by creating “pocket parks” Read More...
California will be home to the world’s first 3D printed housing community
Last week we shared a story about how the United States’ first 3D printed homes are nearing completion in Austin, Texas. Now, Rancho Mirage in California is expected to become home to the world’s first 3D printed housing community — marking an important milestone in the transition of the Read More...
Ryerson University’s new health education tower raises sustainability standard
Toronto’s Ryerson University has reached a new standard for sustainable campus design with its award-winning Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex. The building, designed in the hopes of achieving LEED Gold certification by global design practice Perkins and Will, is a 28-story tower comprised Read More...
This skyscraper in Taipei features a carbon-absorbing vertical forest
According to the World Green Building Council, our built environment is responsible for almost 40 percent of the world’s carbon footprint. Facing a dire need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, architects and urban planners must ensure that our future buildings have the smallest negative Read More...
Green sidewalk barriers could help protect pedestrians from air pollution
Reducing air pollution from vehicle exhaust is key, especially when it comes to pedestrians. A new study suggests that redirecting that exhaust away from pedestrians could be one way to prevent them from being exposed to these noxious types of gases. While air pollution associated with Read More...